Special Newsletter #25 - July 2020

Dear friends in Our Lady’s Auxiliary,

Thomas James Timmins C.S.Sp. (1/14/1927-7/18/2020)

Born in Castelerahan, County Cavan, Ireland in 1927 to James and Mary (Smith) Timmins, Tom was the eldest of five children, two boys and three girls. He completed his secondary studies at Blackrock College, Dublin, Ireland, in 1945. That same year Thomas entered the Holy Ghost Fathers’ Novitiate. After completing his Novitiate, Tom began his Philosophy studies and was sent to St. Mary’s College in 1948. After three years as a prefect Tom entered the Theologiate at Kimmage Manor in 1951, and was ordained to the priesthood on July 11, 1954.

Father Tom received his missionary assignment to East Africa, Kenya, in 1955 and began his mission in Kanzalu. Working with the Wakamba people, Father Tom learned the Wakamba language and taught elementary school there for three years.

In 1957 Father Tom was assigned to a new mission at Mwala, Kenya. Residing at the Kabaa High School as Father in Charge, Father Tom directed the building of Mwala’s first church and then prepared all arrangements for the ordination of the first Wakamba priest, Fr. Raphael S. Ndingi M/w Nzeki in 1961. Because of the huge crowd the ceremony had to be held outdoors, a testament to Fr. Tom’s successful mission with the Wakamba people. After a short trip home, Fr. Tom was placed as Father in Charge and Education Secretary for the Wakamba District. He frequently traveled to all schools throughout the diocese. Fr. Tom started a vocational school for girls whose graduates received certificates enabling them to work in the clerical field in Nairobi.

Famine struck the Machakos in the early 1960’s and the Wakamba people suffered greatly, especially children. Fr. Tom oversaw the construction of a food warehouse which, with the cooperation of Catholic Relief Services, the medical sisters in all missions and others was stocked with life-saving food. He worked with the Peace Corps to establish Nutritional Feeding Programs at every mission, resulting in many lives being saved.

Independence for Kenya came in 1963, which Fr. Tom supported. With new-found freedoms, Fr. Tom coordinated the arrival of the Religieuse de Notre Dame des Missions, a missionary congregation that immediately began work in both Government and Catholic Schools and eventually established their own Novitiate.

In 1969, Machakos became a Diocese, with the appointment of the same Fr. Raphael Ndingi M/w Nzeki as bishop. Once again, Fr. Tom was called upon to organize the event of his consecration to the Episcopacy.

By 1970 the new diocese had been established and a Wakamba bishop consecrated but without funds to operate. The new Bishop Ndingi M/w Nzeki asked Fr. Tom to travel to the United States and raise money for the Diocese of Machakos. Fr. Tom started the Missionary Cooperation Plan and left for the United States after 15 years in Africa. For the next three years Fr. Tom stayed with his sister on the East Coast of the United States, traveling the country and establishing valuable contacts, preaching and raising money for Machakos Diocese.

In 1974, Fr. Tom was asked to help out at St. Luke’s Parish in Foster City, California. For six months of each year, Fr. Tom would travel the country preaching and raising money for the Diocese of Machakos, and the other six months he spent at St. Luke’s Parish, working with the youth group, instructing in marriage preparation and counseling. In addition Fr. Tom became the priest liaison for the Worldwide Marriage Encounter for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, as well as being involved in Cursillo and the Charismatic Movement. Fr. Tom also facilitated four retreats each year in the Archdiocesan Retreat Center in Menlo Park, California, all the while preaching at various conferences.

After nearly thirty years of untiring devotion to Saint Luke’s Parish, the Diocese of San Francisco and the Diocese of Machakos, Fr. Tom was relieved of his Missionary Cooperation Plan responsibilities as the Machakos bishop assigned a Wakamba priest to take over the financial appeal program in the United States.

In 2003, Fr. Tom was invited to be the Chaplain to the Carmelite Nuns of Sacramento in Georgetown, California. Fr. Tom so loved the nuns and was overjoyed to celebrate Mass, preach the Lord’s word, share his life experiences and wisdom with the nuns everyday. In time, the quiet solitude of the mountain retreat moved Fr. Tom and he soon loved the peaceful lifestyle which this beautiful monastery and the nuns it housed afforded him. Fr. Tom faithfully served the Carmelite Nuns for fourteen years until his retirement to the Nazareth House in San Rafael California in 2018. There, he passed away quietly on July 18, 2020.

A funeral Mass was celebrated at the Carmelite Monastery on July 29, 2020, in a private ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Sisters were very sad to not make this public, due to the virus, and also in keeping with Fr. Tom’s wish because he was always a very private person. His body is interred in the Monastery’s cemetery, which was his fondest request. Please pray for the repose of his very great soul; he was a true Servant of God. Thanks to Steven and Jana Devereaux for this history of Father Tom.

In Christ,
Patty MacEgan
President, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Auxiliary www.carmeliteauxiliary.org carmelitehelpers@gmail.com