Today I have the privilege of speaking with Bishop Athanasius Schneider, ORC. A Catholic prelate, Bishop Schneider serves as the Auxiliary Bishop of Astana in Kazakhstan. He is a member of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross of Coimbra, founded in 1131 in Portugal.

Clandestine Faith in Difficult Times

Born in 1961 in the Soviet Union as Anton Schneider, he hails from a faithful family deeply involved with the underground church at that time. His mother, Maria, courageously sheltered the Blessed Oleksa Zaryckyj, a Ukrainian priest later martyred by the Soviet regime.

As a boy, Schneider and his siblings attended clandestine masses, traveling long distances in secrecy. In 1973, after making his first Holy Communion in secret, Schneider and his family emigrated to West Germany.

The Profound Grace of Faithful Upbringing

Bishop Schneider attributes his deep love for the Faith to the profound example set by his parents, which he says was the greatest grace of his life, perhaps even surpassing in some ways the grace of his priesthood.

A Champion of Tradition and Reverence

Fluent in multiple languages, including German, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, and Italian, Bishop Schneider, known for his traditionalism, advocates for receiving Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling as a sign of love for Christ.

His latest release, "Credo – Compendium of the Catholic Faith," accompanied by a study guide, is available from Sophia Institute Press. Scott Hahn endorsed his writing as “pure doctrine” presented in clear prose. It is certainly worth a read!

A Conversation on Faith

In our interview today, Bishop Schneider discusses with gratitude his call to the priesthood. He emphasizes the profound gift of the Eucharist and advocates for a deeper reverence, including Eucharistic Adoration. He also shares insights on the love for Our Blessed Mother as the mother of Jesus and our spiritual mother.

Addressing the importance of humility in drawing closer to God, Bishop Schneider's teachings resonate with a call to embrace and deepen our Catholic faith.