Tom was in the objective order of things a true Catholic giant of the late 20th and early 21st Century, albeit one seemingly almost forgotten in his later years as he quietly lay on his "bed of thorns." He also led a perhaps not surprisingly modest, pious, and ascetical life. Let us pray that he makes it into heaven without much delay, if any. God only knows how many countless souls his work helped so magnificently in arriving at their heavenly destination and still helps to this day. For my part, I can hardly begin to say how much I have really benefited from TAN books, the 4 volume Mystical City of God to name just one.
He was my Dad's uncle. He was like a second father and/or godfather to me. He taught me to serve Mass, taught me (advanced) Catechism class with lots of digressions into the (((money system))) and other important topics. You might say he gave me my first "red pills". I thoroughly enjoyed and looked forward to his catechism classes. He always wanted to teach the oldest kids (which I can relate to now, frankly). He was highly educated. If he had a weakness, it was impatience -- again, I can relate. He was my example of someone outside my immediate family who was grown up and yet still a devout faithful Catholic -- his example definitely affected me. I wanted to be more like him than my dad -- and my dad was the first to agree with that.
He was my great-uncle, but our relationship was more like a close godfather, or a grandpa you were very close to and spent a lot of time with. He used to pick me up at 5:30 in the morning to go practice serving Mass (6:00 AM) and then I'd accompany him on his Saturday errands, coming home around 12:00. It was my idea, too! I really wanted to serve Mass, and I enjoyed "hanging out" with him on those Saturdays. I was 12 at the time.
I can still remember the sung Masses at our chapel -- Fr. Slupski would sing with his rich, operatic voice and Tom Nelson sang the response in a much plainer tone, with no vibrato. (I really got spoiled by how well a priest should sing!)
My life would be horribly, drastically different today if Tom Nelson hadn't started that chapel which I grew up in. Or if I hadn't made so much good use of that chapel. The priest he brought in (Fr. Frank Slupski) was another huge influence on me, especially at a very critical and vulnerable time in my life as a young adult. Saying "he changed my life" sounds dramatic and cliche, but it couldn't be more true. That few months I spent before entering the seminary, reading for hours a day from the "seminarian packet" of 175 lbs of TAN Books (free of charge for seminarians, priests), part of the "mission program", set me on a course that I'm still following today. And how could I place a value on the independent Trad chapel I grew up in? The sacraments, weekly and daily Mass, etc.? I experienced SO MANY Benedictions of the Blessed Sacrament, served so many Masses. That also changed me forever. And the two of them (Tom Nelson and Fr. Slupski) together pointed me to Bishop Williamson, the 3rd huge influence on my life.
My family wouldn't have made it, economically, without those early lessons about the Money System, how they control us with debt, etc. I knew this stuff as a *teenager* thanks to Tom Nelson.
Not to mention my parents MET at TAN Books & Publishers. So yeah -- I owe Tom Nelson a huge debt of gratitude.
And yes, Tom was very pious. He prayed a lot after every Mass. And his valuation of the Tridentine Mass (and the Traditional Movement, the Catholic Faith) rather rubbed off on me. He did live very simply. His house was inherited from his parents -- he was the youngest of 5 children. That house was in the absolute WORST area of my hometown. Not exactly flexing or showing off wealth. He had a nice car, which he explained was necessary because he was the head of a company employing 100 people, and their livelihoods depended on him. I think he just wanted a good quality German car he wouldn't have to worry about breaking down. He wore a suit, like many of his generation, again due to his dignity. But he would also wear jeans on occasion when it was time to do manual work, etc. He was very social and affable. He loved to tell stories and interesting anecdotes.
Many of my aunts and uncles (on Dad's side of the family) had problems with discipline, like many Irish (even though they were 4th generation Irish -- go figure!) Tom employed many of them at one time or another, and usually it didn't work out. The nepotism led to them being entitled, not working hard, etc. And he feared I would turn out like them. He was probably right. So a couple days after my graduation from High School, he agreed with his "general manager" to fire me from TAN Books. I wasn't able to apply myself to tasks I didn't want to do (for example, vacuuming a floor). I didn't have a good work ethic yet. But it was all part of God's plan, and Tom absolutely did the right thing. It's like God told him what to do during prayer, and he did it.
But he wasn't done with me! After I was dismissed from the Seminary 8 years later (obviously much more mature, having a lot more discipline, etc.) Tom didn't hesitate to give me a job again. It's how I got started in part 2 of my software development career -- as a web developer.
P.S. The TAN in TAN Books stands for Thomas A. Nelson -- not "Tuum Adoramus Nomen" as ret-conned by Saint Benedict Press. Their lame attempt to un-person the founder of the company they purchased is cringe.
Topic: R.I.P. Thomas A. Nelson - founder of TAN Books (Read 1474 times)