Fr. Tom Fitzgerald
1/02/1940-12/29/2024
Funeral Mass:  Monday, January 13 at 10:00 am at the Parish Community Center (6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville)
Visitation: 9-10:00 am at the Parish Community Center.
There is also visitation on Sunday, January 12 at Mueller-Bies Funeral Home (7050 Lake Drive, Lino Lakes) from 2-6:00 pm with a prayer service at 5:00 pm.

Click here for the obituary.
Click here for the article in the Catholic Spirit.


Fr. Tom Fitzgerald served The Church of St. Genevieve in the role of Pastor from July 1, 1999 to June 14, 2012.  Fr. Tom continued being a member of our parish after retirement attending Sunday mass, leading a book study group, cleaning up at funeral luncheons and selling festival raffle tickets.  He could be seen helping out many area churches including St. Gregory's in North Branch, Sacred Heart in Rush City and St. Mary's in White Bear Lake.  We all have a story or two to tell.  Send your short story to sirlbeck@stgens.org to be published on this page.

We know that, after  Fr Tom retired from the pastor ship at St. Gens, he remained very active in the parish substituting at mass when necessary,
assisting in serving and clean-up at funeral luncheons, and assisting in many different ways in the preparation for the annual parish festival — including presiding over the early mass on festival day.
Several years ago, I was on tap to lector at the early mass and Fr Tom was, of course, the celebrant. As was his ilk, he engaged me in a dialogue on the altar and  it became clear he was in a “snit” as he felt that the committee had slighted his request for an assistant (or two) to help him in his assigned task in preparation of the festival dinner!
A truce was reached at the eleventh hour when two elderly parishioners agreed to step in and assist the good priest providing they could sit while performing their tasks.
And — so you ask — what WAS this monumental task Tom had been assigned?
To Fill The  Salt and Pepper Shakers — All 65 Sets of Them!!
Rest in eternal peace our dear friend.   ~Ray M.

I’ve known Father Tom since I was a baby. He baptized me and gave me my first communion. When I got older, I became an altar server for many years. I remember the first time I was serving and how nervous I was. Father Tom saw how nervous I was and told me to just imagine the congregation in their underwear.
My mom and I would go over to his apartment sometimes to enjoy his chili and catch up on our lives. One mass, he told joking to the entire congregation while I was altar serving that I didn’t like the beans in his chili because I would eat around them. It was still some of the best chili I’ve ever eaten.
He brought smiles to everyone’s face he met and always knew the right things to say to make other happy. He will be greatly missed.  ~Jenna L

My son served as an altar server until he was a senior in high school.  We were used to Fr. Tom making comments after Mass, but he caught us off-guard one Sunday morning.  He called my son next to him on the altar, spun him around and said to the people at Mass, "Do you think we should get Ray another altar server robe?"  (the one he was wearing was above his knees)  ~Ray & Creselda L.

Fr. Tom served at St. Gregory in North Branch.  We were there one weekend and after Mass he pointed us out and introduced us to the congregation and said that "People from Centerville were good people."  ~Ray & Creselda L.

I have had the pleasure to know Fr. Tom since he was a seminarian and I was in high school.   Every summer in the early 60s, he was a counselor at the CYC camp and I was a camper and he was a teacher/mentor then, like always.   He took me and other campers on our first trips to the BWCA and taught us to appreciate the wilderness and to be self-sufficient.   He always quizzed me every time I saw him over the years as to what are the three characteristics of the Catholic camper:  courage, cooperation and charity.   He will be missed.  ~Tim S

A few years ago, my mother-in-law was dying and  we called Father Tom to say some prayers with us. He drove over in the dark, even though by then, he didn’t really like driving at night. He greeted our extended family and together we prayed for her, as her breathing slowed and became raspy. A little while later as Father Tom was preparing to go, my mother-in-law woke up like she was just taking a short nap. She knew everyone by name and talked with each person in the room. Father Tom said, “I guess I failed. Those were supposed to be goodbye prayers.” 
Father Tom led our Book Club for many years, and of course, we had some great conversations. We drew closer as a group, really learning to lean on each other when times were difficult for us personally. We met every week — and read some amazing books. Sometimes we’d have questions about what we were reading and after attempting to answer it ourselves, we would look to Father Tom for the final word. Sometimes he would share his perspective — and sometimes he was flat out honest and said, “We just don’t know.” We learned to anticipate this response, and eventually when we had a particularly tough question, we all replied in unison, “We just don’t know” and bust out laughing.  ~Lisa M

I've known him for many, many years (I went to St. Mary's in Stillwater and he was just down the street at St. Michael's)  Fr. Tom, or I will say Fr. Tom's church had a softball team and my rec team would play his softball team a couple of times per year.  ~Sandy S.

Having known Fr. Tom since 1999 at both St. Gens and St. Mary's-WBL, I appreciated his sense of humor and his ability to make you feel at ease-no matter what the situation.  One evening a couple of years ago, I was helping coordinate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Mary's.  Our pastor had invited several other priests to assist, one being Fr. Tom.  The atmosphere in the church that night was quiet and serene. The lights were low and soft music was playing.  Penitents were lined up, waiting patiently, & examining their consciences.  One by one, the priests begin to arrive. In walks Fr. Tom. Stole and alb in hand, he pauses to wipe the snow from his shoes. But instead of quitely proceeding to the sacristy as the others had done, he looks up, scans the room, and in a loud voice shouts, "Is this where all the sinners are?" 

If you knew him, you are laughing right now!  What a blessing it was to have crossed paths with him in this life!  It is my prayer, that through the love and mercy of God, Fr. Tom is hearing those words we all hope to hear one day from our Creator, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"  Rest in peace, Fr.! You are missed and loved!! Thank you for everything!  ~Angie Hill and family

I moved to Hugo in 2005 and was looking for a church.  I went to mass at St. Gen's and felt so welcomed by everyone.  The priest, Fr. Tom, was so personable and had a great homily.  After mass, it was an elderly woman's birthday, so we sang Happy Birthday.  When we were finished singing, Fr. Tom wished the woman a happy 85th birthday.  The woman replied that she wasn't 85, just 83!  Fr Tom said, " 85 or 83, who cares, you're old!" I thought, this guy is a hoot, and I knew I found my new church.

I had the chance to get to know Fr. Tom through the home visit he did for all new parishioners.  He got lost trying to find my home and when he finally arrived, he said he hoped I had brandy in the house, jokingly (I didn't have any), but he did enjoy the peach pie I made. I will never forget how welcoming he made me feel and his open mindedness. He encouraged me to join his softball team or choir, I chose the choir.

I loved how he had the kids on their first Holy Communion, gather around the altar as he explained to them what he was doing.  Mass didn't always start on time because he was looking in the parking lot for late arrivals, sometimes me, and welcoming everyone.  

I will miss him, rest in peace, Fr. Tom.   ~Bev W.