Tom Allen

We were just getting to know Tom and suddenly he’s gone ..

Tom became Chaplain for the Scottish Ports with Mission to Seafarers in June this year.  He and Anne moved to Linlithgow with Catherine and Matthew.  Tom was doing work which he loved and they were living in a place which they love.  He died suddenly yesterday evening.

One always struggles with ‘in the midst of life we are in death’  The midst of life for Tom was a very intense place.  He was a great priest – passionate in his faith, catholic in his vision, erudite in his theology.  We bloggers knew and appreciated him as Big Bulky Anglican – take a look and marvel at the range of his interests in music, reading, theology and all of life.

For his friends in ministry, the loss is very great.  Tom had the capacity to reshape our whole attitude to chaplaincy – not just among seafarers but in many other areas as well.  But our loss is as nothing to that of his family.  Tom was an adored husband and father.  Our sympathy and our prayers are with them.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.