Early life The oldest of six children, Nicholas Dattilo was born on March 8, 1932, in
Mahoningtown,
Pennsylvania, to Frank and Emma (née Nocera) Dattilo. He studied for the priesthood at
St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.
Priesthood Dattilo was
ordained to the priesthood for the
Diocese of Pittsburgh on May 31, 1958 in Pittsburgh by Cardinal
John Francis Dearden. After his ordination, the diocese assigned Dattilo as a
parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish in
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Until 1971, also briefly serving at St. Colman Parish in
Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. He named
pastor of Madonna del Castello Parish in
Swissvale, Pennsylvania in 1971 and of St. Vitus Parish in
New Castle, Pennsylvania, in 1981. During Dattilo's tenure, the number of parishes was reduced from 120 to 89, resulting in 23 appeals to the Vatican and years of parishioner protests. ==References==