Priest who served Northbrook parish remembered as 'personable and inclusive'

The Rev. Thomas A. Moran, who had a passion for travel, Egyptology and, particularly, an interest in people, died Nov. 8.

Ordained into the priesthood in 1971 by Cardinal John Cody, Moran was 78.

Moran served as pastor of Our Lady of the Brook in Northbrook, now St. Norbert-Our Lady of the Brook, from 2005-14, when he was named pastor emeritus.

Moran also was pastor at St. Hugh Parish in Lyons from 1995-2005. He previously was an associate pastor at several parishes including St. Joseph the Worker in Wheeling and St. Marcelline in Schaumburg.

Peery Duderstadt, a St. Norbert-Our Lady of the Brook deacon and fellow seminary student with Moran, said "Father Tom" had an interest in biblical archaeology, particularly Egyptology.

Duderstadt said Moran would include references to biblical archaeology in his sermons, and that Moran named his dog Seti after an Egyptian pharaoh.

Another of Moran's classmates, retired Rev. Mark Canavan, said Moran served parishioners well and loved traveling and "exploring the world."

Duderstadt's wife, Mary Ann, noted the same.

"He was very personable and inclusive, with a dry sense of humor," she said. "After every Mass, he would go to the social area to chat with people."

Born in Chicago on Feb. 6, 1945, Moran attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and Niles College, as well as the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

Services will be held starting at 9:30 a.m. with an 11 a.m. Mass on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at St. Norbert-Our Lady of the Brook Parish, 1809 Walters Ave., Northbrook.