Father William J. Schopps, director of the diocesan Office of the Propagation of the Faith and auditor of the Tribunal with residence at St. Anthony Parish in Falls Church, died Oct. 23.

Father Schopps, a U.S. Army veteran, was born to Henry and Eileen Schopps in Valley Stream, N.Y., in 1942. He attended Holy Name of Mary Grammar School and St. Agnes High School in Rockville Centre, N.Y., where he lettered in football and baseball.

Father Schopps received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Dayton and a master in business administration from New York University. He was an Air Defense Artillery Officer with the 52nd Artillery Brigade Adjutant and Headquarters at Fort Hancock, N.J., during the Vietnam build-up years, beginning in 1965.

Father Schopps relocated to the Northern Virginia area in 1977, at which time he joined Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria.

Father Schopps attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., where he earned a master of divinity degree with honors. He was ordained to the transitional diaconate by then-Arlington Bishop John R. Keating on May 19, 1984, and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Keating on May 11, 1985.

Father Schopps’ first assignment was associate pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria. He then served as associate pastor of St. James Parish in Falls Church from 1989-1992 and as administrator of St. James from August 1992-June 1993. Father Schopps was appointed pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Chancellorsville in 1993 and served there until 1996, and was then pastor of St. Elizabeth in Colonial Beach from 1996-2000. On Jan. 10, 2000, Father Schopps assumed the offices he held at the time of his death.

Father Schopps was active in the diocesan Cursillo Movement. As a member of the leadership team, he helped organize the weekend retreats to enhance retreat-goers’ spiritual lives.

The wake for Father Schopps was held Oct. 27 at St. Anthony Church, Falls Church, and the Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde on Oct. 28 at St. Anthony Church. Father Lee R. Roos was homilist. Internment followed at Fairfax Memorial Park, Fairfax.