Early life

Gary Janek was born on March 22, 1962, in El Campo, Texas to Josephat “Joe” and Rose Marie Janak. He spent the first six years of his childhood in Eagle Lake, Texas, before the family moved to Palacios, Texas. He graduated in 1980 from Palacios High School. After finishing high school, Janek spent one year at Wharton County Junior College in Wharton, Texas. He then transferred in 1982 to the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas, for his sophomore year.^[1]

During 1982, Janek decided to leave the University of Texas to study for the priesthood. He entered the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Santa Fe, New Mexico, graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.^[1] Janak entered Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1982. He continued his studies at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Texas, in 1984.^[1]

Priesthood

On May 14, 1988, Janak was ordained a priest at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Palacios by Bishop Charles Grahmann for the Diocese of Victoria.^[2] He received a Licentiate in Canon Law from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1995 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1998 from the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio.

Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio

Pope Francis appointed Janak as an auxiliary bishop of San Antonio and titular bishop of Dionysiana on February 15, 2021. On April 20, 2021, Janak was consecrated by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia Siller.^[3][4][1][5]