The Rev. Thomas Joseph “Tom” Fransiscus, C.Ss.R., J.C.L., 85, of Tucson, Ariz., formerly of Liguori, died Feb. 13, 2025. He was a human rights activist and was devoted to the Hispanic community. He obtained nearly 40 years of service on the tribunals of the Dioceses of Stockton, Monterey and Reno.
Born May 6, 1939, in Omaha, Neb., he was the son of Mathias and Opal Fransiscus. He grew up in Holy Name Parish and credited Fathers Bob Oelerich and Tony Powers with ensuring that he entered the Redemptorist formation program. In 1957, he enrolled at St. Joseph’s College in Kirkwood. He completed his novitiate at Mount St. Clement’s in De Soto and professed temporary vows in 1960. He proceeded to Immaculate Conception Seminary in Oconomowoc, Wis, where he professed perpetual vows in 1963 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1965 near the end of the Second Vatican Council. He spent his intern pastoral year at St. Alphonsus Church in St. Louis and later became associate pastor of St. Michael Church in Chicago, Ill. He earned a master's degree in theology from Loyola University.
He was appointed associate pastor of St. Gerard Catholic Church in Kirkwood in 1968. He was responsible for sacramental ministry and teaching religion classes to grade schoolers, preached Spanish language missions and participated in the L.A.M.P. Program in Matamoros, Tams, Mexico. He was then appointed associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Denver, Colo. He helped organize the Chicano community and served on the boards of directors of the Westside Coalition and the Westside Recorder, a Chicano community newspaper.
In 1972, he was an associate pastor at St. Alphonsus Church in Fresno, Calif, where he preached and taught catechesis in the Mexican American Community and was involved in barrio ministry. There, he also served as chaplain of the Fresno Police Department and the Knights of Columbus. He later enrolled at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC., earning a bachelor's degree in canon law and a licentiate degree in canon law by 1981.
He was appointed a judge on the tribunal of the Diocese of Stockton and administrator of St. Linus Parish in Stockton. He served as adjutant judicial vicar of the Diocese of Reno’s tribunal from 1986 to 1989, when he joined the Diocese of Monterey’s tribunal as judicial vicar. He returned to the Diocese of Reno in 1997 as judicial vicar and pastor of St. Michael Church. After 12 years of service, he was appointed adjutant judicial vicar and pastor of St. Ann Parish in Dayton, Nev.
In 2019, he retired and moved to the St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Barnhart. He then moved to Tucson, Ariz., in 2023 to join the Redemptorist Renewal Center community.
A memorial gathering and vigil are scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at St. Clement, 300 Liguori Drive, in Liguori, A memorial Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, March 14, also at St. Clement. Burial will follow in Redemptorist Cemetery on Liguori Drive. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home.