Thomas Walsh was born in Jersey City on July 8, 1956, the fourth of five children. In elementary school he first felt the call to the priesthood - a vocation encouraged by his father, whom he considers the major influence in his life. Tom Walsh graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy. He later obtained a Master of Divinity degree from Washington Theological University. As a lobbyist on Capitol Hill, he worked to improve conditions in South America attempting to change the US Government's foreign policy in that region.
In 1986, he returned to New Jersey to teach Religion and English at St. John Vianney High School and served as department head of Religious Studies. He then entered a Trappist monastery to pursue his own religious studies. The monastery abbot suggested that he might use his gifts to best advantage as a parish priest. Following this advice, he enrolled at Pope John XXIII National seminary for further study. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1994 and assigned to St. Augustine Parish in Kendall Park.
In 1996, Fr. Walsh was assigned to us at St. Bartholomew Parish as associate pastor. When the Holy See erected the Congregation of the Oratory of Metuchen, he began ministering to the students at the Catholic Center of Rutgers University as a member of the Oratory.
Fr. Walsh served as Parochial Vicar to St. Thomas in Old Bridge from January 2005 to October 2007. At St. Thomas he served as moderator of the parish Holy Name Society and St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Bishop Bootkowski assigned Fr. Walsh as our new administrator - Father Tom returned to us in St. Bartholomew's on November 1, 2007.
On Saturday November 22, 2008, Fr. Walsh was installed as our third Pastor.