Thomas Dominic Rover, O.P.

Thomas Dominic Rover, O.P.

Birth: April 4, 1920

Profession: May 29, 1945

Ordination: June 7, 1951

Died: April 7, 1998

Thomas Aloysius Rover was born to Leo and Anna May (Maisak) Rover in Washington, DC. His father was a prominent District Attorney and Judge in that city. He attended St. Aloysius Grammar School (1926-1927) and St. Anthony Grammar School (1928-1933) and later Gonzaga High School (1933-1937) all in Washington. He spent his college years at Georgetown University graduating in 1941. For the next two years he attended this University’s Law School while working as a clerk in the Federal Court in Washington.

Thomas entered the novitiate of St. Joseph’s Province at St. Rose Priory, Springfield, KY in May 1944 taking the religious name Dominic. A year later he pronounced his simple vows. He studied philosophy at St. Joseph’s Priory in Somerset, OH where he made his solemn profession on May 29, 1948. He continued his theological studies at the House of Studies in Washington, DC and was ordained at St. Dominic’s Church in that city on June 7, 1951 by John M. McNamara, Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore.

Fr. Rover’s first assignment (1952-1953) was to teach the pre-ecclesiastical students of Guzman Hall at Providence College. From 1953-1955 he studied at Yale University’s Drama School. He joined Blackfriars Theatre in New York City for whom he wrote four full-length plays: “Praise of Folly”, “Slightly Delinquent”, “Bamboo Cross” and “Age and Grace” as well as TV scripts. In 1958 Dominic was awarded a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. He taught homiletics from 1957-1968 at the House of Studies in Washington and St. Stephen Priory, Dover, MA. He then spent one year as chaplain and professor of theology at the Dominican Motherhouse, Adrian, MI. In 1969 he returned to teach theology at Providence College. He took a year’s leave of absence in 1973-1974 to minister to the community at Mt. Hope, NY.

Beginning in 1979 Dominic’s health began to deteriorate. His sickness became progressively worse necessitating nursing home care. In 1991 he was placed in Heritage Hills Nursing Centre outside of Providence, RI. Later that year he was moved to St. Antoine Nursing Facility. In 1995 he was transferred to St. Joseph’s Villa in Washington, DC. He remained here until 1998 when he was placed in Carroll Manor in that city. Here he died peacefully on April 7. He was buried in the Dominican plot at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Washington, DC.

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