Our History

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, is a Roman Catholic Church, which is located on eighteen acres encompassing the church, parish school, rectory, and beautiful meditation gardens.

Archbishop Coleman Carroll established St. Thomas the Apostle on June 30, 1959. Father Louis Roberts was appointed as our founding pastor and served the community for two years. In 1961, Father Patrick Slevin became the second pastor and received approval in 1962, to build a church and parish school.

The first Mass was celebrated on midnight, Christmas 1963, in an incomplete church without windows! Glory and praise were given to God despite the bitter cold winter winds and the new church was dedicated on Sunday, April 12,1964. The church was on the first floor and the school was on the second. This original building still stands today and is called the Mercy Wing.

The first school bells rang in September of 1964. The Sisters of Mercy, from Pittsburgh and Mrs. Lorraine O’Brien staffed the school. The early classes were kindergarten through fifth grade, with grades sixth through eighth added in the ensuing years.

Father Francis Fenech was pastor from 1966 to 1968, and he led the renovation of the original rectory and administrative offices. Father Christopher Konkol, the fourth pastor, in 1968, began implementing II Vatican Council and undertook the construction of the multi-purpose family center and chapel.

In October of 1989, Father Daniel I. Kubala was appointed as pastor. Under the leadership of Father Kubala the meditation gardens were developed and the acquisition of the priests residence and the new rectory administrative building became a reality.

With Father Kubala, the school grew to a three track per grade facility beginning with Pre-K two and continuing through eighth grade. Two new wings of classrooms were planned and constructed. Archbishop John Favalora and Archbishop Emeritus Edward A. McCarthy blessed and dedicated the McCarthy Wing on October 1, 1995, and the Carmelite Wing was blessed and dedicated in November of 2000. In September of 2014, St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School was recognized as an International Baccalaureate School from Kindergarten through 8th Grade.

Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski appointed Father Alejandro J. Rodríguez Artola pastor of St. Thomas in August of 2013. For Fr. Alejandro, this was a true “coming home”: he was baptized at St. Thomas and attended St. Thomas the Apostle School from 1st to 8th grade.

St. Thomas the Apostle is a wonderful Catholic Community built with the love and devotion of all Pastors, Priests, Religious, and parishioners, past and present, which have given so generously of their time and resources.

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Press Release 3/2/2020: Archbishop Wenski issues guidelines to help prevent spread of coronavirus.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Communications Department - Archdiocese of Miami

Miami ... (March 2, 2020) The Archdiocese of Miami offers the following guidelines parishes can employ to help prevent the spread of contagion.  The same precautions taken for the flu are also to be employed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Because we now have two confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the state of Florida, the following practices are suggested.
  • Temporary suspension of the minor chalices used for the distribution of the Precious Blood.
  • Temporary suspension of the communal Sign of Peace (kissing or shaking of hands).
  • Not to hold hands during the recitation/chanting of the Our Father.
  • Temporary suspension of the greeting before Mass (if your parish has this practice).
  • Emptying the holy water fonts at the church doors.
  • Use of anti-bacterial soap by the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion before and after distribution of the Host.
  • Reminding parishioners that if they feel unwell or have flu like symptoms they are encouraged to stay home.
  • The celebrant is to use discretion if he shakes hands while greeting parishioners before or after the Mass.
As the distribution of Holy Communion involves contact with both the mouth and hands, any Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion who feels uncomfortable distributing Communion should be allowed to temporarily step down from ministry. It is still left to the discretion of the communicant how they wish to receive the Host. If circumstances should change in the coming days and weeks that require a different course of action, further information or measures will be forthcoming. The Archdiocese of Miami: www.miamiarch.org Instagram/Twitter/YouTube: @CatholicMiami Facebook: /ArchdioceseofMiami Follow our hashtags: #MiamiArchNews #MiamiArchCommunications Media contact: Maria Alejandra Rivas, Media Coordinator, at (305)762-1046 mrivas@theadom.org, or Mary Ross Agosta, Director of Communications, at (305)762-1043 mragosta@theadom.org. Click here to view the Press Release on the ADOM website.