Reverend Monsignor George Matthais Schroeder

Reverend Monsignor George Matthias Schroeder, a retired priest of the Diocese of Duluth and Archdiocese of Denver, passed away on November 8, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was born on April 20,1936 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and spent his youth in Belle Plaine and Duluth where he was a 1954 graduate of Cathedral High School.

After high school he attended Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minnesota and the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Father George was ordained a Catholic priest on June 2, 1962. His first assignment was as an assistant pastor at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Hibbing, Minnesota followed by assistant assignments in Crosby-Ironton and Virginia, Minnesota.

In 1969 he became the Communications Director for the Diocese of Duluth. Part of his duties included editing The Register, the diocesan weekly newspaper and doing the weekly television “Mass for Shut-ins.” He also served as the Chaplin for the UMD Newman Club.

In July 1982 Father George was assigned to the Archdiocese of Denver where he became the Newman Director at The University of Denver and the Director of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese. Father George was the host for the Youth World Day Conference featuring Pope John Paul II in 1993. Also in 1993, Father George became pastor of Holy Name Catholic Parish in Steamboat Springs, Colorado which included the communities of Oak Creek and Hayden.

Father George was elevated to Monsignor on December 3, 2000. In 2005 he was appointed Vicar for the Archdiocese of Denver, a position he held until 2007. He cherished his vocation as a priest.

Monsignor George retired to Scottsdale, Arizona and assisted at St. Patrick Parish from 2007 to 2009. He transferred to Blessed Sacrament Parish in Scottsdale until he retired again in 2022.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Josephine; his father, Matthias; brother-in-law, Frank; niece, Michelle; and his grandparents. He is survived by his brother, Robert (Mary) of Wisconsin; sisters, Josie Tomars and Mary Kay; niece, Annette (Joseph) Annoreno; and great-nephews, Joey and Victor, all of Arizona; nephew, Matt of Texas; and niece, Josephine (Byron) Schulte; and great-nephews, Harrison and Callum of Colorado.

In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial gift to the diocese of Duluth or Denver.

A mass of remembrance will be celebrated at both Blessed Sacrament Parish in Scottsdale and Holy Name Catholic Parish in Steamboat Springs at a future date. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Benedict Parish in Duluth, Minnesota at 11am on November 17, 2025 with a Visitation beginning at 10am. Monsignor George will be buried in the family plot in Duluth at Calvary Cemetery.