Fr. Paul Chaim Benedicta Schenck is a Pastoral Provision priest currently serving as Parochial Vicar in St Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Mechanicsburg and Director of Deacon formation for the Diocese of Harrisburg.
Raised Jewish, Father attended Hebrew school in Niagara Falls, NY. A public-school graduate, he completed studies at the Institute of Jewish Studies in the State University of New York and the Baltimore Hebrew University. He holds degrees in scripture, theology, bioethics, psychology and education. After reading the Gospel of Matthew and other Christian literature and impressed by the Charismatic Renewal, he asked for baptism from a Charismatic Salvation Army Lieutenant who was acting pastor in a Methodist/Brethren chapel. He enrolled in a Pentecostal bible college and an Evangelical seminary and was ordained in the evangelical Anglican tradition. He was a short-order cook, kennel cleaner, janitor, youth minister, pastor, rector, Teen Challenge director, and seminary professor before he and his family entered into full communion with the Catholic Church.
Father is married to his high school sweetheart Rebecca. They have eight living children, four are married, and they have three granddaughters. Whenever possible he helps Rebecca with her home-based book resale business and is a board-certified professional pastoral counselor. In Father's words, "I speak in tongues".
