Posted July 21, 2016

Neumann University this week welcomed Father Stephen D. Thorne as chaplain, adding to his role at the university as an adjunct faculty member in the Division of Education and Human Services.

Father Thorne’s primary responsibility as chaplain is for the sacramental life of the university community as he presides at the celebration of Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as hearing confessions.

Franciscan Sister Marguerite O’Beirne, vice president for mission and ministry at Neumann, said Father Thorne “will be an engaging presence on campus and will enhance the life of the university community.”

He remains pastor of St. Martin de Porres Parish in North Philadelphia.

Since his ordination for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1998, Father Thorne has served as parochial vicar and parochial administrator for St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Chester, theology faculty member and moderator of the community service corps at St. John Neumann High School in South Philadelphia, executive director of the archdiocesan Office for Black Catholics, pastor of St. Therese Parish in Mt. Airy and administrator of the Daniel Rudd Fund of the National Black Catholic Congress, Baltimore, Md.

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Father Thorne has a special interest in urban education and has presented research at the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education and the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators.

He is the author of “’Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go’: A Literature Review of the Academic, Social and Cultural Needs of African-American Adolescent Males in Urban Schools,” published in the spring 2016 issue of Catalyst.

“We welcome Father Thorne to campus,” said Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, university president, “and we are grateful to have someone with his educational expertise, theological background and administrative experience serve as university chaplain.”

During his education at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Father Thorne earned a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy, a master’s of divinity and master of arts degree in systematic theology. Last year he earned a master of science in education from Neumann University.