Former St. Marys Catholic Church Pastor Has Passed Away

Father Peter Augustine Pierjok, O.S.B., a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died Thursday, September 25, 2025 in the monastery infirmary after a long bout with cancer. He was the son of the late Harry A. Pierjok, Sr., and Emma L. Pierjok. Born February 22, 1947, in his grandparents’ home in Nashville, Illinois, he grew up on a farm and in small towns in rural Washington County, Illinois (about 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri). He is survived by his nephew, Paul Holsombeck, the son of his late sister, Roseanne.

He graduated from Nashville Community High School, Nashville, Illinois in 1965, and then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in design from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, in 1969. He studied philosophy at both Bradley University, Peoria, and at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, and earned a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 1987.

Starting at age nine and after repeated calls from God to the religious life and priesthood—at the age of 35, he entered the Benedictine Community of Saint Augustine in 1983 and Saint Vincent Seminary in 1984. Before that he had worked for 15 and a half years in sales and marketing, last employed by Do-It Best, Inc., headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As a youth he worked as a farm hand; then while in high school, college and as a young man he worked at almost all positions, ending as store manager, at the same local hardware store, plumbing and heating business in Nashville.

On April 16, 1987 he made perpetual vows with the Benedictine Community of Saint Augustine, Peoria. He was ordained a deacon on May 23, 1987, and to the priesthood of Jesus Christ on May 28, 1988, at the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Peoria by Bishop Edward W. O’Rourke, D.D.

He was named associate director of Highwoods Learning Center, Washington, Illinois, in 1986 and director in May of 1988. At that time he also was named associate director of Saint Augustine Manor and Conference Center in Peoria. While serving in the Diocese of Peoria, in June 1990, Bishop John J. Myers, D.D., J.C.D., appointed him assistant pastor of Saint Vincent de Paul Church, Peoria. In 1992 he was appointed pastor of Saint Mary Church, Kickapoo, and in June 1999 pastor of Saint Jude Church, Peoria. He was appointed pastor of three parishes: Saint Mary Church, Henry, Illinois; Immaculate Conception Church, Lacon, Illinois and Saint Joseph Church, Henry, Illinois from June 2003 until June 2004, when he was released by the Most Rev. Daniel R. Jenky, D.D., J.C.D, bishop, to pursue a monastic vocation at Saint Vincent Archabbey.

Father Peter Augustine completed the novitiate year and professed first vows at Saint Vincent Archabbey on July 10, 2005. At the Archabbey, he was named socius of novices and postulants, and assistant guestmaster (2005-2007). In addition, he was appointed by the bishop as assistant chaplain at Latrobe Area Hospital, serving until 2006. At the same time, Father Peter Augustine regularly went out on mission to various parishes and served as one of the chaplains to the Carmelite Sisters of the Assumption (2005-2007). The archabbot named him director of Archabbey guests and guest facilities (2006-2007), and associate director of vocations (2006-2007).

In October 2006 he was appointed by Greensburg Bishop Lawrence Brandt as administrator of Forty Martyrs Parish in Trauger. On August 20, 2007, Bishop Brandt appointed Father Peter Augustine pastor and administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Youngstown, and Saint Cecilia Parish, Whitney, where he led these parishes until July 17, 2017.

Bishop Lawrence Persico of the Erie Diocese appointed Father Peter Augustine pastor of Saint Mary Parish in St. Marys, effective July 17, 2017, where he shared his experience and the joy of being a Benedictine monk and priest of Jesus Christ until July 20, 2022.

A major accomplishment during his five years in St. Marys, which included weathering the Covid-19 pandemic, was to lead four different stakeholders to reach an equitable solution and property settlement of the fifteen acre former Benedictine Sisters of Elk County Convent/Monastery, which adjoined the Saint Mary’s Parish property. The complicated solution included reaching an agreement to buy the land, the demolition of most of the 75,000 square feet of the 160-year-old residence that in its initial phase had been built as an addition to the 170-year-old Saint Mary’s Church; retaining and restoring the original 1886 sisters’ chapel; beginning to develop the property for parish use and perpetually accepting care of the cemetery, the resting place of over 240 Benedictine sisters.

After his return to the Archabbey, he served as manager of infirmary business affairs while continuing as one of the part-time chaplains serving the Benedictine Sisters of Saint Emma Monastery and the Carmelite Sisters of the Assumption, and while going out on weekend mission to various parishes. Beginning in January of 2023, as his health permitted it, he served as sacramental assistant at Saint Bruno and Saint Paul parishes in the Diocese of Greensburg.

Father Peter Augustine was an active 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, serving as chaplain of five different councils in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and while in St. Marys, serving as chaplain of the St. Mary’s Court of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

The body of Father Peter Augustine will be received at 1 p.m. Sunday, September 28, in the Elizabeth J. Roderick Center, Saint Vincent Archabbey. Viewing will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday in the Roderick Hall parlor. The body will be transferred to the Basilica for the vigil service at 7:15 p.m. that evening for the wake service celebrated by Father Prior Maximilian Maxwell, O.S.B. with Deacon Pietro Calmo assisting.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Archabbey Basilica at 2 p.m. Monday, September 29 by Father Maximilian. The rite of committal will follow at Saint Vincent Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Benedictine Health and Welfare Fund, Saint Vincent Archabbey, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pa., 15650-2690.