Former Sacred Heart parishioner Fr. Robert J. Wagner was installed as the pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton, VA by Bishop Burbidge of the Arlington diocese on July 12.  He was born to parishioners Bob and Mary Ann Wagner, grew up in Reisterstown, and attended Sacred Heart School. He was an altar server and a sacristan.  He graduated from Mount St. Joseph High School and then earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland in College Park.

In 2003, he entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg.  Two years later, he began studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.  He was ordained a deacon on Oct. 9, 2008 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.  He was ordained to the priesthood on June 13, 2009 by Bishop Loverde in Arlington and then returned to Rome to earn his licentiate in sacred theology.  He served as parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax (2010-12).  He was priest secretary to Bishop Loverde (2012-16) and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge (2016-18) and parochial vicar of St. Veronica Church in Chantilly (2018-19).  In 2019, he was named administrator of St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton.

Congratulations, Fr. Robert!  We continue to pray for your ministry as you shepherd the people of Clifton, VA.