On July 16, 2023, the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish will celebrate its 136th year of existence in honor of its patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas. A special multicultural mass at 2pm will kick off the event followed by a celebration on the grounds of the parish.
For more than a century, the parish has helped the locals and immigrants in South Philadelphia. Initially started by Irish immigrants, the church has now memberships from people whose heritage spans across the globe. In a typical series of Sunday masses, you will find in attendance Italians, African-Americans, Anglos, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Hispanics, Indonesians and so much more.
The St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School (STA) shares much of the parish’s history as the school’s establishment followed right after the church was established by Reverend M.J. Lawler. Throughout the years, the school and the church became synonymous with each other. Many of the school’s alumni are parishioners and many of the parishioners are the school’s alumni.
STA will be happy to join in the celebration. To commemorate the event, the school will be giving out limited-print bumper stickers to its alumni. We hope to see everyone there!
