By Father Vincent Brennan, S.M.

Father Tom Roshetko lost his last battle Thursday afternoon, May 21, as the result of two consecutive heart attacks while a patient at St. Joseph’s hospital, where he had checked in for a urinary tract infection.

Father Thomas Roshetko, S.M., was born in Cleveland, Ohio, March 7, 1912. He was ordained priest in the Society of Mary by Bishop Michael J. Keyes, S.M., retired bishop of Savannah, June 11, 1938. After a few years in parish ministry, he entered the U.S. Army as a chaplain, and served in the European theatre of operations until 1946, when he was discharged with the rank of Major. Later, he continued his interest in veterans and the American Legion and was named American Legion Department Chaplain, State of Georgia, in 1961.

Earning his degree in philosophy in 1947, he taught at Immaculata Seminary in Lafayette, La., and later at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.

His parish ministry took him to Brunswick, Ga., New Orleans, Wheeling and Richwood, West Va., and in 1959 to Atlanta as pastor of Sacred Heart church. After Marist School had completed its move to North Atlanta, Archbishop Hallinan assigned the Marists of Sacred Heart to Our Lady of the Assumption to continue the tradition of having Marists in charge of the parish where the Marist School was located. Father Tom served as pastor until 1969.

Atlanta was his favorite city. Work among the sick was his favorite ministry, a result of his experiences among the sick and wounded in World War II and in his various parochial assignments. His own bouts with surgical operations and sickness added the new dimension of sympathetic understanding of one who had endured much. And so he returned to Atlanta as chaplain of St. Joseph’s Infirmary and other hospitals. After St. Joseph’s moved, he remained at Sacred Heart rectory as chaplain to various downtown hospitals until his death.

Father Tom was probably one of the world’s worst drivers. To ride with him was to recite the act of contrition fervently and frequently. By the grace of God and his guardian angel, he made his trips to all parts of metropolitan Atlanta safely. Once a person got on his sick-list, he was a faithful visitor to residences and nursing homes, seeing people through the weeks, months, or years. It mattered not that some of them had reached the point that they were unaware of his visitation. But he knew and the family knew.

This priest loved God, His Blessed Mother, and people, which is what his faith was all about. He never met a stranger. He had a remarkable memory for faces and stories; he could recall a name with the alacrity of a computer, and recount stories with the skill of an entertainer. One could always depend on Tom to be present at every wake possible, at every celebration to which he was invited, and whenever he felt he could be of help.

In addition to individuals, he loved groups. One of these groups was the Knights of Columbus. He served as State Chaplain in West Virginia while stationed there, and continued his association with the Knights locally as chaplain. He was with them at their convention at Jekyll Island less than one week before his death. His last appearance with a group he loved.

He was a take-charge person. This characteristic was sometimes disconcerting to his hosts, lay, diocesan or Marist. Father Tom would be invited as a guest, with no intention on the part of his hosts that there would be speeches. Somehow – imperceptibly – the party was taken away from the hosts’ control, and Tom had become self-appointed Master of Ceremonies. It was not unusual for a host to ask himself: “What happened? Whose party is this?”

But this take-charge characteristic was appreciated by an orphanage in Belguim, where there was little food due to the war. Chaplain Roshetko would arrive with food and all kinds of goodies. His name is still held in benediction there. In Atlanta many can recount with gratitude other occasions in times of trouble or sorrow when his presence was a welcomed blessing.

When he died, some of his fellow Marists were with him, along with Sister Stella Maris, with whom he had worked for a number of years. Doctors and nurses worked valiantly to save him. He fought like the proverbial tiger. But the Lord took charge on this occasion saying: “That’s enough, Tom. Come on home to your Mother and Me.” And Tom, good, faithful priest that he was – quietly and peacefully went home.