Nine students received degrees during the annual commencement of Saint Vincent Seminary, held on Friday, May 6. Please visit the photos section of this website for a slideshow of commencement photos.
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Brian Warchola is the son of Larry and Frances Warchola of Central City. He is a 2000 graduate of Shade High School, Cairnbrook. He earned an associate degree in specialized business from Cambria-Rowe Business College, Johnstown, in 2003. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in Catholic theology from Saint Vincent College in 2007.He was ordained to the diaconate for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown in 2010. He earned the Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2011. He also received the Omer U. Kline, O.S.B., Homiletics Award, given by the Rector’s Council to the fourth-year student who has most clearly demonstrated excellence in preaching during his fourth year of study.
Diocese of Pittsburgh
Michael Robert Peck of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the son of Robert and Ann Peck of Warminster. He is a 1992 graduate of William Tennent High School in Warminster. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, in 1996. He also earned a Master’s degree in philosophy from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, in 2007. He was ordained to the diaconate for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 2010. He received a Master of Divinity degree and the Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2011.
Diocese of Steubenville
Michael W. Gossett is the son of David and Loretta Gossett of Steubenville, Ohio. He is a 2001 graduate of Catholic Central High School in Steubenville. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in media studies and political science from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, in 2005.He was ordained to the diaconate for the Diocese of Steubenville in 2010. He received the Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2011. He received the Diakonia Award, given to the student nominated by the entire seminary community and chosen by the faculty. The award honors a graduate who exhibits praiseworthy academic performance as well as service to the seminary community through building student morale and spirit, exercising leadership within the community, and demonstrating creative outreach to others.
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
José Manuel Escalante is the son of Manuel Sanchez of San Vincente, El Salvador and Francisa Escalante of La Paz, El Salvador. He is a 1982 graduate of Collegio Technologico Vicentino, San Vicente. He studied philosophy at the Instituto Teologico de America Central and also studied at Saint John Vianney College Seminary, Miami.He was ordained to the diaconate for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in 2010. He received the Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2011. He received the Honorable Judge Bernard F. Scherer Award, given to the student who most exemplifies the qualities evident in the life of Judge Scherer, including breadth of learning, the integration of knowledge, faith and life, service to others through corporal works of mercy, and a strong witness of faith, hope and charity.
Saint Andrew Abbey
Brother Finbar A. Ramsak, O.S.B., of Saint Andrew Abbey, Cleveland, is the son of Joseph and Gerri Ann Ramsak of North Oldstead, Ohio. He is a 1996 graduate of Saint Ignatius High School, Cleveland. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 2001 from Mercyhurst College, Erie. He also studied at John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio.He received the Master of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Sacred Theolgoy degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2011.
Saint Bernard Abbey
Father Jacob Di Maio Amos, O.S.B., of Cullman, Alabama, is the son of the late Cottrell C. Amos and Barbara Amos of Vallejo, California.He is a 1976 graduate of Murphysboro Township High School, Murphysboro, Illinois. In 1981, he received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and history from St. Meinrad College, St. Meinrad, Indiana. He also received a Juris Doctor in Law in 1991 from the University of Notre Dame. He was ordained to the priesthood in Cullman, Alabama on March 6, 2011. He is a monk of Saint Bernard Abbey.He received the Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2011.
São Bento Abbey, Brazil
Brother Cassiano (Maurício) M. de Souza is a monk of São Bento Abbey, in São Paulo, Brazil. He is a 1995 graduate of Professor Zenaide Vilalva de Araujo High School, in São Paulo. He studied philosophy at Faculdade São Bento in São Paulo and theology at Centro Universitário Salesiano de São Paulo before being sent by his Major Superior, Abbot Matthias Tolentino Braga, O.S.B., to complete his studies at Saint Vincent Seminary. He received a master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2011. He was ordained to the diaconate in 2010.
Master of Arts
Wenhong Huang received the Master of Arts degree from Saint Vincent Seminary. He was born in Sichun, Deyang and is from Tian Gong Village, Jiandi Town in Sichuan, China. He attended Uunxi High School, Shi Fang, graduating in 2000 and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology from Si Chuan Catholic Seminary, Cheng Du, Sichuan, China. In addition to earning the master of arts degree, he received the Sacred Scripture Award, given by the faculty to the graduate who most demonstrates excellence in the study of Sacred Scripture.
Kristina Antolin Davies of Greensburg was born the youngest of thirteen children on the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. Her parents, Viktor and Ivanka Antolin, were refugees of World War II and of the ensuing communist regime in Slovenia, Yugoslavia. After completing Catholic grade school and high school, she attended The Catholic University of America and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in Political Theory. She spent time in Spain, studying and teaching English as a Second Language and worked for Voice of America. After graduation, she worked as a conference planner in Washington, D.C., and as an English as a Second Language instructor at West Virginia Wesleyan College. In 2003, three weeks after the birth of her sixth and final child, she began her Masters work at Saint Vincent Seminary. She graduates this year with a master of arts degree in theology and a concentration in Sacred Scripture.
