Ordination: 1957
Assignments:
- 1958: Immaculate Conception Church, Lansing, IA
- 1959-1960: Sacred Heart, Dubuque, IA
- 1961-1965: St. Joseph’s Church, New Hampton, IA
- 1966-1970: St. Joseph’s, Mason City, IA
- 1971-1973: All Saints, Cedar Rapids, IA
- 1974: St. Mary Church, Manchester, IA
- 1975: St. Peter Church, Clermont, IA
- 1976-1979: Sacred Heart Church, St. Anthony, IA
- 1980: St. Mary, Greene, IA
- 1981: Unknown
- 1982: St. Mary, Greene, IA
- 1983-1987: On Leave
- 1988-1989: On Sick Leave
- 1990-1991: On Leave of Absence
- 1991: Died
Fr. John A. Schmitz was accused of sexually abusing a girl in approximately 1959 while he was working at Sacred Heart School in Dubuque. The Archdiocese of Dubuque was allegedly made aware of the abuse allegation, but Fr. Schmitz was permitted to continue working as a priest and served at seven more Iowa parishes until he was removed from active duty in 1982. In 1982, Fr. Schmitz was reportedly sent to the Paraclete Center, an institution known for treating priests accused of child sexual abuse. After treatment, Fr. Schmitz was not allowed back into the Archdiocese of Dubuque, but rather accepted an assignment in the Diocese of San Bernardino. According to the Diocese of San Bernardino, Fr. Schmitz allegedly sexually abused a minor in 1985. Fr. Schmitz was told to leave the Diocese of San Bernardino and reported to his home Diocese in April 1985. Fr. Schmitz has been named in at least one civil lawsuit. In 2010, as part of a settlement with survivors of clergy sexual abuse, the Diocese of San Diego released Fr. Schmitz’s personnel file. Fr. Schmitz was included in the Diocese of San Bernardino’s list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse. Fr. Schmitz’s whereabouts and whether he had access to children from 1985 until his death in 1991 are unknown.