Howard Thomas, T.O. Carm.

I was born in Denver, Colorado on January 12, 1924. I was raised in Southeast Wyoming in dryland farming country and lived in La Grange. I attended High School in Rawlins, which is a railroad town, from which I graduated in June of 1942 and joined the U.S. Navy shortly thereafter.

In August of 1944 I married my high school sweetheart. Shortly after that two children came along real fast so it was a blessing that I was shipped back to the South Pacific for two more years. I resigned from the U.S. Navy in June of 1948 and then two more children showed up.

Later on we moved to the Bay Area. It was about this time our oldest son and daughter started going to catechism here at Holy Spirit Church. It was also around this same time that I started going to adult catechism and I was baptized and confirmed along with my children in 1956.

I drifted along in my life over the next few years attending Sunday Mass and joining this or that ministry and I was coming to the realization that there had to be more to following Jesus, and that my feeble efforts were just not cutting the mustard.

My life lacked a deep commitment to Jesus that I knew was necessary. I was feeling lonely and lost. It was becoming apparent to me that it was not through my own efforts that would bring Jesus into my life.

The wake-up call came for me when I was led by the Holy Spirit to attend a Carmelite information seminar that was being held by Our Lady of Mercy Carmelite Community here at Holy Spirit Church in 2001 or 2002. What a blessing this has been for me. My Jesus gave me a dedicated group of men and women living their lives, following their Lord and Savior. [Read more...]