Funeral Mass for Trinitarian Father Thomas Morris scheduled

November 2, 2020 at 4:10 p.m.
Funeral Mass for Trinitarian Father Thomas Morris scheduled
Funeral Mass for Trinitarian Father Thomas Morris scheduled


Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., will be principal celebrant of a Mass of Christian Burial for Trinitarian Father Thomas Morris, pastor of Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing, who died suddenly Nov. 2. The Mass will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 7 in St. James Church, 11 East Paul Ave., Trenton. There will be no visitation and all COVID-19 diocesan directives will be followed.

Born in Malone, N.Y., Father Morris and his family – parents, Augustus and Shirley, and three siblings – were members of Notre Dame Parish, Malone.

He graduated from St. Joseph Ursuline Academy, High School, Malone, in 1971, after which he entered Wadham Hall Seminary, Ogdensburg, N.Y.  He then went on to Le Moyne College, Syracuse, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a major in philosophy.

In 1975, he entered St. Mary Seminary and University, Baltimore, where he encountered the Trinitarians and was drawn to their fraternity, communal life and prayer life.

He left the seminary in 1976 and joined the Trinitarian Order the following a year as a novice. He professed his first vows in 1978.

From 1978 to 1981, he resided in St. John DeMatha Monastery, Hyattsville, Md., and pursued studies at the Washington Theological Union, Silver Springs, Md.

He completed his theological studies in 1981 and professed his solemn vows as a Trinitarian Sept. 11, 1981. He was ordained a priest Dec. 12, 1981, in St. Jerome Parish, Hyattsville.

His first assignment was in New Orleans as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish and was also a part-time hospital chaplain at Hotel Dieu, sponsored by the Daughters of Charity. After one year, he became a full-time chaplain until 1987, when he was transferred to the community’s provincial headquarters in Baltimore and served as secretary provincial until 1993. He was also novice master for the community and director of temporary professed before being transferred to St. Ann Parish, Bristol, Pa., where he was parochial vicar from 1993 to 1996. Later in 1996, he was transferred to St. John DeMatha Monastery, Hyattsville, where he was director of postulants until 1999.

From 1999 to 2003, he resided at the provincial headquarters and was re-elected secretary provincial. From 2000 to 2003, he was director of the Holy Trinity Spiritual Center, Baltimore.

Father Morris was reassigned to St. Ann Parish, Bristol, in 2003 as a parochial vicar until July 2011 when he was named pastor. In April 2007, he made a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend and was asked to be a team priest. He later served as a member of an ecclesial team for Philadelphia from 2012 to 2014 and continues to serve as a team priest for WWME.

When St. Ann Parish was merged with nearby St. Mark Parish, Father Morris was transferred to serve as parochial vicar of Sacred Heart of St. Mary-St. Rita Parish, Dundalk, Md., in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

He remained there until the spring of 2016 when he was named to his latest assignment as pastor of Incarnation-St. James Parish.

Father Morris' burial arrangements will be private.


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Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., will be principal celebrant of a Mass of Christian Burial for Trinitarian Father Thomas Morris, pastor of Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing, who died suddenly Nov. 2. The Mass will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 7 in St. James Church, 11 East Paul Ave., Trenton. There will be no visitation and all COVID-19 diocesan directives will be followed.

Born in Malone, N.Y., Father Morris and his family – parents, Augustus and Shirley, and three siblings – were members of Notre Dame Parish, Malone.

He graduated from St. Joseph Ursuline Academy, High School, Malone, in 1971, after which he entered Wadham Hall Seminary, Ogdensburg, N.Y.  He then went on to Le Moyne College, Syracuse, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a major in philosophy.

In 1975, he entered St. Mary Seminary and University, Baltimore, where he encountered the Trinitarians and was drawn to their fraternity, communal life and prayer life.

He left the seminary in 1976 and joined the Trinitarian Order the following a year as a novice. He professed his first vows in 1978.

From 1978 to 1981, he resided in St. John DeMatha Monastery, Hyattsville, Md., and pursued studies at the Washington Theological Union, Silver Springs, Md.

He completed his theological studies in 1981 and professed his solemn vows as a Trinitarian Sept. 11, 1981. He was ordained a priest Dec. 12, 1981, in St. Jerome Parish, Hyattsville.

His first assignment was in New Orleans as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish and was also a part-time hospital chaplain at Hotel Dieu, sponsored by the Daughters of Charity. After one year, he became a full-time chaplain until 1987, when he was transferred to the community’s provincial headquarters in Baltimore and served as secretary provincial until 1993. He was also novice master for the community and director of temporary professed before being transferred to St. Ann Parish, Bristol, Pa., where he was parochial vicar from 1993 to 1996. Later in 1996, he was transferred to St. John DeMatha Monastery, Hyattsville, where he was director of postulants until 1999.

From 1999 to 2003, he resided at the provincial headquarters and was re-elected secretary provincial. From 2000 to 2003, he was director of the Holy Trinity Spiritual Center, Baltimore.

Father Morris was reassigned to St. Ann Parish, Bristol, in 2003 as a parochial vicar until July 2011 when he was named pastor. In April 2007, he made a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend and was asked to be a team priest. He later served as a member of an ecclesial team for Philadelphia from 2012 to 2014 and continues to serve as a team priest for WWME.

When St. Ann Parish was merged with nearby St. Mark Parish, Father Morris was transferred to serve as parochial vicar of Sacred Heart of St. Mary-St. Rita Parish, Dundalk, Md., in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

He remained there until the spring of 2016 when he was named to his latest assignment as pastor of Incarnation-St. James Parish.

Father Morris' burial arrangements will be private.

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