+Deacon Tom McConnell (3/14/1946 - 9/28/2021)

With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Dcn. Tom McConnell on September 28, 2021. He died at home peacefully in his sleep overnight, at the age of 75. Please pray for the repose of his soul, especially the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Please remember Dcn. Tom’s wife Brenda and his family in your prayers. 

Since being assigned to the Basilica in 2017, Dcn. Tom has served and led in several instrumental ways:  as deacon for our English- and Spanish-speaking communities, gifted homilist, founder of The Deacon’s Table adult faith formation program, founder and chief of the Security Team, ecumenical outreach, and more. Most recently, Dcn. Tom had taken the oversight of our major Facilities projects to replace the roof, upgrade the HVAC, and secure meeting space for our Hispanic ministries. Dcn. Tom was also an accomplished Colonel in the U. S. Army, having served our country in assignments all over the world. For many years, Dcn. Tom led the JROTC program in the Hamilton County Schools. He will be missed by his wife, Brenda, his family, and countless friends he has encountered in the Sts. Peter & Paul and St. Jude communities and all the places he served. 

May +Dcn. Tom McConnell, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
 

Tribute to Dcn. Tom from The Chattanooga House of Prayer

Funeral Arrangements for +Dcn. Tom McConnell, who died in his sleep on Sept. 28, 2021

HOMILY at Dcn. Tom McConnell's Funeral - by Fr. David Carter 

VIDEO of Dcn. Tom McConnell's Funeral 
 

Memorial Progam

Dcn. Tom McConnell as a Deacon

Deacon Tom McConnell was born in Charlotte, NC, and raised in the suburb of Mount Holly where he graduated from high school in 1964; a middle child with a younger brother and older sister. He received his commission and a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1968 upon graduation from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY. He was active in varsity sports and music during his school days both in NC and NY. Deacon Tom holds a Master of Science Degree in Business Administration from Boston University and is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College and the Army War College. He was a Senior Service College Intra-Governmental Fellow with the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration. He married his high school sweetheart, Brenda, on graduation evening in the West Point Cadet Chapel. They spent the next 26 years in the Army living on 3 continents in 5 countries with extensive travel to every European, Central and South American nation as well as many other countries around the world. They have 2 daughters and 2 adopted sons (Korean brothers), and 4 grandchildren. Both daughters, Mary Catherine and Margaret Ann, and their daughters, Cecilia and Sophia, attend the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. Deacon Tom retired an Army Colonel and then directed the JROTC Program for Hamilton County Department of Education for 24 years, retiring in June 2018.

As a teenager in the Methodist Church, he began to feel God’s call on his life, a call that persisted for over 45 years but remained unfulfilled until his ordination to the Permanent Diaconate in 2007. Deacon Tom and Brenda together enjoyed a long spiritual journey from Methodism to Pentecostalism to Episcopalism to several other Protestant “ism’s” until coming “Home to Rome” as millennial converts to the Catholic Faith at Easter Vigil in 2000 at OLPH in Chattanooga. They bought the house in which they now live in Hixson in 2002 and moved to St. Jude where they both served as Readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for the parish and Memorial Hospital, and members of the Schola Cantorum. After his ordination, he started and led a Prison Ministry for the Chattanooga Deanery.


Deacon Tom and Brenda were excited to be transferred by the Bishop to the Basilica in 2017 and to join the Basilica family to serve the parish.  As one of his parish assignments, he became involved in the Chattanooga interfaith community and developed an ecumenical apostolate that will mutually benefit all faiths.  He and Brenda also started an Adult Sunday School class called “The Deacon’s Table” to nourish spirituality and discipleship among its members with Scripture, prayer, and a right relationship with Christ.  Deacon Tom also serves as Deacon of the Mass at selected Spanish Masses.

Homilies by Dcn. Tom McConnell

• Homily 09-19-21: 25th Sun OT B - Earthly vs. Godly Wisdom - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 09-12-21: 24th Sun OT B - Theological Formulations and Life Implications - by Dnc. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 08-15-21: Assumption - Contemplating the Assumption of Mary - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 08-08-21: 19th Sun OT B - Bread That Came Down from Heaven - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 07-25-21: 17th Sun OT B - Do You Believe in Miracles? - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 07-11-21: 15th Sun OT B - Shaking Off the Dust of Failure - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 07-04-21: 14th Sun OT B - Disabling Jesus- by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 05-16-21: What's the Real Meaning of the Lord's Ascension? - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 04-18-21: 3rd Sunday of Easter B - From Ignorance to Understanding - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ) 
• Homily 04-10-21: 2nd Sunday of Easter B - "The Two Baptisms" - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 02-28-21: 2nd Sun Lent B - The Mountain Top Experience - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 01-10-21: An Encounter with Christ - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 01-09-21: Baptism of the Lord B - Think of R.I.C.E, Think of Baptism - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 12-25-20: Christmas Day - The Reindeer Gospel - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 11-15-20: 33rd Sun OT A - Risk Takers and Care Takers - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 09-27-20: 26th Sun OT A - Fine Words and Good Deeds - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 09-13-20: 24th Sun OT A - To Forgive Is to Be Forgiven - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 08-23-20: 21st Sun OT A - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 08-16-20: 20th Sun OT A - God's Love Is Irrevocable - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 08-09-20: 19th Sun OT A - Jump In, the Water's Fine - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 08-02-20: 18th Sun OT A - God Gathers His People - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 06-14-20: Corpus Christi - God's Love Sacrament - by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)
• Homily 06-23-19: Corpus Christi: God's Love Sacrament--Real Presence in the Eucharist! by Dcn. Tom McConnell (READ)