About Saint Thomas the Apostle · Elkhart, Indiana
Saint Thomas the Apostle is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend, located on the north side of Elkhart, Indiana, with a current mailing address of 1405 N. Main Street. The parish was formed in November 1949 as a mission of Saint Vincent de Paul Church — which had been the only Catholic church in Elkhart since 1868 — and is now home to a parish school (preschool through 8th grade, about 280 students), a staffed religious-education program, an active Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, and a wide range of men's, women's, and family ministries. The parish's stated mission is "to be the household of the heart of God for the North side of Elkhart" by following the Way, being formed in the Truth, and being fed by the Life together.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- St. Thomas the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Logan Parrish
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Why belong here
Saint Thomas the Apostle is a warm, family-friendly parish on the north side of Elkhart that combines a parish school (preschool through 8th grade), a Sunday religious-education program for public-school children, a staffed OCIA process for adults seeking to become Catholic, and a long-running Eucharistic Adoration Chapel open most afternoons. Active groups such as That Man is You! for men, Walking with Purpose and Kingdom Builders for women, and the school athletic program give parishioners of every age and stage concrete ways to plug in. With three Sunday Masses (including an evening 6:00pm Mass for those who work weekends), daily Mass Monday through Saturday, half-hour-before-Mass confessions, and a clear schedule of devotions, it is built for steady parish life rather than a one-size-fits-all program.
Mass times at Saint Thomas the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Friday: 30 minutes before Mass
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Adoration times
- Monday – Thursday: 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration Chapel)
- Friday: 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration Chapel)
Parish History
Saint Thomas the Apostle was formed in November 1949 as a mission of St. Vincent de Paul Parish to serve the growing Catholic population on the north side of Elkhart. The first Mass was celebrated on May 28, 1950, and Bishop John F. Noll blessed and dedicated the new church and school on June 4, 1950. For its first 15 years the parish shared one building as both church and school; a separate church was begun in fall 1960, ground was broken in 1963, and the new church was dedicated on June 7, 1964. The beautiful mosaic behind the altar — crafted of Venetian glass by Italian artisans — was revealed two years later in 1966. The parish school has expanded repeatedly, most recently with a 2008 renovation, and the parish's Adoration Chapel was moved into the church in 2007.
- Founded November 1949 (first pastor: Fr. James L. Elliott)
- First Mass: May 28, 1950
- Dedicated by Bishop Noll: June 4, 1950
- Current church dedicated: June 7, 1964
- Mosaic of Venetian glass revealed: 1966
- 1999 school addition includes original Adoration Chapel
- Adoration Chapel relocated into the church: 2007
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Logan Parrish and supported by a deacon, a parish secretary, a bookkeeper, a Director of Religious Education, a Director of OCIA, a Music Director, and an Assistant Music Director.
- Fr. Logan Parrish — Pastor
- Deacon Jim Fuchs
- Ann Britzke — Parish Secretary ([email protected], 574-262-1505)
- Phyllis Arroyo — Parish Bookkeeper
- Jennifer Deaton — Director of OCIA
- Jen Horoky — Director of Religious Education ([email protected], 574-264-0491)
- Ben Stone — Music Director
- Jessica Briggs — Assistant Music Director
St. Thomas the Apostle School
St. Thomas the Apostle School is the parish's parish school, located at 1331 N. Main St., Elkhart, IN 46514, just adjacent to the church. According to the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend, it serves about 280 students in preschool through 8th grade under principal Chris Adamo, with faith integrated across all subjects, intentional technology integration, athletics for grades 5–8, and a strong track record on Indiana's IREAD assessment (100% pass rate, 2017–2023).
- Grades served: preschool through 8
- Enrollment: ~280 students
- Principal: Chris Adamo
- School address: 1331 N. Main St., Elkhart, IN 46514
- School phone: 574-264-4855
- School website: stselkhart.com
- 100% IREAD pass rate, 2017–2023
- Athletic programs for grades 5–8
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Thomas the Apostle runs through both the parish school and a separate Sunday-morning Religious Education program for public-school children, both overseen by Director of Religious Education Jen Horoky. The Religious Education program runs Sundays 9:05–10:20 AM in the parish school and follows a published curriculum track by grade, with Sacramental Preparation built in for 2nd grade (First Reconciliation / First Communion) and 7th–8th grade (Confirmation).
- Religious Education for PreK–8th grade, Sundays 9:05–10:20 AM in the school
- Preschool–1st Grade: Loyola Press, 'Finding God'
- 2nd Grade Sacramental Prep: Saint Mary's Press, 'Go Seek Find'
- 3rd–6th Grades: Saint Mary's Press, 'Discover'
- 7th–8th Grades: Ascension Press, 'Theology of the Body for Teens' + Our Sunday Visitor, 'Alive in Christ'
- Sacramental Preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation
- Registration deadline: August 15
Becoming Catholic (OCIA & OCIC)
Adults who want to become Catholic are welcomed through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), directed by Jennifer Deaton, with a published weekly class schedule in the fall. Children aged 7 and older who have not been baptized are served through the Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC), which runs alongside the parish's faith-formation offerings.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) – for unbaptized adults and adults baptized in another Christian tradition seeking full communion
- Director of OCIA: Jennifer Deaton
- OCIC (Order of Christian Initiation for Children) – for children age 7+ not yet baptized
- Contact the parish office (574-262-1505) to begin the process
Parish Ministries & Small Groups
St. Thomas the Apostle maintains a strong small-group culture with three named programs called out on its 'Parish Life' and live-feed pages, plus an active Adoration Chapel commitment program. Groups meet throughout the week — early Saturday mornings for men, weekday afternoons/evenings for women, and second-Monday evenings for the women's Kingdom Builders gathering.
- That Man is You! — men's program, Saturdays at 6:45 AM (parish partnership with Paradisus Dei)
- Walking with Purpose — women's small-group Bible study, Thursdays 1:30–3:00 PM or Fridays 7:00–8:00 PM; $25 program cost; women of all faiths welcome
- Kingdom Builders — women's ministry, 2nd Monday of each month in the church; founded by Mary Jo Parrish; combines Scripture, Eucharistic Adoration, and personal planning around the 'Feminine Genius'
- Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — committing one hour a week to keep the chapel open; sign up through the parish office
Contact, Visit & Get Involved
Parishioners and visitors are invited to register, attend any event, join a ministry, or simply call the church office with any question. The parish's stated invitation: 'Please do not hesitate to reach out to anyone on staff if you have any questions about becoming a member of our parish or about getting more involved.'
- Parish office phone: (574) 262-1505
- Parish office email: [email protected]
- New Parishioner Registration available on the parish website
- Online Giving through OSV Hub (osvhub.com/stthomaselkhart)
- Bulletin submissions accepted via the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Elliott1949–1978 (approx. 29 years)
Founding pastor; oversaw the first Mass (1950), the dedication by Bishop Noll, and the early growth of the parish school.
- Msgr. J. William Lester
Second pastor.
- Fr. William Hodde
Third pastor.
- Fr. Derrick Sneyd
Fourth pastor.
- Fr. Richard Hire
Fifth pastor.
- Fr. William Sullivanapprox. 14 years
Sixth pastor.
- Fr. Jason Freiburger2013–
Seventh pastor; spoke with Today's Catholic in 2016 about the parish's identity and its school-centered history.
- Fr. Levi Nkwocha
Eighth pastor.
- Fr. Logan Parrish
Ninth and current pastor.