Fr. Peter Lewitzke, OP

Originally from Grayslake, Illinois, Fr. Peter Lewitze, OP,  is an ordained priest for the Dominican friars in the Central United States. He completed his formation program in St. Louis, Missouri, in spring 2023 and joined the St. Tom's team in July.
 
"When our superior told me that St. Tom's was a possibility for my first assignment as a priest, I was thrilled, " Fr. Peter said. "I've had a passion for campus ministry ever since I was a student
myself, first at the Georgia Institute of Technology and then at the University of Illinois in Chicago, where I received a B.A. in economics. It was in Chicago that I met the Dominican friars and immediately fell in love with their brotherhood and preaching mission."
 
During his time as a friar, Fr. Peter has participated in many incredible ministries, from hospital and jail chaplaincy to summers in Kenya, Puerto Rico, and France. He fulfilled his yearlong pastoral internship in the campus ministry office at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. While there, he developed some new formation programs with the team and worked at the Spanish-language parish in St. Louis during his last two years of theology studies.
 
In his free time, Fr. Peter is a self-proclaimed avowed nerd. He was president of his high school math and debate teams and caught Jeopardy! whenever he could. At the pandemic's start, he stayed sane by doing a crossword puzzle every morning. He's also been an avid hiker since his time in the Boy Scouts.