The Saint Vincent monastic community will receive the simple vows of one monk at 5 p.m. Friday, July 10 in the Archabbey Basilica. Brother Francisco Whittaker, O.S.B., will profess simple vows on July 10 at Vespers, while eight junior monks will renew their temporary vows for another year.
Brother Francisco (Samuel James) is the son of Daniel and Kathleen Whittaker of Grove City, Pennsylvania. He has two brothers, Thomas and Nathaniel, of Grove City, and a sister, Sarah, of Arlington, Virginia.
He attended Mother of Divine Grace School, graduating in 2015. He earned a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry in 2019 from Saint Vincent College, magna cum laude.
While a student at Saint Vincent he was a biochemistry tutor, student leader and coordinator in Campus Ministry, and a residence hall prefect. He also was a Collaborative Learning Program facilitator of general chemistry. A dean’s list student, he was inducted into the Gamma Sigma Epsilon Honor Society, and was a member of the Pope Leo XIII Chapter of the National Honor Society, American Chemical Society, and the Saint Vincent College Respect Life Club, where he served as secretary and then co-president.
The event will be broadcast live at this link: https://vimeo.com/436173875