Douglas Cadwallader

Retired Episcopal priest Douglas Cadwallader joined the Episcopal Diocese of Texas in May of 1977, when he accepted an assignment serving the communities of Palacios and Matagorda. During his time in the priesthood, Fr. Cadwallader offered spiritual guidance and support to many individuals, including those who were grieving for the loss of loved ones. Douglas Cadwallader acted as an Assistant Rector and Rector while serving with the diocese, and he retired from the priesthood in February of 2010 when he left his position at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church and School in Houston.

A devoted scholar, Fr. Cadwallader earned his Bachelor of Arts in History, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and Master of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Louisiana State University, and he hopes to continue his studies in a wide array of fields at the university level in the near future. In 1977, he graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity.

In addition to classroom learning, Douglas Cadwallader derives great personal enjoyment and education from extensive travel. His most memorable trip, a sojourn to Israel and Egypt in 1983, provided him with a wealth of meaningful cultural, religious, and social experiences. Awed by the ancient religious edifices in both countries, Fr. Cadwallader experienced life on a kibbutz, saw the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and crawled into the Great Pyramid of Giza.

A multi-talented individual, Fr. Cadwallader has acted in many professional capacities throughout his career in addition to his primary focus of priestly service. Douglas Cadwallader has served as a bar keeper, taxi driver, history teacher, and civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense, among other professions. Despite his varied work history, Fr. Cadwallader considers his primary accomplishment to be his more than three decades of service to the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, and he continues to enjoy religious study in his retirement.