Bob_schrom

Bob Schrom

After graduating from Mater Cleri in 1970, I continued in seminary with the

Spokane seminarians at Gonzaga Univ.

Following my three years at Bishop White, I took leave of the seminary and

roomed with Bill Pike in an apartment on Augusta during my senior Gonzaga

year. Graduating in 1974 with a degree in speech communications, I worked

at Gonzaga as a night auditor hotel clerk during expo 74. During that

summer I went home to visit, and then quit my job in Spokane to help Dad

cacth up on the farm. At that time I planned to go to theology after a year

helping out on the farm. However, I never got off the farm. In August of

1975 I married Terese Fackenthall, whom I had met at GU and who frequently

came to Mass at Bishop White. Besides farming alfalfa hay and raising beef

calves, I have prepared tax returns and done ongoing accounting work the

last 24 years as a self employed small business. I became enrolled to

practice before the IRS in 1979. Terese and I have four children: Brian

born 8/17/76, Coreen born 6/28/79, Brett born 10/16/81, and Neesha born

9/6/86. Brian graduated from Oregon Institute of Technology and writes

embedded chip programming in Hillsboro, OR. Coreen graduated from Carroll

College and works for Enterprise Rent-a-car in Helena, MT. Brett received

and AA degree from Big Bend Comm College in Moses Lake and has been accepted

as a transfer student to University of Washington to study molecular

biology. Neesha just finished her freshman high school year. Terese is in

the process of being registered as a representative to sell securities. She

is currently working for the Bank of Whitman. My folks, Pat and John

Schrom, who still live with us on the farm, celebrated their 50th wedding

anniversary this past April. After studying for several years in deacon

formation, I was ordained a permanent deacon for the Yakima Diocese on

September 19, 1997, by Bishop Carlos Sevilla, S.J. I have been serving at

Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Moses Lake ever since. I am the RCIA

coordinator for the parish and have been regularly preaching. I help out

with baptisms and weddings, an occasional funeral, religious education and

visit shut-ins in my home parish at Royal City. I am part of the Yakima

diocesan catechumanate commission. I thoroughly enjoyed all my seminary

years and working for the People of God and the church continues as a large

part of my life. I personally got hooked on being a life long Catholic

while studying the Vatican II documents hot off the press at 7:30 a.m.

religious class as a high school Junior at Mater Cleri. Who would do that

today? The bishops' vision of church in the documents of Vatican II is

still keeping me celebrating life in communion with Jesus, led by the Spirit

on a journey to the Father. My life has been wonderful, indeed. God has

been very good to me.

Bob Schrom