REQUIESCAT IN PACE
FATHER DANIEL P. BASTIANELLI
By Lisa Harlow
Father Daniel P. Bastianelli, a Josephite priest for nearly six decades who served in numerous Josephite parishes around the country, died Oct. 28 at Carroll Manor in Washington, D.C. He was 90.
Father Bastianelli devoted much of his ministry to filling in for priests who were sick or on vacation, or in times of transition for Josephite parish communities in several states.
“Father Bastianelli was a wonderful priest, and he was very dedicated to the people he served,” said Josephite superior general Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ. “People loved him wherever he went. He was much beloved and welcomed.”
Bishop Ricard, who will serve as homilist at Father Bastianelli’s Nov. 6 funeral, added, “We love him, and we will miss him.”
Born and raised in Bethlehem, Pa., Father Bastianelli graduated in 1951 from Bethlehem Catholic High School and attended East Stroudsburg State Teachers College.
He felt called to the Josephites and eventually entered St. Joseph’s Seminary. He was ordained on June 6, 1964.
Father Bastianelli’s first assignment was as associate pastor at St. Peter Claver in Baltimore. Four months later, he became associate pastor at St. Francis Xavier in Baltimore. He then spent two years as associate pastor at Incarnation Church in Washington, D.C., a year as associate pastor of St. Francis Xavier in Houston, and a year as associate pastor of St. Raymond in New Orleans.
Father Bastianelli was pastor of Prince of Peace in Mobile, Ala. From 1975 to 1977 and pastor of St. Theresa in Crowley, La. from 1977 to 1978. He was pastor of St. Augustine in New Roads, La. from 1981 to 1986.
Other assignments as associate pastor included stints at Epiphany in New Orleans; St. Augustine in New Roads, La., Blessed Sacrament in Beaumont, Texas; Corpus Christi in New Orleans, Our Mother of Mercy, in Houston; St. Francis of Assisi in Breaux Bridge, La.; Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy in Rayne, La; and Our Mother of Mercy in Beaumont, Texas.
His duties covered several parishes or ministries in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
“Father Bastianelli was a very gentle person, and he was very kind,” said Father Ray Bomberger, SSJ, Josephite vicar general. “He was a good listener. He asked a lot of questions and he was interested in people.”
“At almost every Josephite parish I visited, people asked about him,” Father Bomberger added.
“Father Bastianelli was always willing to go where the superior general needed him to go.”
Father Richard Wagner, SSJ, spiritual director at St. Joseph Seminary, lived with Father Bastianelli for nine years in Louisiana.
They were together at St. Francis of Assisi in Breaux Bridge and Our Mother of Mercy in Rayne. In later years, they lived together at the Josephite Senior Residence in Washington, D.C., where Father Bastianelli would lead the group in saying the rosary.
“He was a holy man and had a great love of Mary and a devotion to the rosary,” Father Wagner said. “He would say the rosary every day. It was his favorite way of expressing himself.”
Father Bastianelli retired to St. Joseph Manor in Baltimore in July 2010. When the manor closed, he moved to the Josephite Senior Residence in July 2018.
Father David Begany, SSJ, pastor of Holy Family in McNair, Texas, met Father Bastianelli in 2000 when he was visiting his family in Bethlehem, Pa. Father Bastianelli attended the same high school as Father Begany’s mother. Father Begany was interested in becoming a Josephite, so Father Bastianelli spoke with him.
“Father Dan was very welcoming and very encouraging,” Father Begany said. “I have a lot of good memories because of that connection with my mother. I asked him to preach the homily at the first Mass that I celebrated on June 1, 2014 at St. Luke in Washington, D.C.”
According to Father Begany, his fellow priests called Father Bastianelli “the mayor,” because he would always check in to make sure they were all okay.
“He had a big sense of community and fraternity,” he said. “He had a big heart that way.”
Father Begany’s mother died the week prior to Father Bastianelli.
Father Bastianelli called him around the time of the funeral, so he returned his call that following Saturday and told him about his mother.
“At the end of every phone call Father Dan usually gave a blessing,” he said. “That day he asked me to give him a blessing as well, so I gave him a blessing. That evening he passed away.”
Father Nelson Moreira, SSJ, Josephite treasurer, knew father Bastianelli for well over 50 years, even before his ordination.
“He was the person who had no enemies in the entire world,” Father Moreira said. “He was an all-around genuine person. People will remember most his genuineness and his kindness. He lived a very simple life. He didn’t have a lot of worldly possessions and he didn’t want them.”
“Father Bastianelli wouldn’t want anyone to have any superfluous remarks about him,” added Father Wagner. “Just that he loved Mary and that he gave his life to her and the people he served.”
Father Bastianelli’s funeral will be held Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. at St. Peter Claver and St. Pius V Church in Baltimore. Bishop Ricard will serve as homilist. Burial will be at New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore.
