Rev. Thomas Vos

Thomas James Vos, known simply as “Fr. Tom” for most of his life, was born to Leonard Vos and Anne Roufs on September 6, 1934 in St. Paul MN.  After elementary school, he entered the Franciscan Seminary in Westmont IL in 1948, and was received into the Franciscan Order in 1954, continuing his Franciscan formation and his theological studies until he completed a Master’s Degree in Divinity and was ordained as a Catholic priest on June 13, 1961.

His ministry as a Catholic priest began in Chicago IL as a Teacher and Principal at Hales Franciscan High School from 1963-1971, followed by a year as Associate Pastor at St. Francis Borgia Parish in Washington MO. From there he moved to Quincy IL in 1972 where he was Academic Dean at Our Lady of Angels Seminary and Associate Pastor at St. Francis Solano Parish. His next assignment took him to Indianapolis as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish from 1977-1979, then to Dubuque IA as Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish from 1979-1985. From 1985-1988 he held an administrative position as Provincial Promoter of Missions, then from 1988-1990 he pastored St. Francis Parish in Teutopolis IL.  From 1990-2006 he ministered at numerous locations in the Diocese of Knoxville TN in his beloved “Mountain Ministry.”  For the final eleven years of his life, he served as Senior Associate at the National Shrine of Cross in the Woods in Indian River MI, where he died on August 16, 2017.

Funeral Services for Fr. Thomas Vos, OFM will be at the National Shrine of Cross in the Woods, beginning with visitation in the church’s Gathering Space on Monday, August 21 from 3:00 until 7:00 PM, including a 7:00 PM Vigil Service.  The Funeral Mass is Tuesday, August 22 at 11:00 AM, preceded by two hours of open visitation. Cremation and entombment will occur at a future date.

Fr. Tom is survived by his sister, Rosie Peitz and his brother, Nicholas Anthony Vos.  He is also survived by the 175 friars of the Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart, among whom he has been an inspiring and dedicated confrere for 63 years, and by the beloved People of God whom he has served so selflessly in cities and ministries across the country.

In lieu of flowers, condolences are encouraged in the form of memorials to the Cross in the Woods Endowment Fund, or to the Franciscan Missions at 3140 Meramec Street; St. Louis, MO  63118-4399.

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