Father Thomas J. Fleming died on Saturday, April 19.
Thomas Fleming was born on May 28, 1927, in Chicago to John Joseph Fleming and Helen Marie Ferriter Fleming and was baptized on June 28, 1927, at St. Leo Church in Chicago. He attended St. Sabina Elementary School in Chicago; Holy Ghost Mission Seminary in East Troy, Wisconsin and St. Mary Seminary College in Techny. Having completed his studies at St. Procopius Seminary in Lisle, he was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1955 at the Cathedral of St. Raymond by Bishop Martin D. McNamara. Father Fleming earned a M.A. from Loyola University in 1968 and a D. Min. from Chicago Theological Union in 1981.
Father Fleming’s assignments included St. Alexander Parish in Villa Park (1955), St. Joseph Parish in Bradley (1959) and St. Martin Parish in Kankakee (1962).
In 1965, Father Fleming was named founding pastor of St. James Parish in Glen Ellyn. Subsequent assignments as pastor included St. Joseph Parish in Downers Grove (1971); Mary Queen of Heaven Parish in Elmhurst (1977); Holy Ghost Parish in Wood Dale (1989); Immaculate Conception Parish in Morris (1992); St. Lawrence Parish in South Wilmington (1994).
In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Father Fleming served as Director of the Kankakee CYO.
Father Fleming’s body will lie in state at St. James Church in Glen Ellyn on Thursday, April 24, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m.