“Not a Farewell”

Father David Taylor Retires After 51 Years of Priestly Service

After 51 years of ministry, Father David H. Taylor is stepping back from full-time parish life, closing a chapter as the first Black Catholic priest ordained in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Ordained in 1974, Father Taylor most recently served as senior parochial vicar at Saint Mary Magdalene Parish, which spans Pittsburgh’s East End neighborhoods. He has also served at Saint Benedict the Moor Parish in the Hill District, as pastor of the former Holy Rosary Parish and School and the former Saint Charles Lwanga Parish in Homewood, and as administrator of the former Saint James Parish in Wilkinsburg.

Born November 25, 1946, in Lexington, Kentucky, Father Taylor was the second of nine children of Evelyn and Augustus Taylor Sr. When the family moved to Cincinnati, they converted to Catholicism, which shaped the vocation of two brothers.

His older brother, Father Augustus “Gus” Taylor Jr., was ordained for the Diocese of Steubenville in 1966, later becoming the first Black pastor in Pittsburgh in 1970. He co-founded the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, which called the Church to confront racism, and spent much of his ministry on loan to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Father Gus passed away in October 2024 at age 84.

“Gus told me to always stay close to my faith because I might have a vocation too,” Father Taylor said. “I probably never would have entered the priesthood without his encouragement. I had hoped to spend time with him in retirement, but that was not to be. His loss was a big one for me.”

From the day of his own ordination, Father Taylor remembers a mix of awe and uncertainty. “There was a great thanksgiving to God that it had happened,” he recalled, “and a lot of wondering about how it was going to work out, and how I would fit in with new assignments.”

Most of Father Taylor’s ministry has been centered in Pittsburgh’s East End communities. 

“The parishes changed, but my presence was steady. I hope that helped during the mergers,” he said.

 “There are fewer Catholic schools. Each parish used to have a school. I loved working with education.”

The priesthood itself has also changed, with far fewer ordinations. 

Now 78, Father Taylor is retiring from his assignment, but not from ministry. 

“As I’ve told people, I’m retiring, but it’s really not a farewell,” he said. He will continue celebrating Mass at Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy in Wilkinsburg and Saint Bede School in Point Breeze, and looks forward to having more time to visit family across the country.

“I hope the Lord gives me strength to remain active and help in this new chapter,” he said. “I love being a priest. It’s been a wonderful vocation.”

For young men discerning the priesthood, his advice is simple: “Think about it, pray about it, visit with priest mentors. Be open to the call of the Lord.”