Father Thomas Kilduff of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts on August 27, 1907, the son of Edward and Bridget (nee Prendergast) Kilduff. He entered the Discalced Carmelite Order in Washington, DC in 1927, making his simple profession on September 29, 1928, and his solemn profession on September 30, 1931. He did part of his studies in Tarragon, Spain and the rest at the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1934. Two years later, during the province’s formative years, he was elected prior of the Carmelite novitiate in Brookline, Massachusetts (1936-1939). In 1947, while in Rome for the General Chapter, Father continued work to establish a province in the United States. While there, he visited the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima where he consecrated the province to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. After the province was founded in 1948, Father held various offices including novice master, prior and provincial. He also spent six years as a General Definitor in Rome (1955-1961). Returning to the United States, he became widely known as a preacher and a director of retreats. He devoted time to the Discalced Carmelite Nuns as well as being well known among other religious communities. While provincial he was instrumental in establishing a ministry in the Philippines and retained a concern for that apostolate throughout his life. As he himself aged, he also took special interest in the apostolate for the aging. Father recorded his personal recollections in a booklet entitled, “The Early Years of the Washington Monastery and Province.” On October 23, 1986, Fr. Kilduff died in the infirmary of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington, DC and is buried in St. Mary Cemetery, adjacent to the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Washington