Father Scott Jabo receives leadership award from St. Mary’s Seminary and University
By Kristine Rilling10/19/2026
Father Scott Jabo, vocations director for the Diocese of Erie, was honored by St. Mary’s Seminary and University with its 2026 Robert F. Leavitt Award for Excellence in Pastoral Leadership during the seminary’s annual alumni celebration in Baltimore. A member of the Class of 1989, Father Jabo returned to his alma mater for the Oct. 14–15 gathering, which brought alumni together for prayer, fellowship and class reunions. 
In his acceptance remarks, Father Jabo reflected on the connection between the formation he received and the ministry he now carries out, helping men discern God’s call to the priesthood.
“When I graduated in 1989, I left this place with more than a degree,” he said. “I left with a vision of priesthood rooted in service, grounded in prayer and sustained by community.”
Founded in 1791, St. Mary’s has been owned and operated by the Sulpician Fathers, a community of diocesan priests dedicated to forming future priests. Located in Baltimore, the institution has prepared generations of men for service in the Church.
This year’s Alumni Days schedule included campus tours, evening prayer, a reception and class reunion dinners. The Oct. 15 program centered on Mass in St. Mary’s Chapel, with Father Ronald Witherup, a Sulpician priest and member of the Class of 1976, scheduled to preside.
For Father Jabo, the celebration offered an opportunity to acknowledge the people who helped shape his priesthood. He credited his spiritual, academic, human and pastoral formation with providing the foundation for every assignment and challenge of his ministry. 
He expressed particular gratitude for the Sulpicians’ emphasis on interior transformation, pastoral charity and Christ-centered living. He also recalled professors and formators whose example showed him what faithful priestly leadership could look like.
“They modeled a priesthood that was thoughtful, joyful and deeply pastoral,” he said. “They taught me that leadership in the Church is never about personal accomplishment – it is about helping others encounter Christ.”
Father Jabo also shared credit with the communities he has served, recognizing parishioners, students, seminarians, colleagues, staff, brother priests, family and friends as instruments of God’s grace. Their willingness to welcome him into their lives and allow him to accompany them through joys and sorrows, he said, made his ministry possible.
"Father Scott Jabo has served the Diocese of Erie well,” shared Bishop Lawrence Persico. “From his dedicated work in Catholic schools to his leadership of our seminary program as Vocation Director, he has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the Catholic faith, proven leadership and a compassionate pastoral approach. His service reflects both a strong vision for the future of our diocese and a genuine dedication to serving God and His people."
Father Jabo’s message to the seminarians present reflected the encouragement central to his work as vocations director.
“The world needs your generosity, your prayer, your authenticity and your hope,” he told them. “Lead with humility. Serve with joy. And never forget that the heart of priestly ministry is simply this: to love God’s people with the heart of Christ.”
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