Two novices entered the Saint Vincent monastic community on July 1, Brother Sean Austin of Hagerstown, Maryland, and Douglas Sellers of Penn Hills. Austin will take the monastic name of Brother Robert, while Sellers will take the name Brother Placid. The novitiate is a year of discernment and study of the monastic life, prior to professing first, or simple vows.
Austin is the son of Michael and Lucy Austin. A 2011 graduate of North Hagerstown High School, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in theology in 2013 from Mount St. Mary’s University. He has been active in Knights of Columbus and is a past grand knight.
Sellers in the son of the late Philip L. and Emmeline M. Sellers, and brother of David A. Sellers of Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Penn Hills Senior High School in 1975 and from Edinboro University with a bachelor of fine arts degree in communication graphics in 1979. His past work experience has been in photography, video production and graphic design.