Fr. Tom Anastasia Biographical Background

• Date of Birth May 4, 1963 in Trenton, N.J.
• Elementary education (1-8) took place at a small parochial school called Incarnation located in Ewing Township. 
• Moved to Dunedin, FL. with family (Joseph & Ellen [parents: Italian father & Irish mother] and sister [two years younger] Eileen) in 1977 due to dad’s poor health.
• Attended Dunedin High School and became very involved in the band program.
• Majored in music at USF in the Fall of 1981.  
• Entered St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami in 1983, graduating in 1987 with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a minor in Psychology.
•  Continued formation at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary with first summer assignment as a seminarian at St. Clement Parish in Plant City in 1988. 
•  While a seminarian blessed with the opportunity to visit the Holy Land, worked for two summers (1985-86) at the Diocesan radio station as the first overnight DJ in 1986, taught a confirmation class, visited the sick at Mount Sinai Hospital on Miami Beach, fed the homeless at the Camillas House, visited those incarcerated at a Juvenile Detention Center and did parish visitations at St. James in North Miami.
• Second ten week summer assignment as a seminarian took place at St. Timothy Parish in the Northdale area of Tampa.
• In 1990 began a seven month internship at St. Mary Church in the North Tampa/Lutz area of Hillsborough County.
• It was at the end of this internship ordained a deacon on November 18th.
• Ordained a priest on Pentecost weekend May 18, 1991. The four classmates  ordained with are active in ministry here in the Diocese of St. Petersburg they are Frs. Bob Morris, Len Plazewski, Bill Swengros, and Gregg Tottle.
• First parochial assignment was at St. Ignatius in Tarpon Springs with Fr. Michael Muhr as my pastor for the first seven months. Also served as Parochial Vicar to Fr, Joe Pellegrino at St. Ignatius.
• On September 9, 1991 celebrated the Eucharist at parents’ home on the occasion of their 30th wedding anniversary.
• First assignment change as a priest took place in 1993 when sent to St. Stephen Parish in Valrico.
• In 1997 sent to Sacred Heart Parish in Pinellas Park which also had a school.
• In 2001, assigned by Bishop Lynch as pastor to Holy Cross in St. Petersburg.
• Assigned as the nineteenth pastor of St. Clement by Bishop Robert Lynch effective July 1, 2007