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Father Peter Pierjok Pastor in Youngstown, Whitney

Father Peter Augustine Pierjok, O.S.B., has been named pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Youngstown and Saint Cecilia Parish in Whitney, effective August 1, 2007. He is the son of the late Harry A. Pierjok, Sr., and Emma L. Pierjok. His sister is Roseanne Pierjok Cross of Rolla, Missouri.

He is a 1965 graduate of Nashville Community High School, Nashville, Illinois. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in design from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, in 1969, studied philosophy at both Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, and at Saint Vincent College, and earned a master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 1987.

Before entering Saint Augustine Community in 1983, he had a fifteen and a half year careeer in sales and marketing, last employed by Do-It Best, Inc., headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

On April 16, 1987 he made perpetual vows with the Benedictine Community of St. Augustine, Peoria. He was ordained a deacon on May 23, 1987, and a priest on May 28, 1988 by Bishop Edward W. O’Rourke.

He was named associate director of Highwoods Learning Center, Washington, Illinois, in 1986 and director in May of 1988. At that time he was also named associate director of Saint Augustine Manor and Conference Center. In June 1990, Bishop John J. Myers appointed him assistant pastor of Saint Vincent DePaul Parish, Peoria. In 1992 he was appointed pastor of St. Mary Church, Kickapoo, Illinois, and in June of 1999 pastor of St. Jude Church, Peoria. He served as pastor of St. Mary Church, Henry, Illinois; Immaculate Conception Church, Lacon, Illinois and St. Joseph Church, Henry, Illinois from June 2003 until June 2004 when he was released by the Diocese of Peoria to pursue a monastic vocation at Saint Vincent Archabbey. Father Peter Augustine completed the novitiate and professed first vows on July 10, 2005. In 2005 he was named socius of novices and assistant guestmaster.

InAugust, 2005 he was appointed Assistant Chaplain at Latrobe Area Hospital. He served as the socius of novices and postulants for the Archabbey from 2005-2007, and was director of Archabbey guests and guest facilities and the assoicate director of vocations from 2005-2007.