Fr. Sylvester Thomas, former principal and chaplain, dies
Funeral Mass was celebrated Aug. 27 for Father Sylvester Thomas, 83, who died Aug. 20 after a long illness. A resident of Nazareth House in Los Angeles since his retirement from active ministry in 2003, Father Thomas was among 29 priests --- the largest class in the history of the archdiocese --- ordained by Cardinal James McIntyre on April 27, 1955.
Born in Los Angeles, he attended Our Lady of Loretto School and graduated from the Los Angeles Junior Seminary. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1945 and, after his discharge, he earned a BA degree at UCLA and, a couple of years later, a Master of Science degree in Education at USC.
He taught at Culver City High School and at Mount Vernon Junior High School in Los Angeles before entering St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, to pursue studies for the priesthood. After receiving a BA in Sacred Theology and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at St. Mary's, he returned for ordination in Los Angeles in 1955.
Father Thomas' assignments included serving as an associate pastor at St. Gerard Majella Church in Los Angeles for two years and a 17-year term at Pius X-St. Matthias High School in Downey where he taught and spent six years as principal.
In 1981, he was named chaplain at Rancho San Antonio for Boys in Chatsworth and four years later took over as administrator at St. Bernardine Chapel in downtown Los Angeles, serving in that capacity until the chapel's closure in 1992.
His last assignment before retirement was directing the maritime ministry at the port of Los Angeles for 12 years. According to a 1996 Tidings' maritime Apostleship Center article, Father Thomas donated his monthly salary to the ministry providing spiritual fellowship to mostly international crews working on cruise and cargo ships. He was named a Knight of the Equestrian order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem "some years ago," he wrote in his self-penned obituary which he prepared before his death.
"He loved the church. He was a prayerful person," said Thomas Brown, a nephew of Father Thomas. Survivors include three nephews and five nieces. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.
Brother Gene Mylan, SDB
Funeral Mass was held Aug. 27 at St. Joseph's Salesian Youth Renewal Center in Rosemead for Salesian Brother Gene Mylan, 63, who died Aug. 20. He had been a Salesian of Don Bosco for 43 years.
A native of Hollywood, he graduated from St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower and then entered the Salesian formation program. He was professed in 1964.
Brother Mylan devoted his life to the high school apostolate, teaching for 10 years at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower and, for 25 years, at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Rosemead. He was an accomplished teacher in the science and computer fields as he held advanced degrees in physics and electronic engineering. Burial was Aug. 30 at the Salesian Cemetery in Richmond, California. Raquel Rodriguez
Funeral Mass was held Aug. 25 at Presentation of Mary Church in Los Angeles for Raquel Rodriguez, who died Aug. 18. She was the sister of Msgr. Benigno Antonio Rodriguez, pastor of Presentation of Mary Church. |