Margarett Ann Schlientz Obituary
Dr. Margarett Anne Schlientz was in her Newaygo, Michigan home Saturday May 11, 2024 when she went to meet her Lord and Savior. Her modest roots began on a farm in Comstock Park, Michigan on April 1, 1939; she was the only girl and second born child to her beloved parents Anne Marie Schlientz and Walter Clarence Schlientz. Her Catholic schooling began in elementary school at Holy Trinity School and continued through high school where she attended Marywood Academy, run by the Dominican Sisters, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Margarett chose to attend Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to study nursing. After earning her BSN, she obtained Masters degrees in Psychiatric Nursing (University of Maryland), Theology, Clinical Psychology, and Sociology of Religions (all Marquette University), and Spirituality (Creighton University). Additionally, she attended University of Maryland to confer her doctorate in Psychiatric Nursing. Margarett's commitment to learning was further underscored with her phD equivalent in Sacred Theology from Marquette University.
Margarett was an administrator and professor at Marquette University where she developed the integration of the psychological and spiritual relationship necessary for human growth and development. This is the cornerstone and foundation of all her subsequent work. She was Chair of the Association of Christian Therapists for six years and also had a three-year term as the Chair of the Nursing Alumni Association for Marquette University. From 1978-1992, Margarett taught an integration course in psychology, spirituality, and sexuality in the Master's program in Christian Spirituality at Creighton University. She was also co-author of the RISEN (Re-Invest Spirituality and Ethics in the Networks of healthcare) program. In the past 45 years, she presented over 1000 workshops and conferences for healthcare organizations, parishes, dioceses, and religious orders focusing on healing through the integration of psychology and spirituality. She consulted with over 50 religious communities (including the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India for 3 years) to provide leadership, facilitate chapters, and promote healing with psychological and spiritual issues.
Luke 4:18-19 "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.".
Margarett impacted and influenced so many lives with her gift of spiritual direction. She provided spiritual direction for many priests within (and beyond) her diocese. Margarett also acted as a retreat director for diocesan priests and the diaconate program. Beginning in the fall of 2010 and lasting for many years, she conducted a monthly diocesan-wide evangelization series for the laity of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Her contemplative prayer life and real world experiences aided her to be a specialist in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola integrating the gifts of spirituality as a healing source for psychological and spiritual wounds. Margarett founded the Institute for Priestly Formation with a 10-week spiritual renewal summer program for diocesan seminarians at Creighton University where she was faculty and psychiatric consultant for 20 years. Margarett brought her mother in her final years and both women would share their positive experiences at the conferences with the seminarians. Her older brother, Joe, was gifted with technology and he traveled to be the "sound man" recording the presentations at the conferences.
Margarett inaugurated the annual Healing Conference on exorcism and deliverance in Chicago at Mundelein Seminary for bishops and priests for 12 years where she acted as spiritual director and presenter at Mundelein Seminary. This culminated into her founding the Pope Leo XIII Institute for the formation of exorcists who work within the Catholic Church. Margarett was privileged to partner with holy, gifted priests to discern issues of exorcism and deliverance ministering with them as she would perform psychological assessments to determine if exorcism was appropriate. Additionally, she created and supervised prayer teams providing discernment of spirits for the priest exorcist with active prayer support during exorcisms. She acted as executive director from 2012-2015.
So many wonderful accomplishments and a magnificent amount of productive life's work by one individual. However, one of the most meaningful moments of her life was March 19, 1961 (Solemnity of St Joseph) when Margarett took her vow as a consecrated virgin in the presence of Father Raphael Hochaus, SJ in the chapel at Marquette University. Margarett was devoted to daily mass, the divine office, and contemplative prayer in addition to all her service to the community and the Catholic Church. Most Reverend David J Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids, graciously recognized Margarett stating in a letter to her recently, "I am so very grateful for your ministry both nationally and within our own diocese. Your commitment to clergy formation and our young people is a true blessing to us…as you have publicly and faithfully lived out this consecration for the past 63 years, I am most willing and pleased to receive you into our diocesan community of consecrated virgins.".
Although Margarett moved away from Michigan, her family was always a large part of her life. In the 1980's, "Aunt Margarett" had a 6-year-old nephew who asked her to mark her calendar to visit, many months in the future, on Halloween. That Halloween day, Margarett arrived asking her brother and his wife to keep the visit a secret from their four young children, ages 12 to 6. Her young nephew was outside, in front of the house when an "elderly" lady with a cane began conversing with him in the early evening on Halloween day. Once she revealed her identity he immediately brought her into the house. All were delighted and shocked to discover this "elderly" woman weighed down with shopping bags, a cane, wearing an old lady mask, and wig was actually their beloved, yet completely unrecognizable, Aunt Margarett. Her surprise visit of a wonderful evening of trick or treating for her nieces and nephews was one example of how she made family a priority. She was so special, very loved, and one of a kind.
While Margarett impacted the Church in a huge way, she didn't need you to know what she did. Rather, the stories she told in her last years were about the people and the miracles she witnessed: a grumpy priest whose leg was healed, a blind woman regaining her sight, a priest experiencing transformation before the tabernacle, a Jewish woman converting to Catholicism, a Protestant pastor seeking Catholic counsel, and the young people she worked with in Newaygo County. Her desire was to guide people towards healing their hearts and experiencing the love of Christ. She simply loved Jesus and His church and her wish for you is to experience the depth of love that God has for you. As Fr. Tim recently described her: "She had an expectant hopeful faith, believed in miracles and when Margarett prayed, things happened. "If you were asking her for advice, she would tell you to FIRST start with praying three Hail Mary's.
Margarett is survived by her younger brother, John Schlientz, many nieces and nephews, and multiple grand-nieces and nephews around the country. She is also survived by numerous spiritual friends especially work associate and dear friend Fr. Tim Oudenhoven. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents; Anne and Walter Schlientz and her dear brother W. Joseph Schlientz. We have faith Margarett was greeted after her death by Jesus hearing the words: "Well done, my good and faithful servant.". Matthew 25:23.
VISITATION : May 21, 2024 from 5-7pm at the Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel 7193 West 48th Street Fremont. MI 49412 with ROSARY SERVICES at 7pm led by Fr Tim Oudenhoven VISITATION : Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 11am – 12pm at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church 1200 Alpine Church Rd NW Comstock Park, MI 49321 with burial immediately following ceremony with a luncheon afterwards. MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS : Newaygo County Catholic Youth Ministry (Checks payable to St Bartholomew Youth Ministry 599 W. Brooks Newaygo MI 49337) or on at: https://giving.parishsoft.com Click on: "One time gift" and down arrow on General. Contributions to: "Youth Group Donation.". Arrangements by Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel.
