With great sadness, we announce that our brother, Rev. Thomas F. Foley, C.S.P., has entered eternal life.

He died on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the Mercy Retirement & Care Center in Oakland, CA. He was 77 years old.

Fr. Foley had been a member of the Paulist community for 53 years and a priest for 47 years. He served as a campus minister and parish priest.

Thomas Francis Foley was born on July 28, 1947, in New York City, a son of Daniel and Matilda Fragia Foley.

He earned a bachelor of arts at St. Mary’s College in Winona, MN.

His family was living in Albert Lea, MN, when he entered the Paulist novitiate on September 16, 1971.

He made his First Promises on August 26, 1972, and his Final Promises on June 2, 1976.

During his years in the seminary, he studied at Washington Theological Coalition (later renamed Washington Theological Union).

Fr. Foley was ordained a priest on May 14, 1977.

In his first priestly assignment, he was a campus minister at St. John XXIII University Parish in Knoxville, TN, through August, 1979.

Fr. Foley then moved to Boston where he served as a campus minister for students at Tufts University until May, 1984. In the later half of 1984, he studied Spanish in Colombia.

From 1985 to 1987, he was an associate pastor at St. Peter’s Church in Toronto, Canada.

Fr. Foley was based at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in West Palm Beach, FL, from 1988 to 1990 and at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Boca Raton, FL, in 1990 and 1991.

He then served at Paulist Press from 1992 to 1996.

Fr. Foley was an associate pastor at St. Austin Church in Austin, TX, from 1998 to 2002.

“Fr. Tom was among the first Paulist Fathers I met as an undergraduate student at the University of Texas in Austin and a parishioner at St. Austin Church,” recalled Ernie Garrido, the Paulist Fathers Vocations Recruiter. “I’ll always remember how compassionate he was in the confessional. I don’t think I ever told him that he forever changed my confession discipline, which continues decades after our first prayerful encounter. Fr. Tom taught me that confession is ultimately a sacrament of joy,” 

“I remember him always with a big, welcoming smile. His homilies were great, too!” Ernie added.

From 2002 to 2009, Fr. Foley was an associate pastor at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. He continued to live at Old St. Mary’s in senior ministry.

In 2021, he moved to the Mercy Retirement & Care Center in Oakland.

“During his years in San Francisco, Fr. Foley had a passion for ministry with people in 12-step recovery programs,” remembered Rev. John Ardis, C.S.P., vice president of the Paulist Fathers and pastor emeritus of Old St. Mary’s.

“Fr. Foley had a keen artistic sense,” said Rev. Ivan Tou, C.S.P, the current pastor of Old St. Mary’s. “During his time at St. Austin’s and Old St. Mary’s, he set up an online store where he made available sacred art, notably items made in Peru.”

Fr. Foley co-wrote the book “The Key Is in the Darkness: Unlocking the Door to a Spiritual Life” with Mark Lewis.

Our prayer for our brother, Tom:

May the angels lead you into paradise,
may the martyrs come to welcome you,
and take you to the holy city,
the new and eternal Jerusalem.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Rev. Thomas F. Foley, C.S.P. will be celebrated at 11 am. Pacific on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco.

The Mass will be broadcast live on the parish’s YouTube channel.

The principal celebrant of the Mass will be Very Rev. René Constanza, C.S.P., president of the Paulist Fathers.

Rev. Tom Hall, C.S.P., another member of the Paulist Ordination Class of 1977, will preach the homily.

Fr. Foley will be buried in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma, CA, at 2:30 p.m. Pacific on Thursday, February 6, 2025.