Holy Redeemer’s Fr. Thomas Domurat Moved to Rehab After Fighting COVID-19

The prayers of parishioners from the Most Holy Redeemer Church community were answered this week as their beloved parish priest, Fr. Thomas Domurat, was moved out of intensive care and into rehab.

Fr. Domurat, or Fr. Tom, as he is affectionately known in the community, developed complications after contracting COVID-19 and was placed in an ICU at a Boston-area Hospital where he fought for his life for close to two weeks.

Most Holy Redeemer Church parish priest, Fr.
Thomas Domurat, has been moved to rehab after
fighting COVID-19 since Easter Weekend.

“The Archdiocese joins the parishioners of Holy Redeemer Parish in praying for Father Tom’s return to good health and resuming pastoral care for the Catholic community in East Boston when he is able,” said Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston.

Fr. Tom was admitted to the hospital on Holy Thursday with COVID-19 symptoms and was subsequently transferred into the ICU over Easter weekend.

“When we first learned that Fr. Tom was not doing well, our first instinct was a feeling of helplessness,” said East Boston Central Catholic School Principal Robert Casaletto. “We all knew we had God and the power of prayer on our side, so the Most Holy Redeemer Parish Community and the families of EBCCS joined together last week praying the Rosary in Fr. Tom’s name.  Our prayers have been answered and Fr. Tom is on the road to recovery.”

Fr. Tom oversees one of the largest Catholic Congregations in Eastie and is a popular parish priest among the neighborhood’s large Latino population.

“Let’s pray for Fr.. Thomas Domurat,” said parishioner Magalie Yolanda Torres-Rowe. “Father Tomas is the Spiritual Director of the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles of the Peruvian Community in Boston. Pray also for all the sick, healthcare staff, workers from essential institutions and businesses in the world and that this pandemic ends.”

Prior to his illness Fr. Tom recently celebrated Holy Redeemer’s 175 Anniversary in the neighborhood along with Cardinal O’Malley.

Prior to the Mass, Fr. Tom gave Cardinal O’Malley a tour of the church and all the historic restoration that Fr. Tom has overseen in recent years.

In 2010 Fr. Tom began an ambitious $300,000 project to restore the historic structure’s façade and bell tower.

More recently, Fr. Tom completed a restoration of the interior of the church and around the altar that include the pillars have been painted and gold leafed. Extensive stencil work behind the altar and on the ceiling have brightened up the historic house of worship immensely.

The church spent roughly $400,000 on some of the restoration efforts that included new gold leaf done by a Polish artist known for his work at the Basilica of the Rosary of Fatima in Portugal. Marble accents like the baptismal font were brought in from Italy and a new wood floor was installed.

“There is just so much wonderful detail like the angels at the top of the pillars and the gold leaf under the statues,” said a proud Fr. Tom of the work at the time. “What was fun was watching this develop over the course of the year. Each time I would come in there would be a new detail I had never noticed before.”

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