Father Peter “Pete” Schavitz, C.Ss.R., 75, of Liguori died Aug. 5, 2026, while receiving hospice care at the St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Barnhart. Father Schavitz was known as a charismatic and gifted preacher who devoted more than three decades of ministry to the preaching apostolate. He was in great demand for his popular parish missions, which were often scheduled years in advance. He graduated from St. Mary’s School in Des Plaines, Ill., and at the age of 13 entered the Redemptorist formation program at St. Joseph’s Preparatory College in Edgerton, Wis.
He was a member of the inaugural freshman class at Holy Redeemer College in Waterford, Wis., in 1968. He and his classmates proceeded to novitiate at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Oconomowoc, Wis., and professed temporary vows on Aug. 2, 1970. He completed theological studies at Mount St. Alphonsus in Esopus, N.Y., and professed perpetual vows on Aug. 24, 1974. He was ordained to the priesthood at Holy Redeemer College on June 3, 1976.
He began ministry as a faculty member of St. Joseph’s Preparatory College and completed his master of communications arts degree at the University of Wisconsin in 1977. Two years later, he was appointed vocation director, a position he held for eight years. During this time, he was heavily involved in marriage encounter weekends. He even headed up the Marriage Encounter Committee for the 1984 Marriage Encounter National Convention in Chicago. He was appointed local superior and pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in St. Louis in 1987. He made many life-long friends during his three-year assignment before the Redemptorists returned the parish to the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1990. He was appointed director of Villa Redeemer Retreat House in Glenview, Ill., and served in that position for two years.
He found his true niche in 1992, when he joined the Mission Team as an itinerant mission preacher based in Chicago. From 1992 to 2000, he made his home at St. Alphonsus Parish, followed by five years at St. Michael Parish from 2000 to 2005. He poured countless hours into preparing his parish missions, traveling throughout North America to preach, encourage and renew the faith of many communities. His support of the Redemptorist mission extended beyond North America: he helped raise much-needed financial support for the Redemptorists' foreign missions in the Amazon Region of Brazil and in Nigeria.
Denver Province leadership selected him to consolidate fundraising efforts in Denver in 2005. He served as president of the development office for three years before he returned to the Mission Team at Liguori Mission House in 2008. Eleven years later, he was assigned as a missionary in residence at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Parish in St. Louis and recently served the Denver Province as co-director of the Transition to Ministry program. He joined the St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Barnhart in 2023.
He was a loyal supporter of the Chicago Cubs and the baby of the family who grew up with four older sisters. Born Sept. 5, 1950, in Evanston, Ill., he was the son of Peter and Collette Schavitz.
Visitation is scheduled from 9 a.m. until a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, 5901 Kerth Road, in St. Louis County. A luncheon will take place immediately after Mass. Burial will follow the luncheon at 2 p.m. in Redemptorist Cemetery in Barnhart. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.