Your Father Harry Tompson Stories
Who was Father Harry Tompson?
Harry Tompson was a many-sided man and every side was like an electric battery. He was uninhibited, fearless, and indomitable. He was expansive and confident, boundless and unstoppable. Honorable, strong, prepared.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu
I wouldn't be anything without the words of Father Harry Thompson ringing in my ear.
"Son, if you want to know what you need to do with your life, just go do the thing that helps the most amount of people, in the shortest amount of time. And that's what you're supposed to be."
Mayor Marc Morial
Father Tompson’s living example of strength and compassion made us feel welcome. It made all the difference in the world. We knew he was genuine and that he cared about our well-being. That’s what showing compassion can do – it gets people to buy into you as a human being and welcome you inside their walls of doubt or suspicion.
As a leader, compassion moves your team to trust that you have their well-being in mind and that you are willing to see them as human beings – not just cogs in an organization’s machine.
Bruce & Liz Ashley
The most enduring and loving memory that we retain involves a rather simple milestone in most people's lives, that of walking. Our daughter Madison was 15 months old and was still not walking.
The Parentons
Fr. Harry was like a second dad to my family.
He taught us a lot about giving to those less fortunate and accepting people for who they were and not what they were.
Donald Espenan
A lot of people know about his sermon on giving. I was at my usual 09:30 Mass that day. Here is how it went: Harry slowly walks up the pulpit. He begins, “Some people ask me how much they should give.”
Ralph Bergeron
Father Harry gave me my first teaching job over at Jesuit High School. I had gone to college on a soccer scholarship and when I came into the interview, I'd asked about whether Jesuit had a soccer program – this was in the late 70s, mind you.
Chris Carriere
During Spring Break of my Senior year (Class of 86), I ended up dying my hair orange through the overuse of a product called Sun-In (peroxide) and beer.
Paul Bonitatibus
We walked up to Father and were just about to say our names when he said “you don’t have to tell me who you are.” He then guided us over to a puddle and said “let me see if the two of you can walk on water like everybody is telling me.”
Lewis Derbes
In one of our many discussions with Fr Tompson in 1983 or 1984, he mentioned to Paul Bonitatibus (my Notre Dame roommate) & I that he had never been to see the Notre Dame campus & while he had no love for ND, he’d love to see it someday.
Joyce Randolph
Father Tompson used to say that if things haven't changed in 3 weeks or 3 months, look at how you're praying and change what you're doing.
I truly miss Father Tompson. He used to tell me that I was a child of God and I just know that the miracles that have happened in my life are because of him.
Jeff Zoller
I remember one Mass at Immaculate Conception when Father Tompson stood up and said "Do the right thing" and then sat down. The only 4-word sermon we ever heard!
Ken Tedesco
He was calling on a wealthy Jesuit grad who made his money in oil - when Father asked him for $50,000 the man said, "Oh, Father, the oil business is on tough times."
Father Tompson quickly responded - in his loud voice - “THAT'S RIGHT - THE OIL BUSINESS IS ON TOUGH TIMES... BUT, I DON'T WANT THE MONEY YOU MADE THIS YEAR... I WANT THE MONEY YOU MADE 10 AND 15 YEARS AGO!!!”