THOMAS A. BURKE

Posted

Mass of Christian Burial for the Rev. Thomas A. Burke, C.Ss.R., 64, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, who died on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, New Smyrna Beach. Burial will follow at Edgewater-New Smyrna Cemetery, Edgewater, Florida.

Visiting hours will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday at Sacred Heart Church, New Smyrna Beach, with a prayer vigil for the deceased at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Father Burke was born on Jan. 2, 1956, in New York City, New York, to Irish immigrants, William and Mary Murphy Burke. He entered St. Mary's Seminary, North East, Pennsylvania, in 1967 and took his vows of profession as a Redemptorist on July 31, 1976, at St. Alphonsus College, Suffield, Connecticut. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest on May 23, 1981, at Mt. St. Alphonsus, Esopus, New York. For his first 11 years, Father Burke served the Province of Baltimore at numerous parishes as associate pastor. He then served in the Vice-Province of Richmond as associate pastor at several Georgia parishes. He was also pastor of the Catholic community of Sumter, before coming to Sacred Heart in 2015, where he was the pastor until his death. He was a consulter for the Vice-Province of Richmond and elected as the vicar of the Vice-Province of Richmond.

Father Burke is survived by his mother, Mary; two brothers, William and John Burke; three sisters, Rosemarie O'Connor, Kelly Schwartz and Kathleen Burke; and his Redemptorist brothers.

Dudley Funeral Home, 1108 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach, is in charge of arrangements, (386) 428-6414.

Courtesy announcement by Bullock Funeral Home.