Fr. Peter G. Pabst, SJ, president emeritus and chancellor of Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School, died from complications of Parkinson’s disease on May 2, 2026, at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California. He was 71 years old and was a member of the Society of Jesus for 51 years.
Fr. Pabst’s ministry was in education, both on the high school and university levels. He was the founder in 2013 of San Jose’s Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, an innovative secondary education program which gives students from low income families working experience at local corporate placements in addition to academic training. He became president emeritus and chancellor in 2017 and continued in that position until this year. Prior to his involvement with the Cristo Rey school, he served as founder and president of Sacred Heart Nativity Schools in San Jose, an innovative academic program for students from low-income families in sixth to eighth grades.
Peter Gerard Pabst was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, June 22, 1954, the son of George C. Pabst and Mary E. Jansen Pabst. In 1962 the family moved to Phoenix, and he graduated from Brophy High School in 1972. After two years of college, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Santa Barbara, California, in 1974. Jesuit studies took him to Spokane, Washington (BA, sociology and philosophy, Gonzaga University, 1981); Toronto; Berkeley, California (M.Div. Jesuit School of Theology, 1986); and Santa Clara University (MA, counseling, psychology, 1989). He was ordained a priest in San Francisco in 1986.
His assignments included associate director of the social involvement program at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose (1981-83), student counselor and resident ministry at Santa Clara University (1986-93), and student counselor and rector of the Jesuit community at Brophy College Prep in Phoenix (1993-99), which was followed by his involvement with the Sacred Heart and Cristo Rey schools.
Fr. Pabst enjoyed cooking, golf, travel and the outdoors. He maintained close relationships with his former students, officiating at their marriages and baptisms and those of family and friends.
Fr. Pabst is survived by his brothers Joseph and George (Sheri), sister Elizabeth Pabst-Wanless (Robert), sister-in-law Mary Jr. and Aunt Babe, as well as five nephews, three nieces, three great-nephews and five great-nieces. He was predeceased by his parents George and Mary, brother Thomas, sister Julia, and nephew Cristofer.
A Memorial Mass will be held Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 3 p.m. at the Brophy Chapel, 4701 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ (at Brophy College Preparatory School).
A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Five Wounds Church, 1375 E. Santa Clara Street, San Jose 95116 (adjacent to Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School). A livestream will be available at cristoreysj.org/peterpabst. Parking at 46 N. 28th St. or 1401 E. Santa Clara St. A reception will immediately follow the Mass at the Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School. Please RSVP here.
“Aloha attire” is encouraged at both Masses to honor Fr. Pabst with joy, the way he lived.
Donations in memory of Fr. Pabst may be made to the Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School, Sacred Heart Nativity School or the Jesuits West Province of the Society of Jesus, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031.