MEET FATHER THOM!
Father Thom Blondin is a man with a big heart and a really big voice! You usually hear him coming long before you see him with his ever-present laugh and contagious joy! Father Thom has a heart filled with compassion for the poor, understanding for those who hurt and empathy for the lonely. It is impossible not to smile when he is around!
Raised in LaSalle just outside of Windsor, ON, Father Thom attended St. Peter Seminary for 8 years and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of London May 2nd, 1992. His first appointment was at St. Gregory the Great church (Good Shepherd Parish) as an associate and he remained there until 1996 (while at St. Gregory Father Thom was instrumental in promoting and building the Youth Action Centre). From there he was appointed associate at St. Michael Parish in London. In 1997 he moved to St. Patrick Parish in Lucan as Pastor followed by St. John Vianney Parish from 2002 to 2013. Prior to leaving St. John Vianney, Father Thom made a spiritual pilgrimage in Spain, to mark the Year of the Priest, and traversed the Camino de Santiago and hiked 850 km. He was then appointed as Administrator in his hometown of LaSalle at Sacred Heart Parish until he moved to Strathroy in 2017.
An avid traveler, Father Thom has many interesting life stories to tell and share from his experiences gathered along the way. All Saints church site has benefited from his green thumb and exquisite landscaping designs! Be sure to come visit and rest and pray for a while in the beautiful garden and gazebo located behind the church. Bring your coffee and sit for a bit in the serenity. Be forewarned though, if you bring coffee for Father Thom, it needs to be really good, dark, espresso type coffee and goes best with a sweet treat! Just don’t bring any cheese ☺
Father Thom was installed as Pastor for the West Middlesex Catholic Family of Parishes, which includes. Sacred Heart, Parkhill, All Saints, Strathroy, Sacred Heart, Delaware and St. Charles Garnier, Glencoe, on October 17, 2020 by Bishop Joseph Dabrowski. These are exciting times, moving forward into our new family of parishes with Father Thom as our spiritual guide! Know that Father Thom’s door is always open, ready for a visit, ready to serve, and he looks forward to getting to know each and every one of you!