The Rev. Thomas L. Albers, C.PP.S., 78, a member of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, Kansas City Province, died September 30, 2018 at St. Rita Hospital in Lima, Ohio following a lengthy illness. Fr. Tom was born on May 4, 1940 in Minster, Ohio. He entered the Society of the Precious Blood upon enrollment at Brunnerdale High School Seminary in Canton, Ohio in September 1954. After two years of study at St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Indiana, from 1958 to 1960, Fr. Tom began his novitiate year at Burkettsville, Ohio, at the end of which he was incorporated into the Society on August 15, 1961. Several weeks later he began six years of philosophy and theology studies at St. Charles Seminary in Carthagena, Ohio. He was definitively incorporated on August 15, 1964 and ordained a priest on June 3, 1967.

Following ordination, Fr. Tom was appointed associate chaplain at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, Illinois, where he served until July 1969. It was then that he began a year-long intensive Catholic Chaplaincy Training Program at the National Center for Mental Health Service, Training, and Research at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Washington, D.C., a large federal mental hospital with about 4,200 patients, followed by a year of advanced clinical pastoral education at Anna State Hospital in Anna, Illinois. 

Following his year in Anna, Fr. Tom spent the next 13 years in hospital ministry. He served a one-year term as president of the National Catholic Hospital Chaplains Association. He was also elected to the Provincial Council in the role of vice-provincial for a four-year term. From 1984 to 1987, he served as director of the College Formation Program for the Province. Then in 1987, Fr. Tom was elected provincial director of the Kansas City Province.

Following eight years as provincial director, Fr. Tom began 18 years of service as a pastor at various parishes in Missouri.  In 2013, he retired to St. Charles Center in Carthagena, Ohio, where he resided until his death.

“Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy” (Matthew 25:21).