My Bio

Fr. Tom has been a member of the Crosier Fathers and Brothers since 1976. Born and raised on a dairy farm in central Minnesota, his parents formed a family band with him and his five siblings. This background laid the foundation for his love of music and liturgy. He developed his musical skills, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in music and psychology.

Fr. Tom earned his Master of Arts in Pastoral Liturgy in 1984 along with his Master of Divinity. He has served as vocation director and post-novitiate formation director and as director of The Welcome Center, a multicultural ministry established by the Crosiers in collaboration with the parish of St. Odilia in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Over the years he has been assigned to places such as Brazil where he worked as the Crosier novice director and post-novitiate formation director. This experience required that he learn to speak Brazilian Portuguese. He has been engaged in ministry with the Hispanic community in the United States for more than 20 years, gaining fluency in Spanish as well as familiarity with a variety of cultural patterns within the Latino community.

He was elected prior provincial of the Crosiers in 2011 and led the efforts to establish Crosier Village, a new foundation for the Crosiers in the heart of South Phoenix. He was recently elected the national superior of the Crosiers in the United States under the title of Conventual Prior. He is the immediate superior of the 47 Crosiers who live in the two Crosier communities in the U.S., one in Onamia, Minnesota and the other in Phoenix.