Obituary Info:
Death of the Rev. Thomas Jordan, O.Carm.
(October 16, 2026, Darien, IL) The Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, Order of Carmelites, mourns the death of the Reverend Thomas Jordan, O.Carm., who died at the age of 83, on October 15, 2026, at Sunrise of Cresskill in Cresskill, NJ.
Visitation for Fr. Tom Jordan, O.Carm., will be at 4pm on Tuesday, October 20th, at Saint Cecilia Parish, 55 West Demarest Avenue, Englewood, NJ, 07631, immediately followed by vigil at 7pm. Funeral Mass be held at 10am on Wednesday, October 21st, also at Saint Cecilia Parish, with interment to follow at Mount Carmel Cemetery, 10 Serpentine Road, Tenafly, NJ, 07670.
Fr. Tom was born to the late Francis Joseph and Laura Elizabeth (Mackert) Jordan on November 27, 1942, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was pre-deceased by his brother, Edward Francis Jordan, and is survived by his sister, Linda, brother, William, sister, Nancy, sister, Joanne (Sarjent), and brother, James.
Tom attended St. Philip Neri and St Francis DeSales grade schools and Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. After completing high school in 1960, he entered Mount Carmel College in Niagara Falls, Canada.
After a year of college studies in Niagara Falls, Tom entered the Carmelite Novitiate in New Baltimore, Pennsylvania in 1962. He professed his simple vows as a Carmelite on September 15, 1963.
From 1963-1965, Tom continued his college studies at Mount Carmel College earning his B.A. in Philosophy. He studied theology at Collegio Internazionale di Sant’Alberto in Rome 1965-1967 and at Washington Theological Coalition in Washington, DC 1968-1971.
Fr. Tom professed his solemn vows as a Carmelite in Washington, DC, on February 7, 1969, and was ordained to the priesthood at St. Mary’s Carmelite in Joliet, Illinois by Bishop Romeo Blanchette on May 23, 1970.
After ordination, Fr. Tom served as vocation director for the Province 1971-1979. During this time Fr. Tom received an MA in German from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
Fr. Tom entered parish work 1979 in Darien, Illinois at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, acting as associate pastor until 1983. While in the parish, Tom continued work in vocation ministry 1979-1983 as local vocation director and was member of the Priest Senate of the Diocese of Joliet 1981-1983.
He served as pastor at St. Anastasia Parish in Teaneck, New Jersey,1983-1990 and as parochial vicar at St. Bernadette Parish in Houston, Texas, 1990-1991 before resuming work as vocation director for Southwest Commissariat 1991-1994.
A new phase of his life began 1994 when he went to Mexico as one of the founders of the Province’s first communities in Mexico in Torreón, Coahuila. He served as parochial vicar at Transfiguración Parish and worked in Mexico as local vocation director and later as Hispanic vocation director. In 2000 he moved to the Casa del Carmen in Tlalpan, continuing as vocation director and working in formation ministry. Returning to Torreón 2008 he again served as parochial vicar at Transfiguración Parish while continuing work in vocation ministry and administration as regional superior for Mexico and El Salvador. 2010 he moved to the Xiberta Center in El Salvador continuing his role in formation and administration until 2012.
Following a sabbatical in Oakland, California and Chicago, Illinois June 2012 to June 2013, Fr. Tom went to Englewood, New Jersey to serve as parochial vicar at St. Cecilia Parish until 2022.
Another new venture began when the Carmelites assumed administration of the parish of Santa Lucia in Yamaranguila, Honduras in 2022. Fr. Tom went as prior of the new community and assisted as associate pastor in the parish.
Fr. Tom retired from active ministry in 2024, residing at St. Cecilia Priory, Englewood, New Jersey until 2025, when he moved to Sunrise of Cresskill in Cresskill, New Jersey, where he resided until his death on October 15, 2026.
May he rest in peace.
Donations in honor of Rev. Thomas Jordan, O.Carm., may be made to the Society of Mount Carmel, 1317 North Frontage Road, Darien, Illinois 60561.
For further information on Fr. Tom, or the Order of Carmelites, please contact Carmelite Media at 630-971-0724 or visit the Carmelite website at www.carmelites.net
