For four decades, Krampert has considered passing out copies of The Catholic Register an act of charity worthy of inclusion in his weekly ministry at the local nursing home. Sunday mornings and afternoons, Krampert has spent two-to-four hours visiting the residents at the long-term-care facility. A long-time member of a German men's choir, he would lead a group of residents in familiar hymns. He visited individually with many of them.
For those who could read, and were interested, he gave them copies of The Catholic Register.
Krampert's paper route for The Catholic Register started some time around 1970. It began when The Toronto Star accidentally left an extra bundle for his daughter's paper route. Rather than see the papers go to waste, he took them to the nursing home on his regular Sunday visit. Krampert's visits were part of he and his wife Helmtrude's commitment to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Catherine of Sienna parish in Mississauga.
It was the spiritual advisor to the St. Vincent de Paul chapter who urged Krampert to substitute The Catholic Register for The Star.
"We are a Catholic organization," the priest told Kampert.
So, for 40 years the St. Vincent de Paul Society paid for the papers and Krampert delivered them. Lifecare Centre residents sometimes worried about who paid for the paper, and Kampert reassured them the bill was already paid. After all those years, Krampert is certain people appreciated the connection with the Church they got through the paper.
Mostly, the paper served as an excuse for talking to the residents.
"There are people over there that just want to talk to somebody," said Krampert.
With his health getting a little uncertain this year, Krampert felt he couldn't sustain his commitment to delivering The Catholic Register. But that doesn't mean Lifecare Centre residents will go without their weekly Catholic Register.
Krampert tapped Alzira Brum, another St. Catherine of Sienna parishioner and volunteer at Lifecare, to take over the route.
"They love the paper," said Brum.