History and Mission of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish

Mission Statement

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is a Spirit-led community of believers proclaiming and witnessing the Good News of Jesus Christ. We acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord and Head of the Church. We further recognize the leadership of the Pope, our bishop and our pastor.

The parish is made up of a diversity of people from many ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We are a mobile and growing parish of predominately young families, along with singles and older adults.

As a community we are called into relationship with God our Father, through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. By virtue of our baptism we belong to the family of God and enter into the life, death and resurrection of the Lord until He comes again in Glory. We belong to one another in love and service as Christ loves and serves His church. We acknowledge and recognize our relationship with other religious denominations in furthering the Kingdom of God.

We are a New Testament people, rooted in the faith of the apostles, committed to Catholic traditions and values, and the renewal of the church through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are vibrant, joy-filled celebrating people seeking on-going conversion. We are fed by the Word of God and by the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.

As a community of people committed to one another through the love of Jesus, we strive to love unconditionally, as God loves us; to pray and intercede for one another, and to bear each other’s burdens. We are a warm, loving and hospitable parish. We are committed to continuing religious education for all age groups. We expect every member of the community to take an active role in the ministry to which God has called them and to give generously of their time, talent and treasure.

We support family life and its values. We embrace, respect and support
all members of our community. We propose to nurture them in the ways of the Lord, seeking spiritual, intellectual and social growth toward Christian maturity.

As good stewards of God’s creation, we are called to be accountable to God and to one another by seeking peace and justice for all, especially the poor and powerless. Therefore, we stand united with our Father, through Jesus, His Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit, as the light of the world.



History of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish

Parish Established
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish was formally established by Rev. John L. Morkovsky, Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, on December 10, 1978. The leadership of the parish was entrusted to the Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great. The first pastor was Rev. William J. Aldridge, O.P., who served the parish from December, 1978 through October, 1984. The second pastor, Rev. Kevin C. Thissen O.P., served the parish for twenty-two years until his death in June 2005. Our current pastor, Rev. Joseph K. Kalladan, was appointed by Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza on July 1, 2005.

The first Masses were celebrated in Townewest Elementary and Meadows Elementary schools on January 13-14, 1979.

Original Church — Aquinas Center
A building fund program was initiated in 1979 to provide the means for construction of parish facilities on land located at 12627 W Bellfort Ave. This land was purchased by the diocese on July 30, 1971, for a future parish.

Fr. Aldridge contracted with Charles Tapley & Associates April 1, 1980, to design parish facilities. On December 30, 1980, Fr. Aldridge contracted with Brookstone Corporation to construct the first phase of the parish building program, a multi-purpose building with offices, a kitchen, and meeting rooms located on the sides of a larger open room. Ground breaking occurred in early 1981, and the first Masses in our new facilities were celebrated on December 19-20, 1981.

Aldridge Hall
In March, 1982, the idea of a Knights of Columbus/Youth building was proposed. By the summer of 1982, the idea had grown to be a building for use by all organizations of the parish. The Parish Council approved creation of an independent group called the Home Association to raise funds and follow through with construction. The foundation was poured and a metal building was ordered in June, 1984. On July 4, 1984, a picnic was held under the partially erected building. The building was named the “William J. Aldridge Hall.” In the fall of 1984, the responsibility of funding was assumed by the parish out of offertory contributions. With the completion of the first phase, Aldridge Hall has been in constant use.

The second phase of construction was the building-out of the meeting rooms in front, and the installation of air-conditioning, all handled by volunteers.

Phase three of the construction was paneling the walls, creating storage for chairs and tables, hanging an accordion wall, and increasing the air conditioning. These were completed in August, 1987. In September, 1987 the floor was tiled and a grease trap and water fountain were installed. The final phase of the construction of Aldridge Hall was completed in April, 1988 with the hanging of the ceiling in the large meeting room. This part was completed in time to host the celebration of Fr. Kevin’s 25th anniversary as a priest. The kitchen was remodeled in March-April, 1990.

Administrative — Sanctuary
Father Kevin C. Thissen,O.P. received approval from Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza to initiate the process of expanding our facilities in December, 1990. In the spring of 1991, the firm of Resource Services, Inc. was hired to assist us in fund raising for the proposed construction. This began the wonderful experience of “Glorify Thy Name” that exceeded its goal of $1.2 million in pledges. With these pledges, the parish contracted with the firm, Ray & Hollington to design our new facilities. The building committee, with the approval of the bishop, decided to proceed with a negotiated bid process and therefore hired Fretz Construction Company to join the team planning the new facilities.

Ground breaking for the new sanctuary and office space took place on October, 1992 and a short eleven months later, the inaugural Mass was celebrated on September 12, 1993. Our church stands today as an answered prayer and as a tribute to God to glorify His name!

Thissen Center
In Spring of 2003 it became apparent that for the parish to effectively teach the traditions of our faith, it was necessary to construct a classroom building. Again, the parish invited Resources Services, Inc. to assist in raising funds to bring the idea to fruition. The Building “Up-On” Faith campaign was an overwhelming success with over seventy percent of the parish pledging their treasure to the project. Planning continued in the Fall of 2003. Horizon Builders, Inc. and Intexure Design joined the Parish Building Committee in designing a building that would meet the needs of the parish. At the completion of planning, the Faith Formation center included twenty classrooms, a nursery, office space, a large youth room and an outdoor basketball/volleyball court. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in the fall of 2005. The faith formation center was formally named the Thissen Center after the death of Fr. Kevin C. Thissen, O.P. in 2005. It is being used constantly for the various needs of the Church like CCE, RICA, LITTLE CHURCH, NURSERY, YOUTH MINISTRY, CARING MINISTRY, VARIOUS PARISH MEETINGS, ETC. THE HOME SCHOOLING PARENTS HAVE ALSO BEEN USING THIS BUILDING.

Additional Land Purchased
Rev. Joseph Kalladan, together with the leadership of the parish, recognized that St. Thomas Aquinas was a vital and growing parish. The need for additional land was required. With the permission of Archbishop Fiorenza, they negotiated with the owner of the adjacent property, resulting in the purchase of eleven additional acres. This doubled the land area of the parish, allowing for the future needs of the parish.

Biography of Our Patron Saint

St. Thomas Aquinas is known as the greatest philosopher and theologian of the intellectually rich 13th century, and for many hundreds of years the work of the Patron Saint of Catholic schools dominated the curriculum of seminaries and colleges around the world.

He has been called one of the most profound teachers on Eucharistic doctrine, not only expounding on the mysterious process in which bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of Christ, but coining the word transubstantiation used to describe it. And, because he wrote not only for scholars but also for the simple Catholic worshiper down the ages, the church has officially accorded him the titles “Angelic,” “Common” and “Universal Doctor of the Church.”

Indeed, this master teacher attracted thousands of people to his public lectures, compiled more than 20 volumes of work, was consulted by popes and a king (Louis IX), and showed that one could use pure reason, not faith, to defend theological tenets such as the existence of God. His greatest work, the Summa Theologica  (Summary of Theology), which he began in 1265, is, according to the Oxford Dictionary of Saints, a comprehensive treatise on all the Christian mysteries.

What a privilege for us to be under the patronage of this great Saint who has had and continues to have such a powerful influence in the life and ministry of the Catholic Church.

We celebrate as a Parish Faith Community, our patron's Feast Day with solemn Mass, dinner, social and other related activities related to our dear Patron. This yearly celebration takes place every year on the Saturday closest to January 28 when the universal church honors this great man of Faith.

Stewardship of Time, Talent, and Treasure
St. Paul reminds us that we are called to be Christian stewards in Ephesians 2:10: “We are truly his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to lead the life of good deeds which God prepared for us in advance.” (The New American Bible) As true believers, our expected and natural response is to work and serve the Body of Christ.

“Who is a Christian steward? One who receives God’s gifts gratefully, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them in justice and love with others, and returns them with increase to the Lord.” (Stewardship, A Disciple’s Response, National Conference of Catholic Bishops). The Parish Stewardship Committee tries to educate parishioners about the need to be God’s good and faithful stewards.