Thomas H. Wheeland

The very beloved Rev. Thomas H. Wheeland passed peacefully Dec. 7, 2021. He was born in Elmira on June 7, 1939. Father faithfully served the people of the Diocese of Rochester as a priest for 55 years, 35 of those as pastor of Holy Cross Church. He was ordained by Bishop James E. Kearney on June 4, 1966 and served as assistant pastor of Holy Rosary Parish from 1966 – 1970, at Christ the King Parish from 1970-1972 and Sacred Heart Cathedral from 1972 – 1982. His first and only pastorate began in 1982 at Holy Cross Parish in Charlotte where he remained a fixture until reaching senior status in 2017 and was Pastor Emeritus until the time of his death. He passionately served his parish and its school. Father also was the longtime chaplain of the Rochester Police Department as well as having been a board member for the Clergy Relief, Bishop Kearny School, and Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.


Father was predeceased by his parents, Anna and Daniel Wheeland, his sister Mary Catherine “Mimi”, his brother, Rev. Daniel J. Wheeland, his brother and sister-in-law, John F. and Jeanne. He is survived by his nephews, Daniel (Paola), and Thomas (Christine), his nieces, Jacqueline, Jennifer and Mary Elizabeth “Liza” (Mark) Luhmann, great nieces and nephews, Daniel (Tara), Aurora, Matthew, Anna, Kate and Lucy and his great great niece and nephew, Penelope Mae and Otto James.


Father will lie in state at Holy Cross Church 4488 Lake Avenue Rochester, NY, Friday, December 10 from 2 pm – 7pm with an evening prayer at 7 pm. Father will lie in state at Sacred Heart Cathedral Saturday, December 11, 9 AM -10:30 AM. The Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by the Most Rev. Salvatore R. Matano will be Saturday, December 11th at 11 AM at Sacred Heart Cathedral. MASKS ARE REQUIRED AT BOTH CHURCHES. Interment at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Students at Catholic Schools are asked to wear their uniforms in honor of Fr. Wheeland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Father’s dear Holy Cross School 4488 Lake Avenue Rochester, NY. The services at Holy Cross will be live streamed at www.holycrossrochester.org and the services at Sacred Heart will be live streamed at www.cathedralcommunity.org