Harry Schlitt, who spread faith as Springfield's 'Rock and Roll Priest,' dead at 83
There was a youthful presence to Father Harry Schlitt that lasted well into the former Springfield priest and media personality's golden years.
His "Rock and Roll Priest" moniker had long aligned with his boyish looks, lively personality and ability to connect with rough-edged characters.
"I had no idea he was 10 years older than me," said John Sellars, the former director of Springfield's History Museum on the Square, who first met Schlitt in the 1970s. "He was an interesting guy who was very committed to his faith and working with young people."
Schlitt died in his sleep on Thanksgiving at the St. Vincent de Paul rectory in San Francisco, months after the release of his second book. "I’ll Never Know: The Rock & Roll Priest Looks at 80." He was 83.
The book was the sequel to his 2016 memoir "I'll Never Tell: Odyssey of a Rock & Roll Priest."
Previously:Rock 'n' roll priest Harry Schlitt connected with kids
Schlitt, who was ordained for 57 years, earned a level of fame for his involvement in a 1970 Woodstock-style festival during his time in Springfield.
The Cape Girardeau native gave the opening prayer at the two-day Finley Memorial Benefit Concert in a barn east of Springfield, a festival that drew criticism, including a letter of condemnation from the Greene County Baptist Association.
It didn't seem to deter his mission.
"He had a way of helping people live their best lives," Sellars said.
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Music, warmth and authenticity won hearts
Schlitt, who was also a man of the collar on TV and radio in Chicago, Las Vegas and San Francisco, had a popular show on KICK-AM radio in Springfield in the 1960s dubbed "I'll Never Tell."
"My hook for reaching (teens) was music. I listened to the music. I knew the words to the music," Schlitt told the News-Leader in 2016. "I thought Simon and Garfunkel were the greatest poets of all time. Their music told a story. Once it got into disco, it was not about the story but about dance."
"I'll Never Tell" was a call-in radio show for teens that exhibited Schlitt's welcoming, modern churchman personality and plenty of rock and roll. It grew into a television show.
Schlitt, who had the appearance and tone of a local news man and interviewed several celebrities, was part of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese before ultimately ending his career in the San Francisco area.
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The article referenced the atypical priest's impact in Missouri, the California's Bay Area, and around the country. Former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi had reportedly been among his parishioners.
Three days before his death, Schlitt was featured at length in the Nob Hill Gazette, a monthly San Francisco magazine.
San Francisco attorney and politician Angela Alioto had much reverence for Schlitt.
"He’s extremely warm and has become one of my closest friends," Alioto told the magazine. "There’s no arrogance. He’s Harry, and just plain wonderful."
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Schlitt also had an impact on actor, stand-up comedian and Catholic social worker Michael Pritchard.
"He’s loving and kind and nonjudgmental," Pritchard told the magazine. "And he’s authentic. You can tell he doesn’t care about wealth and ostentation. A hot dog is good enough for him. He is the essence of Christ in his humanity, compassion and service, and he lifts the human spirit like no other priest I’ve seen."
In his most recent book, in which Schlitt decries the church's views on homosexuality and abortion, he said he wants to be buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.
He wants his tombstone near New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio's.
“That’s as close to fame … as I will ever get," he wrote.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield's 'Rock and Roll Priest' Harry Schlitt dead at 83
