Fr. Thomas F. Vigliotta, ofm (3/25/1949 - 7/4/2015)

Reverend Thomas F. Vigliotta, ofm died on July 4, 2015 at the Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, NJ. He was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor. A native of Long Island, NY, Fr. Tom was received into the Franciscan Order in 1980 and ordained to the priesthood in 1985. He served in parishes in South Carolina and New York before joining the province's Ministry of the Word in 1989, where for the next 18 years he travelled around the country leading retreats.

During his time with Ministry of the Word, Fr. Tom was based in various locations including Rochelle Park, NJ, Belleair Bluffs, FL, and St. Mary of the Angels Church in Anderson, SC. In 2005 he was transferred to the Catholic Center at the University of Georgia and in 2007 he was appointed Director of the Center, where he continued to serve until his death. Beloved by students and Athens residents alike, Fr. Tom had a gentle way of sharing his faith and opening his heart to all. He inspired us to inform our faith through study and to put it into action through outreach.

Fr. Tom was preceded in death by his mother, Rosella Vigliotta, who is memorialized by "Rosella's Garden" on the Catholic Center grounds. He is survived by his father Thomas Vigliotta, sisters Celia Vigliotta and Donna Finnegan, brothers David, Dennis, Bruce and Jeff, as well as a number of nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews.

Condolences may be sent to the Vigliotta family at:
A memorial service for Fr. Tom will be held at the Catholic Center on Friday, July 24, at 6:00p.m.