Bishop Martino to Ordain Two Men to
Diocesan Priesthood June 27
 

Faithful throughout the Diocese of Scranton are invited to join in the celebration of the upcoming ordination of two young men to the Diocesan priesthood.

All are welcome to attend the Mass of Ordination on Saturday, June 27, beginning at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Cathedral. Bishop Joseph F. Martino will serve as principal celebrant and ordaining prelate, and Catholic Television (CTV) of the Diocese will broadcast the morning ceremony live.

The 2009 Ordination Class includes the following ordinandi — both native sons of the Scranton Diocese — who will be conferred the Sacrament of Holy Orders for service as priests in the Diocese: Rev. Mr. Sean G. Carpenter, 28, of Williamsport; and Rev. Mr. Gerald W. Shantillo, 42, of Athens.

Following are the personal biographies of the two candidates for the priesthood who will be ordained to the Order of the Presbyter for the Diocese: 

Rev. Mr. Sean G. Carpenter

Born in Williamsport, Rev. Mr. Carpenter will turn 29 this Saturday, June 13. He is the son of James and Margaret Bennett Carpenter, residents of Williamsport, where they are members of St. Boniface Parish.

The priest-candidate received his early education at Montgomery Area Elementary School and attended the former Bishop Neumann High School in Williamsport for two years. He graduated from Montgomery Area High School in 1999.

Prior to pursuing studies for the priesthood, the ordinand enrolled at Mansfield University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 2003.

Shortly thereafter, he entered St. Pius X Seminary, Dalton, to begin his formation as a Diocesan priest. While a seminarian at St. Pius for one year, he pursued theological and philosophical studies at The University of Scranton.

Rev. Mr. Carpenter continued his seminary formation at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. As a seminarian for the Diocese of Scranton, he completed his preparatory studies and training for the priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo, where he received his master of divinity degree in 2008.

Following his ordination, Father Carpenter will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, June 28, at 1:30 p.m. in his home parish of St. Boniface Church. Scheduled to concelebrate with the newly ordained priest are Monsignor Stephen McGough, host pastor; Father Michael Morrone, Father Michael Olivere and Father William Trader, who will deliver the homily. 

Rev. Mr. Gerald W. Shantillo

Rev. Mr. Shantillo was born Nov. 30, 1966, son of Samuel and Kathleen Ostrum Shantillo of Athens, Bradford County, who are parishioners of the Church of the Epiphany in Sayre.

He received his early elementary education at St. Paul School in Binghamton, N.Y., and later graduated from Epiphany Elementary School, Sayre.

Following graduation from Athens Area High School, the ordinand began accounting studies at Bloomsburg University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1988. He received his master of business administration (MBA) from Bloomsburg in 1991, while serving as a controller with Guthrie Clinic in the Guthrie Healthcare System, Sayre.

The future priest-candidate continued his career in business and finance as chief operating and financial officer with United Medical Associates of United Health Services in Binghamton, from 1995 to 2003.

In 2003, he began his priestly formation with philosophical studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Two years later, he enrolled as a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy, and continued his theological training for the Diocesan priesthood at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Rev. Mr. Shantillo received his degree in sacred theology in 2008 from the Gregorian, where he has begun studies for a licentiate in sacred theology.

As a newly ordained priest, Father Shantillo will serve as principal celebrant of his Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, June 28, at 4:30 p.m. in Epiphany Church. Concelebrating the liturgy will be several priests of the Diocese and priest-friends, including Father Joseph Kopacz, V.G., Vicar General for the Scranton Diocese.