Thomas Petitte

Brother Thomas Petitte, FMS, a member of the Marist Brothers of the Schools for 58 years, died on December 17, 2021, in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Brother Tom was born in Camden, New Jersey. He became a postulant with the Marist Brothers in 1963 and entered the Marist Brothers Novitiate at Tyngsboro, MA in 1964. He professed first vows in 1965 and his final vows in 1970.  After completing his religious and academic studies at Marist College, Poughkeepsie, New York, he began his ministry serving as a teacher at Marist High School in Eugene, Oregon. He also taught at Central Catholic in Wheeling, West Virginia (1969-72), Fe. Matignon HS in Cambridge, MA (1991-93) and Malden Catholic HS in Standish, MA (1993 -12). He served as a Dean at Central Catholic in Lawrence (1972-81) and was the Founder and Director of Lazarus House Ministries (1983-93). He was a Pastoral Associate at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Peabody, MA (2005-12) and volunteered for several summers with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India.

A Funeral Mass for Brother Thomas was celebrated on December 22, 2021 in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Peabody, MA. Burial took place on December 23, 2021 at the Marist Brothers Cemetery in Esopus, New York.

Oh, what consolation we have, when about to appear before God, to remember that we have lived in the favor of Mary, and in her own Society. – St. Marcellin Champagnat