Br. Thomas Conlon

(September 14, 2020; Darien, IL) The Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM), Order of Carmelites, mourns the death of Brother Thomas Conlon, O.Carm., who died at the age of 93 on September 14, 2020 Due to Covid-19, a private Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Priory Chapel in Tucson, Arizona, with interment to follow at 10AM on Thursday, September 24, 2020, at Holy Hope Cemetery in Tucson, Arizona. Thomas was born to (the late) Thomas John Conlon and (the late) Genevieve Marie (Thoden) Conlon on September 12, 1927, in Bogota, New Jersey. His given name at baptism was Thomas Joseph. He is survived by his brother Kirby and by his sisters Marie Wolf, Rosemary K. Gallagher, Imelda Smith, Sr. Raphael (Dolores Conlon), and Sr. Sebastian (Genevieve Conlon). Thomas Joseph attended St. Joseph Grade School in Bogota, New Jersey, and St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, New Jersey. In 1949 he entered the Carmelite pre-novitiate in Akron, Ohio, and a year later he entered the Carmelite novitiate at Mount Carmel College in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He professed simple vows on September 15, 1951, taking the religious name of Herman. He professed solemn vows with the Carmelites on September 15, 1954. He did further studies at Valley Community Center in Van Nuys, California; and at California State University in Northridge, California. Brother Thomas’ first assignment was in 1951 as secretary treasurer of St. Cyril Priory in Chicago, Illinois, and also working as a member of the cafeteria staff at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, Illinois. From 1965 to 1956 he served as a member of the parish staff at St. Mary Carmelite Parish in Joliet, Illinois. In 1957 he served for a year as the kitchen manager at Whitefriars Hall in Washington, DC. He then served for a year as a member of the staff at the Carmelite Junior Seminary in Hamilton, Massachusetts, and also as a staff member at St. Thérèse Chapel in the Northshore Shopping Center in Peabody, Massachusetts, and a staff member of the Society of the Little Flower. From 1958 to 1966 he served in the attendance office at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Arizona. He then returned to work at St. Thérèse Chapel in Peabody for a year, and then served as a staff member of the bookstore at Mount Carmel High School in Houston, Texas. During that time he was also librarian at Chicago State University. In 1972 he served as staff member at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California. In 1976 he served at St. Joseph Parish in Leavenworth, Kansas, and also served as the local vocation director there. In 1979 he served at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Louisville, Kentucky, also serving as the local vocation director in the area. In 1984 he served at Immaculate Conception/St. Joseph Parish in Leavenworth, Kansas; and in 1986 he served as pastoral associate at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1998 he retired to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Priory in Tucson, Arizona, where he remained until his death. May he rest in peace. Donations in honor of Brother Thomas Conlon, O.Carm., may be made to: The Society of Mount Carmel, 1317 North Frontage Road, Darien, Illinois, 60561. For further information on Brother Thomas Conlon, O.Carm., or the Order of Carmelites, please contact Carmelite Media at (630) 971-0724 or visit the Carmelite website at www.carmelnet.org.