Reverend Monsignor Thomas G. Kleinhans

Biography:

Our late pastor, Msgr. Tom Kleinhans was actually a native of Visalia, and a long-time member of St. Mary’s.  He was born to Thomas P. and Anna C. (Gruber) Kleinhans on July 1, 1941 , the youngest of five children.  He attended the parish elementary school, George McCann Memorial, for grades 1-8, graduating in 1955.  He entered the diocese’s high school and junior college seminary program at Ryan Preparatory College,  graduating in 1962.  From there it was on down to Camarillo to complete college, at the newly established seminary-college adjacent to St. John’s Seminary, theologate.  And the final four years were spent there, having completed his priesthood studies and formal formation in spring of 1967.

Part of the 1967 Ordination Class of nine, the last group to be ordained by Bishop Aloysius J. Willinger for service in the Diocese of Monterey-Fresno, his first assignment was to Sacred Heart Parish, Fresno.  And from there it was a two-year assignment to St. Anthony’s, Reedley (with its “mission church” in Orange Cove), until September 1970.

For the next ten years he served in diocesan capacities: as diocesan director of religious formation and catechetics, as part-time director of vocations, and as director of youth retreats, with a little additional work with the diocesan marriage tribunal.  He was “in residence” for weekend ministry, at Our Lady of Victory Church, Fresno and at St. John’s Cathedral Parish, Fresno.  From there he happily served as pastor of the Shrine of St. Therese, Fresno, from 1980-1992.  

Upon the retirement of Msgr. Patrick Doherty in July 1992, he came back to serve here at his “home parish” of St. Mary’s, Visalia.   

In Memorial:

Monsignor Tom accomplished many things while in stewardship of St. Mary's Parish.  His talent for financial planning has provided our parish with several new buildings and improvements and, at the same time, his vocation and love were responsible for an exponential increase in parish membership.  

He deeply and profoundly touched the lives of many.  Often, the depth of his kindness and love for others was never seen by the people closest to him in the everyday parish operations.  This was because he made everyone close to him in some small way.  

Whether it just be small talk about what he knew of your family and relations or talking about how he would like the service to go or a touch on the elbow as you walked by or even a pat on the head of an altar server, he always found a way of making everyone feel a part of St. Mary's faith community. 

Monsignor Tom was truly guided by the Holy Spirit in leading our parish. He was always in motion, constantly making changes or additions to the smallest detail in Mass or parish events so that a deeper spiritual experience would be felt by the parishoners.  

This constant motion, the changes to plans of the parish leaders during events, and the sheer number of people that Monsignor had to give his attention to would sometimes make the people who worked with him feel like he was indifferent to them, uncaring, ignoring them and unjustly stubborn on certain aspects of what needed to be done.   

It is only now that we can see how very much loved everyone in the parish, but especially how much he loved and appreciated those who worked with him in the parish.  During the two weeks previous to his passing, many stories were shared about how Monsignor Tom had made time to let the parish ministry leaders know that he appreciated their time and effort.  He loved Christmas time and he knew that there were many people responsible for the wonderful celebration we had in the parish year - and he took the time to let each person know how much that meant to him and this parish that he loved.

It is not widely known that Monsignor Tom had some time ago made specific plans on how he would give his final thank you.  Monsignor Tom left specific instructions for how his funeral and memorial would take place.  In these instructions, he made sure that all the ministry leaders would have a reserved place of honor at his funeral as well as paid for an expensive dinner for all the honorees to enjoy after the funeral.  This was just the kind of man he was.  He may have seemed at times that he didn't care, but inside, his love for us knew no bounds.   

Sometimes it is hard to share with those closest to you, just how much you love and care for them.  This goes for those of us that have a family of 2 people as well as those who have a family of 11,000 people.  

We will miss you, Father Tom, and yes, if we forgot to say it, we love you too... 

 

 

Monsignor Tom said of his time and ministry at St. Mary's: 

“It is a privilege (and sometimes a challenge) to “come home” to the place where one’s roots are found.  But, by all means, it is a wonderful blessing to be able to be assigned to this splendid parish, the first and the oldest and most venerable Catholic Church in the San Joaquin Valley .  May we all grow in love of and service to the Lord and to one another!”

Link to article from his passing

Link to chapel "Memorial" page

 

 

We, the faithful of St. Mary's Catholic Church,  cannot fully express the loss to our parish community that we all feel.  From our parishioners who knew and loved Monsignor Tom we offer the following poem that might express what Monsignor himself might tell us in mourning our loss of our pastor, friend and spiritual leader:

 

I'm Free

In Memory Of  Msgr. Thomas G. Kleinhans


Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took God's hand when I heard the call;
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I found that place at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss.
Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me--
God wanted me now, God set me free.

 

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

Psalm: 23: 1-6


The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
 
beside restful waters he leads me;

  He refreshes my soul.

He guides me in right paths

for his name's sake.
 
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death;

I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff that give me courage.