Chaplain to Everyone: Remembering Fr. Stan Dombrowski, OSFS
Lieutenant Stanley Dombrowski, Chaplain, U.S. Navy
After being a priest for eight and a half years, in January 1991, at the start of Operation Desert Storm, Fr. Dombrowski, a member of the Navy Reserve, left St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, DE, and became Lieutenant Stanley Dombrowski, Chaplain, U.S. Navy.
In January 1991, at the start of Operation Desert Storm, was called into service. He spent almost four months in Saudi Arabia, ministering to people of all faiths. Because of the shortage of chaplains in all faith traditions, Fr. Dombrowski used to say he was “chaplain to everyone.”Bringing faith, comfort, and laughter to men and women facing the uncertainty and hardships of war.
Fr. Stan often said that “military life isn’t all that different from the seminary—I live in a tent with twelve other men, and I get up early. But the food is a lot better here.” Beneath that trademark humor was a deep sense of duty and compassion. In a place where faith traditions blended under the same desert sun, Fr. Stan became what he lovingly called “a chaplain to everyone.” He ministered to soldiers of all faiths, offering a listening ear, a quiet prayer, and a reminder of God’s presence amid the chaos of conflict.
The way Fr. Stan served as a military chaplain was the way he lived his life; he brought the Gospel to everyone he encountered, not through grand gestures, but through presence, by showing up, day after day, in heat, exhaustion, and fear, to stand beside others in need. His ministry in uniform continued long after his return home, as he later served at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego.
Those who knew Fr. Stan remember that same pastoral heart in every stage of his ministry, whether at a hospital bedside, a parish celebration, or a military base halfway around the world. He lived his vocation with courage and joy, never separating his priesthood from his service, his faith from his humanity, or his laughter from his love of God’s people.
As we honor our veterans this day, we remember Fr. Stan Dombrowski—teacher, priest, Navy chaplain, and faithful Oblate—whose service reminds us that ministry can take many forms. In his own words, he lived by a simple motto:
“If it’s not necessary for your eternal salvation, don’t worry about it.”
May we honor his memory by living with that same peace, purpose, and faith.
Fr. Stan Dombrowski, OSFS, passed away at the age of 78 on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. He was a professed member of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales for 46 years and a priest for 42 years. A teacher, counselor, hospital chaplain, military chaplain, and pastor, Fr. Dombrowski was a dedicated Oblate and priest…Read More