Two Benedictines of Saint Vincent Archabbey will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, May 19 by Most Rev. Donald Trautman, Bishop of Erie, in the Archabbey Basilica.
Brother Francis (George) Ehnat, O.S.B., of Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, a son of the late Marianne F. and James H. Dean. He attended Eisenhower Elementary School, Kansas, and is a 1967 graduate of Camden High School, South Carolina. He earned a bachelor of science degree in zoology in 1972 from Clemson University. He also attended Armstrong State College in Savannah, Saint Vincent College and began studies at Saint Vincent Seminary in 2007. He received the master of divinity degree from the Seminary in 2012.
He made simple profession of monastic vows on July 10, 1985 and solemn profession of vows on July 11, 1988. He was ordained to the diaconate July 23, by Most Rev. Lawrence E. Brandt, J.C.D., Ph.D., Bishop of Greensburg, in the Archabbey Basilica. He will be ordained to the priesthood May 19. From 1988 to 2007, he was assigned to Benedictine Priory in Savannah, where he was archivist (1989-2007). He was maintenance director of Benedictine Military School in Savannah (1997-2007.
Brother Nathanael Ronald Polinski, O.S.B., is the son of Mary Ann Polinski of Duquesne and the late Raymond E. Polinski. Brother Nathanael is a 1983 graduate of Serra Catholic High School and earned a bachelor of science degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1987. He received a master of business administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993. He received the master of divinity degree from the Seminary, and the bachelor of Sacred Theology degree, both in 2012 with highest honors. Brother Nathanael also received two awards during the commencement ceremony: the Sacred Scripture Award, given to the graduate who has most demonstrated excellence in the study of Sacred Scripture; and the Diakonia Award, honoring a graduate who exhibits praiseworthy academic performance and service to the Seminary community through building student morale and spirit, exercising leadership within the community, and demonstrating creative outreach to others.
Brother Nathanael made simple profession of monastic vows on July 10, 2006, and solemn profession on July 11, 2009. He was ordained to the diaconate July 23, by Most Rev. Lawrence E. Brandt, J.C.D., Ph.D., Bishop of Greensburg, in the Archabbey Basilica. He will be ordained to the priesthood May 19.