Rev. Celestine Xu, OSB

At the presentation of the Right Reverend Martin R. Bartel, OSB, Archabbot of Saint Vincent Archabbey, the Reverend Celestine Xu, OSB, has been assigned to our parish as a parochial vicar! His assignment at Mary, Queen of Saints Parish begins on July 1, 2023.

Born into a traditional Buddhist family, Fr. Celestine converted to Catholicism in 2000 while in Shanghai and was baptized in St. Ignatius Loyola Basilica in 2001.

He entered the novitiate of Saint Vincent Archabbey on July 1, 2015 and made simple profession of monastic vows on July 10, 2016. He began studies at Saint Vincent Seminary in 2016 and professed solemn vows on July 11, 2019.  His other assignments at the Archabbey and College have included: assistant to the director, Saint Vincent Gallery;  and assistant to the director, Saint Vincent Concert Series (2016-present); assistant in the Basilica Gift Shop (2016-2017); assistant to the director of vocations and calendarius (2017-2019); assistant director, archabbey art collection (2018-present); assistant to the director of the Saint Vincent College Bookstore and socius of juniors for the monastic community; and assistant in the Summer Retreat Program (2022-present).

Having been ordained to the diaconate on May 14, 2022, he was assigned to serve as a deacon at Christ the King Parish, Leechburg and Saint Gertrude Parish, Vandergrift. He then earned the Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in May of 2023.  Fr. Celestine was ordained a priest on Saturday, June 10, 2023 in the Archabbey Basilica by Bishop Kulick.