Mary Louise Schluep of Hampton always sensed a spiritual destiny for her eldest child.

She first saw something unique in him as a toddler.

“When Tom would go into church, he would genuflect like I've never seen a 2-year-old do,” she said.

Her oldest son also “had a connection with the Eucharist — Holy Communion — that was just amazing,” his mother said.

Decades later, Thomas G. Schluep Jr., 28 — also the son of Thomas G. Schluep of Hampton — will celebrate his first Mass at 11 a.m. June 29 in St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Hampton, his family's home parish.

The special Mass will follow Schluep's ordination as a Roman Catholic priest at 10 a.m. June 28 in St. Paul Cathedral, Oakland.

Along with Schluep, Bishop David Zubik of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will ordain Michael R. Ackerman of St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish of Blawnox and Harmar; Michael Conway of St. Norbert Parish in the Overbrook section of Pittsburgh; and Kenneth W. Marlovits of St. Monica Parish of Beaver Falls, Chippewa and Darlington.

Schluep cited the people of St. Mary Parish as key players in nurturing his religious vocation.

“That's where my faith was really strengthened,” he said.

“Every time I come back, people are always telling me how much they've been praying for me,” Schluep said. “It really is a great source of inspiration and joy.”

Baptized in the former St. Ann Roman Catholic Church in Millvale, Schluep grew up in Shaler and attended St. Mary of the Assumption Grade School.

He has three siblings: Anthony, 25; Christine, 23; and Mary Lu, 19.

Schluep attended Central Catholic High School and worked nearly five years in information technology before he entered St. Paul Seminary in 2008.

“I didn't know at the time I entered seminary if I was called to be priest or not,” he said.

As a second-grader, Schluep first thought about becoming priest, but dropped that idea until 2008, when he made an evening pilgrimage to seven churches on Holy Thursday. At each church, Schluep's mind wandered as he prayed before the Blessed Sacrament.

“I would start thinking about the priesthood,” Schluep said. “I was confused.”

Schluep told one of his parish priests about the experience, who then arranged for Schluep to attend an informational program at St. Paul Seminary.

While preparing to enter the priesthood, Schluep got a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Duquesne University and served in apostolates at the Jubilee Soup Kitchen in Pittsburgh's Hill District, and the Allegheny County Jail, Uptown.

Schluep said he experienced a surprising depth of faith in people he met at the jail, where he worked with the Rev. Malcolm McDonald — then Catholic chaplain at the jail — and heard inmates talk about their personal struggles. “It reminded me of the fight we all have with sin,” Schluep said.

In July 2010, Schluep entered the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and then earned a baccalaureate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

“All my classes were in Italian,” he said. “I can understand it better than I can speak it.”

While in Rome, Schluep worked at the Basilica of St. Peter in the Bishop's Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican. He also worked at the Catholic parish at Naval Support Activity Naples, a U.S. Navy base.

When Schluep returned to Pittsburgh on June 17 he delighted in having a late evening hamburger for dinner with his family.

“We don't get much meat in Italy. That's what I wanted,” he said about the memorable burger. “It was great.”

Deborah Deasy is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-772-6369 or ddeasy@tribweb.com.

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