Rev. William B. Schardt, Pastor of St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church, was born May 16, 1949, in El Paso, Texas. He is the son of the late Bruton B. and Florence (Pat) Schardt and has two sisters. Fr. Schardt attended St. James School in Falls Church and graduated from Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington in 1967. He attended The Ohio State University and graduated in 1971 with a degree in social work. He entered the seminary at Catholic University of America’s Theological College and graduated in 1975. He was ordained to the priesthood on November 29, 1975, by Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, after serving as a deacon at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More.
Father Schardt served as associate pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington from 1975 to 1978. In 1978, he was assigned to St. Michael Church in Annandale, and from 1979 to 1982 to St. Mark Church in Vienna.
After a year at St. Ambrose Parish in Annandale, Fr. Schardt returned to Catholic University of America for Canon law studies and graduated in 1986 with a licentiate degree. He returned to St. Mark Church from 1986-1989, and then was appointed Pastor of St. Ann Parish in Arlington from 1989 to 2005. He was then appointed Pastor of St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Middleburg, serving there for nine years. Fr. Schardt is a judge in the Office of Canonical Affairs and the Tribunal, Diocese of Arlington, and the current Pastor of St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church.
