Father Daniel J. Roberts was joined by family, friends, fellow priests, bishops and seminarians as he celebrated his first Mass on June 29 at St. Bonaventure Church in Shaler.
“Ten years ago, I never would have dreamed that I’d be standing here in front of you as a priest, especially here at my home parish,” said Roberts at the start of his sermon.
Roberts, a 1997 North Hills graduate, joked that his vocation story wasn’t his idea.
When he spoke about lying on the floor at his ordination the day before — a ritual used when priests are ordained — he said that he felt peace.
“I was very clear of mind and ready to join everyone in prayer. I was reminded that I need to draw on strength far greater than my own,” he said.
June 29 was the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul in the Catholic church so Roberts’ sermon focused on the lives of two of Christ’s most trusted and well-known apostles: Peter, the “rock” upon whom Jesus would build his church, and Paul, the sinner-turned-saint who preached to the Gentiles.
“Back when people were afraid to admit who they thought Jesus was, Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter was not afraid to call Jesus the Christ, the son of God,” Roberts said.
Roberts noted he never could have imagined he would be giving such a sermon when he was living in Los Angeles with aspirations of becoming an actor.
He spoke about his time in California while he was contemplating the priesthood. He said he stopped in at the local seminary, and it just so happened that the leader of St. Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh was visiting.
“Well, that is serendipitous,” Roberts said to the priest.
But the priest quickly corrected him and said, “No, Dan, that is providential.”
After deciding to devote seven years to the seminary and returning to his hometown of Pittsburgh, Daniel James Roberts officially became Father Dan.
“He is a very talented man. He was a very good actor, and he even did the voice-over on a Honda Odyssey commercial,” retired Bishop David Zubik told the congregants.
Zubik said the day held extra meaning for him because this is the last class of priests he ordained as bishop.
Roberts and Alec Scheuer, a former youth ministry director at Immaculate Conception Parish in Washington, Pa., were ordained on June 28.
“Well, it is very special for me because both these young men are very good and holy men, but I’m going to stay involved in the church,” Zubik said. “I’ll be very active. I’m not going to be a couch potato.”
Eighteen years ago, Zubik took over for Donald Wuerl. Zubik resigned June 4 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 in September. Bishop Mark A. Eckman was appointed the 13th bishop of the Pittsburgh diocese and, as such, will assume the role of ordaining new priests.
Eckman will be installed July 14 during a special Mass at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland.
“You know, it is going to be different, and I am going to miss ordaining the new priests, but I won’t miss all the headaches and tough decisions. I’m passing that part on to Bishop Eckman,” Zubik joked.
After the Mass, Roberts thanked many of his friends and family for attending.
Continuing with the tradition of the church, Roberts presented his father, James, with the stole he wore to hear his first confessions. Then, he presented his mother, Clare, with the cloth that the bishop used to wipe the anointing oil from his fingers after anointing the new priest.
According to Catholic tradition, Roberts said, some day when his mother meets God in heaven, God will ask her what she gave to the holy church. His mother is to respond, “I gave my son.”
Roberts said he felt a sense of relief after his first Mass. On his way to the church’s reception hall, he said his first sermon was based on prayer.
“I prayed about the readings, and I asked the Lord for guidance. I prayed for wisdom and strength to say what the community needed to hear,” Roberts said.