R.V. Sales Manager Becomes Priest – Robert Vular

Rev. Robert J. Vular of Monaca is the son of Joseph J. and Elsie Heidel Vular. He has an associate degree in applied science from the Community College of Beaver County and a bachelor of science degree in marketing from Robert Morris College. He is a 1976 graduate of Monaca High School. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2000.

This article is from The Pittsburgh Catholic, June 1, 2001.

By Chuck Moody

PITTSBURGH — Robert Vular continually felt “the Lord tugging at my heart” as he went about his job as Eastern United States sales manager for Fleetwood Enterprises, which markets recreational vehicles and motor homes.

When the tugging became too strong, Vular gave in and decided to enter the seminary. He was one of six men ordained to the priesthood May 26 at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh’s Oakland section.

“I think it was probably just a general the Lord tugging at my heart,” he said about what or who influenced his decision to enter the seminary. “I can’t specifically pinpoint any particular person. As the Lord was tugging at my heart I would think of those priests that I saw who were very happy in donig what they were doing, who were very joyful and really radiated Christ’s love to others.

“As a result, that was one of the factors that attracted me to the priesthood.”

Father Vular, 43, was a member of SS. John and Paul Parish in Franklin Park/Marshall Township. His parents are Joseph and Elsie Vular.

He graduated from Robert Morris College with a degree in business administration. In his former job, Vular was responsible for the sales and marketing of the motor home products of Fleetwood Enterprises from Maine to Florida.

After finally deciding to enter the priesthood, Father Vular attended St. Paul Seminary in Crafton and Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe. After he was ordained a transitional deacon last year, he was assigned to St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin Parish in Whitehall.

“Bob Vular is a second-career man who went from selling motor homes to now saving souls,” said Father David Bonnar, director of the diocesan Office for Vocations and rector of St. Paul Seminary. “He has a wonderful sense of humor. I know from my conversations with the people at St. Gabriel’s that he is going to be an excellent priest.”

Father Vular celebrated his first Mass at SS. John and Paul at 5:30 p.m. the day after he was ordained.

SS. John and Paul Parish was established in 1994, and Father Vular moved into the parish in February of the first year and entered the seminary that September, said Father Albert Semler, the pastor who lived at the seminary during one of Father Vular’s years there.

“We’re a parish only seven years old, and we’re having a priest being ordained from here already, which is great,” Father Semler said. “In the infancy stage of the parish we’re so happy to have an ordination so quickly.”

“He’s just an outstanding young man. Whatever he did for the seminarians they always talked about it a lot because he did such a good job at it.”

Father Vular said what he looks forward to most of all “is bringing the love of Christ, especially to those people who feel far removed from it.

“The vocation in itself is an awesome gift to be that bridge between the human and the Divine,” he said. “It’s an awesome gift where an awesome responsibility goes along with it.”

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