CENTER TWP — Although the Rev. Nicholas J. Argentieri has been juggling since he was a child, he's never had this many balls in the air before.

Argentieri, 34, became administrator of St. Andrew Church, 1660 N. Main St. Ext., Sept. 9, taking over from the Rev. James Salberg, who retired after 17 years as the church's pastor.

In addition, Argentieri was appointed by Bishop David Zubik of the Pittsburgh Diocese to be the Catholic chaplain at Butler Memorial Hospital.

And because St. Andrew is one of five parishes, along with St. Fidelis in Meridian and St. Paul, St. Peter and St. Michael the Archangel in Butler, to support Butler Catholic School, Argentieri sits on the pastors' board that governs the school along with the Rev. Harry Bielewicz of St. Paul and the Rev. James Murphy of St. Fidelis.

It's a bit of a homecoming for Argentieri, a Carrick native, who served as a parochial vicar, an assistant priest who stands in for the pastor and helps carry out the mission of the pastor, at St. Paul from July 2009 to March 2010 before being assigned to St. Elizabeth of Hungary in the South Hills, where he also served as a parochial vicar.

“I was a parochial vicar there for three and a half years,” said Argentieri. “And then Bishop Zubik decided to make me administrator of St. Andrew Parish and assigned me as Catholic chaplain at Butler Memorial Hospital.”

As St. Andrew's administrator, Argentieri said, “My main duty is to care for all the souls of the 500 families of the parish, to help them along the way to heaven. I provide them with the help of sacramental graces, Masses on Sunday and throughout the week and other sacraments including anointing the sick and hearing confessions, presiding over marriages, baptisms and funeral rites.”

His duties include three Masses on weekends and 8 a.m. Masses every weekday but Thursday.

As chaplain at the hospital, he attends to the sick.

“We are fortunate right now. Other churches' priests are supporting me in making sure all Catholic patients in the hospital are having their sacramental needs met,” said Argentieri.

And then there's his work on the pastors' board.

“We make decisions on everything: hiring, firing teachers, tuition, the budget. We're the owners of the school,” said Murphy, one of his colleagues on the board.

Argentieri has no deacons or parochial vicars of his own.

But he does know how to juggle.

His hobby is magic and juggling, which he incorporates into his lessons to students.

“I can juggle four balls and pattern three. I try to incorporate a Gospel lesson into the juggling and magic tricks,” he said.

“Sleight of hand is a hobby that started when I was seven years old,” he said. “My dad taught me my first trick that one of his friends showed him. It was the 'French drop,' a sleight of hand with a quarter.

“He showed me and my older brother Dominic, but I was the one who kept the interest,” Argentieri said. “I would go to a South Side magic store called the Cuckoo's Nest and take lessons there. It's just been a hobby that I've kept up.”

It's a hobby that's followed him from Baldwin High School to Allegheny College in Meadville, where he graduated in 2008 with a degree in psychology and theater, and to St. Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh, where he was ordained in 2008.

“I try to rework the tricks to incorporate a Gospel theme,” Argentieri said. “For example, one trick deals with three cups. One stands for the Father, another the Son and the third the Holy Spirit.

“Water in the first cup represents the love of the Father. It's poured into the second cup, but the Son doesn't keep the love all for himself. It's poured into the third cup, but the Holy Ghost is the invisible God, the one we can't see. Turn the cup over and it's empty,” he said.

Despite the many calls on his time, Argentieri has plans for the future.

“One big thing is next spring, the diocese begins the Church Alive Campaign,” said Argentieri.

“It's a bishop-initiated campaign for better churches with better teaching, caring and servicing on the diocesan level,” he said.

The campaign was launched by Bishop Zubik in 2012, according to Bob De Witt, director of communications and administration at the diocese.

As of Nov. 1, the campaign had raised $95 million of its $125 million goal.

“They are going to be one of the last parishes participating in the campagin,” said De Witt of St. Andrew. “They are starting in April.”

But, Argentieri said, his main duty is his parishioners.

“My big draw is to reach out to those that have been away from the church. We are encouraging them to come back to faith in God and discipleship in Christ,” said Argentieri.

“This is my first time at it. It's been less than two months, but the bishop wouldn't have put me here if he didn't think I could handle it. I've talked with the bishop. He is very supportive. He's put confidence in me,” he said.