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On Sunday, March 25, after nearly 15 years of faithful service to the Thomas Aquinas College community, a beloved chaplain made his final appearance on the College’s campus before returning later that week to his religious order’s convalescent facility in Canada. Having suffered a debilitating stroke last fall, Rev. Wilfred Borden, O.M.I., former Assistant Dean for Religious Affairs at the College, has spent the past few months recuperating at a local nursing home. During that time, students, faculty, and staff members have visited with him and kept him in touch with events at the College, where his presence was sorely missed. A native of Nova Scotia, Fr. Borden joined the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1956 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1963. He has spent his entire priestly life in Catholic education, ministering to young people at both the secondary and undergraduate levels. Prior to coming to Thomas Aquinas College in 1992, Father Borden served for 10 years as Rector of Pangborn Hall at the University of Notre Dame. During his years at Thomas Aquinas College, Fr. Borden has been a vessel of grace for members of the community. Not only are there many alumni who attribute their conversion to the Catholic faith to his guidance, but there are numerous alumni priests and religious whose vocations were inspired and nurtured by Fr. Borden’s priestly example and spiritual direction. In addition, he is renowned for his practice of the virtue of hospitality, continually opening his home on campus to students and faculty alike for special meals as well as televised sports and news events. On March 25, President Thomas Dillon and Dean Michael McLean greeted Fr. Borden when he arrived at the College and, with student and faculty representatives, escorted him around the campus, noting with him the enormous progress that had been made on Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel in recent months. As the group passed by St. Augustine classroom building, the College Choir treated Fr. Borden to a preview of their upcoming production of the Pirates of Penzance. Fr. Borden then visited the temporary chapel, after which prayers and hymns were sung by a standing-room-only crowd in St. Joseph Commons that had turned out in a moving expression of gratitude and esteem for this beloved chaplain. Dr. Dillon spoke a few words of tribute to Fr. Borden and gave him as a parting gift an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, saying, “As you have faithfully tended to your flock here at the College, may Our Lady of Perpetual Help intercede for you in all your needs. We pray that God will abundantly reward you as you continue to inspire us now with your example of great patience and fortitude. We shall miss you, dear friend.” -- Qtrly Newsletter, Spring 2007 |
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