Thomas Abraham ’71 Represents Columbus Spirit in Meeting With the Pope
- Joseph Busatto
- 16 hours ago
- 5 min read
by Alejandro Menendez
Getting the opportunity to meet the Pope is, in itself, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any Catholic. But presenting him with pieces of art, discussing peace in current global issues, and even showing him a Columbus hat are things that only alumnus Thomas Abraham, Class of ’7,1 would think to do when presented with this opportunity.
Background
A member of the Christopher Columbus Hall of Fame, Abraham was a photographer for the high school yearbook, ran cross country and track, and ran for student council at the school. After this, he attended the University of Denver but decided to come back to Florida prior to graduating. This was because he was given the opportunity to be the youngest Chevrolet dealer in the country.
“I grew up in a very entrepreneurial environment,” said Abraham. “I was learning constantly about just how many opportunities there are.”
After making the decision to sell the dealerships, Abraham took this entrepreneurial spirit and ran with it. Starting up different finance and technology companies, Abraham now serves as the president and partner in several of his family businesses.
Constantly shifting career paths and ending up being in charge of several successful companies, one has to wonder if Abraham has any time to think about things outside of his business. However, he still finds a way to put charity above even his business endeavors.
Giving Back
Serving as chairman of the Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, Abraham has continued the legacy of his parents, who founded the organization in 1976.
“Our focus with the foundation is to empower those local institutions that we believe are empowering and giving hope to the needy in our community,” he said. “Part of our commitment is also to give back to Lebanon. My parents were Lebanese Americans so that’s a big part of our focus as well.”
The Abraham family also funded the building of the Columbus Chapel in honor of his mother, Genevieve Abraham, which has provided students with opportunities to interact with God and served as the meeting place for spiritual programs such as Marist Youth.
However, Abraham’s commitment to positively impacting the lives of others doesn’t stop there. As the first sports ambassador to the U.S. Blind Soccer Team, which will compete in the 2028 Olympics, he hopes to implement blind soccer not only at the professional level but also introduce blind soccer in high schools for kids who aren’t visually impaired.
“My hope for implementing blind soccer throughout high schools is that it will teach kids the value of Paralympic sports, and that when they see someone who is disabled they will not only appreciate the challenges they are faced with, but even be able to see them as a competitor in Paralympic sports.”
The name of this course will be “Beyond Vision: Championing the Unseen” and will have schools across not only Miami-Dade but the country participating in blind soccer initiatives in order to gain appreciation for their athletic abilities while gaining a better understanding of the challenges that others face.
“Columbus gave me the opportunity to go to a school that challenged your mindset about who you are and what you can become. I think every different student that goes there brings a different value, and the school is the catalyst to promote that value.”
This “uplifting spirit” that Columbus gave Abraham is part of the reason he continues to strive to uplift the students, communities, and even countries around the world.
With countless additional organizations, Abraham’s approach to charity is focused and intentional, ensuring that he champions the organizations that are truly making an impact within their communities and allowing others to gain insight and appreciation for what they have been blessed with.
Meeting With the Pope
As an honorary ambassador of the International Catholic Legislator Network, Abraham is constantly discussing religious issues around the globe and was presented with the opportunity last year to meet with Pope Francis.
“I presented him with the Columbus hat and the big C with my hand, though I’m not sure he totally understood it,” said Abraham. “It was nonetheless a great experience.”
At another more recent conference, Abraham was able to meet with the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, where he had a more lengthy conversation discussing religious issues in Lebanon. Abraham actually presented the pope with a painting that he himself commissioned in order to spark changes in his home country. Even crafting his own proposal, which has now been given to cardinals in Lebanon and even the Lebanese president in support of the Pope's visit to Lebanon on Nov. 30, Abraham has sought to incite tangible change to help others with these once-in-a-lifetime interactions.
“Meeting the Pope is like having the opportunity to embrace a time capsule,” said Abraham. “Someone who is representative of Jesus and has such love for others really changes the way that you think about the world.”
Raising continued awareness for the 2020 port explosion in Beirut that killed over 240 people, Abraham discussed many different global topics in his interaction with Pope Leo XIV.
Even having met with the Queen of Belgium in Brussels and discussing issues on world events and Lebanon, Abraham’s interactions are constantly met with a focused purpose rather than simply allowing these opportunities to pass him by.
“When I meet somebody of this caliber I always try to embed something very special into the interaction and try to bring a remembrance that is special,” said Abraham.
And in times when most would be faced with intimidation in the face of world leaders and idols, Abraham has kept his focus and charitable spirit and has therefore been able to turn these interactions into positive change.
Personal Experience
When asked why he chose to present a Columbus hat to Pope Leo XIV, Abraham replied, “I saw an opportunity to positively represent my high school, which has done so much for me, and so I took it. It’s not really about a photo op for me, it’s about what impact I can make in that short time and who I can highlight that’s important.”
After discussing many serious global religious and political issues, the chance to shout out Columbus as a Catholic institution that is doing good in the lives of young men and the community was what Abraham sought to do. Having the Pope bless the hat that will be presented to Columbus, because of Abraham’s presentation, the school has made it across the globe into the very hands that are representative of grace, love, and all that Columbus is trying to implement.
Specifically looking forward to this generation, Abraham is confident that both at Columbus and outside of it, we have the opportunity to uplift others if we keep the right mindset.
“There’s so much technology that enables us to do good, and I think this next generation is going to have the chance to use it for making positive change in the right direction,” said Abraham.
And it’s this spirit of constant grace and seizing of opportunities that everyone at Columbus and outside of it can take away from Abraham’s interaction with the Pope as well as how he lives his day-to-day life.
And though the Pope is yet to throw up the C, Columbus can feel humbled and honored knowing that it is one of their alumni who chose to represent them while meeting with His Holiness, displaying the very grace, change, and forward-moving spirit that the school strives to build.
