Father Brandon Schneider was ordained on May 21, 2022 and joined our parish later that summer. Born and raised in Middlesex, he attended St. Michael’s Elementary School in Montpelier and U-32 Jr./Sr. High School. He completed his undergraduate at Youngstown State University and a masters in Russian History at Georgetown University. He currently serves as the parochial vicar for Our Lady of the Valley Parish (Randolph, Bethel, and Roochester, VT) and St. John the Evangelist Parish (Northfield, VT), and is currently finishing his studies in Canon Law. 

Father Schneider worked in higher education administration before joining the Order of Friars Preachers (the Dominicans). He completed his philosophy and theology with the Dominicans prior to joining the Diocese of Burlington. Father Schneider served a pastoral year as a seminarian at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Burlington and later as a deacon to St. Mary’s in Middlebury.

Father Schneider enjoys hiking, biking, classical and liturgical music, reading about history, and all things to do with trains – especially riding and watching. His favorite author is J.R.R. Tolkien. He has written and delivered papers on U-boat warfare, the Russian railroads, the Russian parliament before WWI, the spiritual theology of Albino Luciani (Pope John Paul I), venial sin, and the notion of “receiving a teaching of the Church” in the wake of Vatican II.