Fr. Gary Studniewski

Rev. Gary R. Studniewski was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1957. He received an Army commission through the ROTC program at the University of Toledo in 1979, completing a Bachelor of Education degree in Biology. He served in various artillery assignments in the 82d Airborne Division Artillery, 1980-1981, and then in the 3d Infantry Division Artillery, United States Army Europe,1983-1986. From 1987 to 1989 he served in the Army’s Personnel Command in Alexandria, VA.

In 1989 Father Studniewski left active duty to study for the Catholic priesthood, co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. His formation for the priesthood took place at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, 1990 – 1995. His theological education includes both a Bachelor of Sacred Theology and Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. He was ordained a priest of Washington in 1995 and served as Parochial Vicar at St. John’s Church in Hollywood, Maryland. He received the Monsignor William Awalt Award for Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Washington in 1997.

In 1998 Father Studniewski re-entered active Army service as a chaplain. He served as the 82nd Airborne Division Support Command Chaplain from 1998 – 2000, the Task Force Chaplain for the Multinational Force and Observers, Sinai, Egypt in 2001, and the Deputy Installation Chaplain at Fort Belvoir, VA, 2002 – 2005. In May, 2005 he was reassigned to the Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Personnel Directorate, at the Pentagon. He arrived at Fort Lewis, WA, in June, 2008 and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as the Brigade Chaplain with the 555th Engineer Brigade. He became the Joint Base Garrison Chaplain at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in February, 2010. In July, 2012 Chaplain Studniewski was assigned as the Command Chaplain for U.S. Army North (5th Army) at Fort Sam Houston, TX. His last Army assignment was as Command Chaplain, Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capitol Region/Military District of Washington, 2014 – 2016.
Father Studniewski graduated from multiple Army schools and staff colleges throughout his military career, culminating in obtaining a Masters in Strategic Studies at the U.S. Army War College, Department of Distance Education, 2014. He retired from the Army as a Colonel in July 2016.

Father Studniewski returned to the Archdiocese of Washington in November, 2016 and was assigned as Temporary Administrator at St. Francis Xavier Church, Newtowne, MD before assuming his pastoral responsibilities as Administrator, St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Capitol Hill in January 2017. Father Studniewski was named pastor of St. Peter’s in 2018.

Father Studniewski is a member of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and the Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree. He serves on the School Board of the Archdiocese of Washington, as the spiritual advisor to the Cursillo Movement of the archdiocese, and as associate chaplain for the DC State Council of the Knights of Columbus.