IN MEMORY
Veteran missioner dies
Rev. Thomas McQuaid, S.F.M., 1908 - 2003
January 2004
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Veteran missioner, Fr. Thomas McQuaid, passed away on October 27, 2003. Fr. Tom was in his 96th year. He was born on September 5, 1908, to Joseph and Mary McQuaid and ordained a priest by Cardinal McGuigan on December 17, 1939. In 1940, he went to China and attended language school in Peking. From 1943 to 1945 he was interned by the Japanese.
In November 1945 he was released and went to Lishui, China, where he continued to serve until 1947 when he returned to Canada to be Vice Rector of Scarboro Missions' seminary. He was elected Superior General of Scarboro Missions from 1949 to 1959. The next seven years were spent as novice master at Scarboro's Nazareth House in St. Mary's, Ontario. Nazareth House offered an initial year of spiritual study and discernment for those interested in the missionary priesthood.
While living in retirement at Scarboro Missions in Toronto, Fr. Tom McQuaid often took walks outdoors. During his 65 years of priesthood, he had served his mission community well, both in Canada and overseas.
The seminarians he taught noticed Fr. Tom's firmness and clarity in his exercise of authority. So it was that they gave him the nickname "Lax Tom". This was a name that both teased him and did him the greatest honour as a man of God.
In 1966, Fr. Tom was assigned to the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and St. Lucia, serving there for 23 years until his return to Canada in 1989. For the last seven years of his life Fr. Tom lived with the Brothers of the Christian Schools at La Salle Manor where he was welcomed as one of their own and treated with loving care.
On the day of his death, his condition had deteriorated rapidly and he was having trouble breathing. Scarboro missionary Fr. Joseph Curcio was at his side. When Fr. Tom's breathing worsened, Fr. Curcio drew close and held Fr. Tom's hand while reciting the 23rd psalm. At the end of the reading, Fr. Tom suddenly raised his head and opened his eyes. He then closed his eyes, lowered his head and slipped away. To Fr. Curcio, it seemed as though Fr. Tom had raised his head to greet his greatest love, the Lord, and then gently went with Him.
The day after Fr. Tom's death, a short prayer service was held at La Salle Manor, so that the Brothers and staff could say goodbye to this gentle man who had been in their care. Among those in attendance was Fr. Tom's brother, Brother Joseph.
From there, Fr. Tom's remains were brought to Scarboro Missions and Fr. Dick Veltri led the community in prayer. Many priests and lay missioners were on hand to welcome Fr. Tom among us for the final time.
During the wake service the following evening, many shared their stories of Fr. Tom.
The Mass of the Resurrection on October 29 brought together Scarboro priests and lay missioners, along with Fr. Tom's sister Irene Allin, his sister-in-law Dolly McQuaid, and other relatives from Seaforth and Stratford, Ontario.
Fr. John Carten was the main celebrant and Fr. Joseph Curcio gave the homily. Fr. Curcio said, "Fr. Tom's greatest gift to Scarboro Missions and to the people touched by him is his spirituality. The daily struggle of the spiritual life into which he plunged himself, taught him sacrificial love. He disciplined his will and sought self-surrender in the discipleship of Jesus."
Fr. Tom was interned at St. Augustine's Cemetery. He was the 100th Scarboro priest to die. May he rest in peace.