1831 – 1892 (August 5)
John Burns, the son of Thomas Burns and Mary Lovatt, was born in County Meath, Ireland, in 1831. He came to the United States, and was vested at Villanova on September 18, 1858, taking the name Brother Thomas. He made his novitiate at Villanova, and was professed on September 29, 1864.
He served for a time in Carthage, New York, and then, in September, 1874, was assigned to Villanova, and finally, beginning in 1878, to Saint Denis in Ardmore. At St. Denis, Brother Thomas served as sacristan, sexton and superintendent of the parish cemetery.
During the night of August 5, sensing that death was near, he went to the room of the rector, Father Hugh O’Donnell, O.S.A., to request the last sacraments. He died that same day, August 5, 1892. Brother Thomas was 61 years old. He was buried at Saint Denis Cemetery, following a Solemn Requiem Mass there.
