More than 150 family, friends, business leaders, dignitaries and religious clergy attended a Holy Mass and luncheon on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, to honor the life of Thomas F. P. “Tom” Sullivan and to celebrate his 90th birthday. The Mass took place at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 545 State Road A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach, and was presided over by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, a close personal friend of Sullivan and his wife, Glory. Wuerl served as archbishop of Washington, D.C., and papal adviser from 2006 to 2018. There were 16 clergy on the altar for the Mass.
A luncheon reception followed the Mass at TPC Sawgrass. Among the notable guests in attendance were Gov. Ron DeSantis; Bishop Erik Pohlmeier (Diocese of St. Augustine); Bishop Barry Knestout (Diocese of Richmond, Virginia); and from Manila, Mother Elena Belarmino (superior general, Sisters of Mary); from Tanzania, Sister Margie Cheong; from Manila, former Superior General Sister Maria and Secretary General Sister Magarita; and from Mexico, Sister Marilyn.
Several speakers took to the podium to recognize Sullivan’s life of leadership, his steadfast commitment to charitable causes and his deep devotion to his Catholic faith.
Some of the more than $1 million in donations from this event will be used to fulfill Sullivan’s wish to fund chapels in the Sisters of Mary’s Boystown and Girlstown in Tanzania.
The Sisters of Mary World Villages For Children website can be found at worldvillages.org.
