HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JESUIT PRIEST PETER PABST

On 2026-05-15, Representative Sam T. Liccardo (D-CA-16) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JESUIT PRIEST PETER PABST" in the House.

HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JESUIT PRIEST PETER PABST

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 83 (Friday, May 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 83 (Friday, May 15, 2026)] [House] [Page H3543] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JESUIT PRIEST PETER PABST (Mr. LICCARDO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. LICCARDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of a Jesuit priest, Peter Pabst. I knew him as our community knew him as Father Peter. Beneath his Hawaiian shirts, easy demeanor, and good humor, his heart beat with a fierce commitment to the vision that every child, regardless of their family's poverty, have access to college and future success. That conviction spurred his founding of the Sacred Heart Nativity Middle Schools a quarter century ago to educate young students in the predominantly Latino neighborhood of Washington-Guadalupe in San Jose. A decade later, he launched Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School to prepare students from high-poverty families for college, integrating job opportunities with Silicon Valley's top tech companies. For the last 3 years, every one of Cristo Rey's hundreds of graduating seniors was accepted by a 4-year university, nearly all the first in their families to attend college. Father Peter also connected deeply to families in our community, conducting hundreds of baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Father Peter. May his memory inspire all who share his conviction in the boundless promise of every child. ____________________