Archbishop Stephen Robert Joseph Thomas October 13, 1950 to July 20, 2023
+Stephen was born in Gary, Indiana. He expressed a lifelong love of the Lord and dedication to the Church. Even as a child he only wished to serve the Church, first as an altar boy, Deacon, Priest, and eventually Bishop.

He spent his ministry championing the rights of the marginalized, caring for the homeless, and emulating the love of Christ. He leaves behind no living relatives but all of us who knew him know that to him friends were family. We will all miss your laugh.

Memory Eternal !

On the evening of July 20, 2023, Metropolitan Stephen fell asleep in the Lord in peace. He had declining health for the last few years. For those of you who may not have been aware, his health started to decline and he was hospitalized just as the pandemic was beginning. (We all had a lot our plates back then). His physical decline was rapid and he was placed in nursing care. I must admit the man I knew had the constitution of an ox. He survived a lifetime with TTP (Thrombitic Thrombocytopenic Purpura), 4 heart attacks, and getting COVID, and he still survived to touch the lives of those noble nurses and doctors who cared for him in the end. One of his favorite songs was “Break my Stride” by Matthew Wilder. There is a chorus that I think exemplified his view on how we should approach life- “Ain’t nobody gonna break my stride, Nobody gonna slow me down (oh no), Got to keep on moving”.

I have been touched by the condolences of those I have spoken with. Everyone that I have reached out to remembers him fondly. They remember a man who was quick to laugh and to forgive. He was generous to a fault. Some people have said of a generous person that “they would give them the shirt off their back” but I actually watched him do just that; more than once. Every new person was an opportunity, not to talk about the love of Christ, or to push his views, but to show what unconditional love is supposed to look like. He had a charisma that drew you in and he used that gift to break through to even the hardest hearts. He believed that there was no sinner so far gone that they could not repent (turn away from sin). He had that rare gift to make you feel like the most important person in the room, and to him everyone in the room was equally important. I’m sure most of you remember him fondly.

There will be no official funeral, but I will be celebrating a Liturgy with some friends in my home chapel. I plan on recording/streaming a memorial service on August 30th. Let me know if you would like details. You can contact me at rbsocc@juno.com . You may also call me at 724-877-4531. Anyone who cares to make a small donation towards his arrangements can do so on PayPal sent to rbsocc@juno.com . I know you will all keep him in your prayers.

Archbishop Timothy

Bretheren: “I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” I Thessalonians 413-18