About St. Thomas Aquinas · El Paso, Texas
St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church (Santo Tomas de Aquino) is a bilingual, English–Spanish parish in the Diocese of El Paso serving the Eastside / Pebble Hills neighborhood at 10970 Bywood Drive. Established in 1981, the parish community is described on its own website as a Christian community called to live out the message of the Risen Christ in love and service, where the celebration of the Eucharist is the foundation of spiritual life and the inspiration for its ministries and service of the poor. It offers three Sunday Masses (one in Spanish), daily Mass with English/Spanish alternation, Thursday bilingual Liturgy of the Word followed by Eucharistic Adoration, Wednesday confessions, and a robust Religious Formation program for First Communion, Confirmation, and OCIA (formerly RCIA).
- Established
- 1981
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Rev. Ken Y. Ducré
- Diocese
- Diocese of El Paso
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas is a mid-sized, welcoming bilingual parish where almost every sacramental and devotional need of a Catholic family is on offer under one roof: three Sunday Masses (including a Spanish Mass), weekday Masses alternating between English and Spanish, a Thursday bilingual Liturgy of the Word with Eucharistic Adoration, Wednesday confessions, Holy Rosary on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, full Religious Formation for First Communion and Confirmation, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), quinceañera preparation, youth ministry, music ministry, lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, altar servers, hospitality/ushers, Bereavement Ministry, Guadalupanas, and a Social Justice ministry. Families looking for a parish with a strong devotional and catechetical life on El Paso's Eastside will find it an easy fit.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday at 6:00 pm (promptly after the 5:30 pm daily Mass)
- Saturday at 4:00 pm (with the Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm: Bilingual Liturgy of the Word followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Welcome and Parish Identity
The parish describes itself as a Christian community called by God to live out the message of the Risen Christ in love and service to all people. In the Catholic Christian tradition, the celebration of the Eucharist is the foundation of its spiritual life and the inspiration for all ministries and service to the poor. Bilingual greetings are given in both English and Spanish (Bienvenidos a la comunidad cristiana católica de Santo Tomas de Aquino).
Pastoral Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Ken Y. Ducré, assisted by Deacons Joe E. Soto, Frank R. Segura, and Ricardo Corella. The lay staff includes Director of Religious Formation Erika Castro, Records Secretary Ana Fonseca, Bookkeeper Leticia Ramirez, and receptionists Martha Salazar, Jenny Tiscareño, and Jose Soto III.
- Pastor: Rev. Ken Y. Ducré
- Deacons: Joe E. Soto, Frank R. Segura, Ricardo Corella
- Director of Religious Formation: Erika Castro
- Records Secretary: Ana Fonseca
- Bookkeeper: Leticia Ramirez
- Receptionists: Martha Salazar, Jenny Tiscareño, Jose Soto III
- Parish Phone: (915) 592-1313
- Fax: (915) 592-9733
Religious Formation (Faith Education)
St. Thomas Aquinas runs a structured Religious Formation program preparing candidates for the sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation and First Communion, and Confirmation. The parish uses Saint Mary's Press quality programs for First Communion and Confirmation. Registrations are held in summer, with classes beginning in mid-August. The formation calendar is built on the Ysleta Independent School District calendar.
- First Communion Program: 2nd grade and up; requires Birth Certificate and Baptismal Certificate
- Confirmation Program: high-school candidates; requires Birth, Baptism, and First Communion certificates; Sponsor requirements per universal Church norms
- Unbaptized Adults & Children: Birth Certificate required
- Curriculum: Saint Mary's Press
- Calendar basis: Ysleta District Calendar
- Director: Mrs. Erika Castro
OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
OCIA (formerly RCIA) is the parish's communal process for initiating new members into the Catholic Church. It serves non-baptized adults seeking full initiation, as well as baptized adult Christians from other denominations seeking full communion in the Catholic Church. The process follows the ancient practice of the Church restored by the Second Vatican Council and proceeds through the Pre-Catechumenate, Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election (at which the Bishop receives candidates), Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy. Sponsors and the OCIA team accompany inquirers through each step.
- Pre-Catechumenate (Period of Inquiry)
- Rite of Initiation
- Catechumenate (longest formation period)
- Rite of Election
- Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil
- Mystagogy ('leading into the mystery')
Parish Ministries
An extensive ministry portfolio reflects a parish built around the Eucharist and service. Liturgical ministries include Music Ministry, Altar Servers, Lector, Eucharistic Ministers, Eucharistic Adoration leaders, Hospitality / Ushers, and Offertory Counters. Formational and family ministries include First Communion, Confirmation, OCIA catechists, Catholic Youth Ministry, Children's Gospel Catechesis (during the 12:00 pm Sunday Mass), Quinceañera preparation, Baptism preparation, and Marriage Preparation. Pastoral and service ministries include Bereavement Ministry, Guadalupanas, and Social Justice, which works on Catholic Social Teaching.
- Music Ministry
- First Communion (children 8–12)
- Confirmation (teens 14–17)
- Altar Servers (children and adults)
- Eucharistic Adoration (Thursdays)
- Marriage Preparation
- Eucharistic Minister
- Baptism Preparation
- Offertory Counters
- Quinceañera / Quinceañero
- Catholic Youth Ministry
- Children's Gospel Catechesis
- Bereavement Ministry
- Lector
- Hospitality / Ushers
- Guadalupanas
- RCIA / OCIA Catechist
- Social Justice
Documents, Bulletin, and Pastoral Archive
The parish maintains an online 'Document Collections' archive with several useful resources: monthly ministry schedules, the Sunday Bulletin / Boletín Dominical, a collection of homilies (notably those of Rev. Dr. Ed Roden-Lucero, Pastor), excerpts from Pope Francis's Laudato Si' (Spanish translation included), and the parish's completed Synod report submitted to the Diocese of El Paso.
- Ministers' Schedules
- Sunday Bulletin / Boletín Dominical
- Homilies of Rev. Dr. Ed Roden-Lucero, Pastor
- Laudato Si' excerpts (English & Spanish)
- Diocesan Synod report from St. Thomas Aquinas
Parish Life, Saints, and Liturgical Calendar
Pages on Saints and on the Liturgical Calendar round out the parish's devotional and catechetical resources, presenting the Communion of Saints, the meaning of canonization, and the rhythm of the Church year. The parish website publishes a calendar page for upcoming events.
- Page on Saints and the Communion of Saints
- Liturgical Calendar page
- Parish Events calendar
Office Hours, Address, and Contact
The parish office is at 10970 Bywood Dr., El Paso, TX 79936, on the corner of Bywood Drive and Glen Drive, one block south of Pebble Hills Boulevard. Office hours are Monday–Friday 9:00 am–6:00 pm, Saturday 2:00–5:00 pm, and Sunday 8:30 am–1:00 pm. Phone (915) 592-1313; Fax (915) 592-9733; general email [email protected].
- Phone: (915) 592-1313
- Fax: (915) 592-9733
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 9 am–6 pm; Sat 2–5 pm; Sun 8:30 am–1 pm
Diocese and Established Date
St. Thomas Aquinas is part of the Diocese of El Paso and was established in 1981, according to both the Diocese of El Paso's pilgrimage passport list and the Catholic directory GCatholic.
- Diocese: Diocese of El Paso
- Established: 1981
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dr. Ed Roden-Lucero
Former pastor, identified on the parish document archive page as 'Pastor' under whose name homilies were published.
- Rev. Ken Y. Ducré
Current pastor listed on the parish Staff page.