Joseph Smith Sr.

Brenda and I, being the products of Holy Angels and St. Bridget’s, we were looking for a parish that we could call home, a place that recognized and celebrated our blackness and embodied the feeling of belonging. We wanted a church that was lively and active and genuine. (In 1969) … we decided St. Thomas was the place for us.

Here at St. Thomas we worship with dear friends. Before each Mass we can share in our joys and sorrows with the sharing of our need for prayers and the celebration of milestones in our lives. The welcoming of visitors, the greeting of those around before Mass and the joining of hands during the Our Father, which is a true experience not seen in many churches; our faith sharing groups where we study God’s word and honestly and openly discuss our feelings and help each other to understand our differences and uniqueness; the delivery of food to families in need, the outreach programs; our adopting of Belle-Riviere parish in Haiti; and speaking out for those who have no voice – all these things are why we love St. Thomas.

Brenda Smith

St. Thomas is a place of love for us because the St. Thomas Community is an all caring, loving, giving community. They are there for you in good times and bad times and everything in- between. St. Thomas is a big family taking care of all its family members as Jesus taught us to do. This community welcomed us over 50 years ago, accepting us for who we were and loving us as we love them. This parish welcomes all people and embraces their differences as they strive for diversity, equality, and social justice.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” St Thomas asks what can we do for our parish, our neighborhood, our community, then St. Thomas goes out to do whatever is needed to make our community a better place. We love being a part of a parish that believes in doing for others. There is always someone to lend a helping hand or a listening ear or give you a big hug or pray with you or just understand how you feel and comfort you. We love this parish because it feeds our mind, body and soul. It helps us to grow in our faith and become better human beings and true disciples of Christ.