A seminary contemporary of Swengros', Schneider, 57, grew up on a wheat farm in Salina, Kan., and attended Catholic elementary and high schools in Salinas.

He began his studies for the priesthood in 1973 at Conception Seminary College, Conception, Mo., and he completed his graduate work at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Salina on June 6, 1981.

Following an invitation from Bishop Thomas Larkin, former head of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Schneider arrived in Tampa Bay in 1989 and was incardinated as a priest of the Diocese of St. Petersburg on Nov. 11, 1993.

A passionate opponent of the death penalty, Schneider has served on the Florida Catholic Conference Committee against the Death Penalty for the Diocese of St. Petersburg since 1996, attending many vigils outside Florida State Prison in Raiford.

Schneider also serves on the Diocesan Culture of Life Committee, the Personnel Board and is the diocesan director of the Ecumenical and Inter-faith Outreach of the diocese.

In addition, Schneider helped found and co-chairs the Faith in Action for Strength Together, an interreligious organization in Pinellas County made up of Christians, Jews and Muslims who promote social justice within government.