About St. Thomas Aquinas · Fairfield, Connecticut
St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church (commonly called St. Thomas Aquinas Parish) is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the Diocese of Bridgeport. Founded in 1876, it is known locally as the "Mother Church of Fairfield" and serves the community from its location at 1719 Post Road, the town's main thoroughfare. The parish is home to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, a PreK–8 parish school founded in 1921, and offers Sunday and weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, confessions, faith formation, and an active calendar of parish events. The current Colonial-style church was designed by the New Haven firm Polak and Sullivan, dedicated on February 24, 1957, and is noted for its fine acoustics.
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Rev. David Roman
- Diocese
- Diocese of Bridgeport
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas offers a full Catholic life in one location: three Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil, weekday daily Mass, weekly Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration (8 AM to noon with Benediction), and the sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick. Families with children can take advantage of the parish's PreK–8 Catholic school and faith formation programs, while adults have opportunities to serve through ministries, the Knights of Columbus Father Coleman Council #2616, and an active music ministry. The parish is known as the "Mother Church of Fairfield" and brings the wider town together through beloved annual events such as the Lenten Fish Fry Dinner and the Holiday Craft Fair.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:00–4:45 PM (per parish website — visitors may also contact the parish office at 203-255-1097 to confirm)
Adoration times
- Wednesdays 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Exposition at 8 AM, Benediction at 12 PM) in the main church
History of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish
Catholic life in Fairfield began in the early 1850s when Rev. Thomas Synnott of the Church of St. James in Bridgeport celebrated Mass in a local home. In 1854 Synnott erected a frame mission chapel seating about 300, dedicated by Bishop Bernard O'Reilly of Hartford under the patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas. The mission was served from St. James and later from St. Augustine's in Bridgeport until 1876, when Rev. Martin P. Lawlor became the first resident pastor and the parish was formally established. Successive pastors expanded the church, opened a school staffed by Sisters of Mercy (1882), built a rectory, and saw the original buildings destroyed in the great fire of January 19, 1892. A new brick Romanesque-style church dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1894 seated 650; the present Colonial-style church, designed by Polak and Sullivan of New Haven, was dedicated by Bishop Lawrence Shehan on February 24, 1957, and seats 1,064.
- 1854 — Frame mission chapel built by Rev. Thomas Synnott; dedicated by Bishop Bernard O'Reilly
- 1876 — Rev. Martin P. Lawlor becomes first resident pastor; parish formally founded
- 1877 — Rev. Thomas Mullen dies suddenly at age 32
- 1879 — Rev. Dennis J. Cremin relocates and expands the church
- 1882 — Parish school opens, staffed by Sisters of Mercy
- January 19, 1892 — Fire destroys church, convent and rectory during snowstorm; Masses move to Town Hall
- November 27, 1894 — New brick church dedicated (Thanksgiving Day), cost $22,000, seating 650
- 1921 — Msgr. William J. Blake builds St. Thomas Aquinas School
- 1956 — Second church demolished
- February 24, 1957 — Current Colonial-style church dedicated by Bishop Lawrence Shehan
- 2002 — Parish Center built at cost of $4.2 million
- 2006 — 130th anniversary marked with capital campaign "Growing to Greatness"
- 2007 — State-of-the-art Science Lab completed
- 2009 — New Library-Media Center opens
Church Architecture & Acoustics
The current St. Thomas Aquinas Church is a Colonial-style building designed by Polak and Sullivan of New Haven, Connecticut, dedicated on February 24, 1957, by Bishop Lawrence Shehan, first Bishop of Bridgeport. It seats 1,064 worshippers and is well known throughout the region for its fine acoustics. The Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut and the Fairfield County Children's Choir have both given concerts there. Its predecessor, a brick Romanesque-style church dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1894, cost $22,000 and seated 650; it was demolished in 1956, with the parish hall serving as a temporary chapel during construction.
- Architect: Polak and Sullivan (New Haven, CT)
- Style: Colonial
- Dedicated: February 24, 1957 by Bishop Lawrence Shehan
- Seating capacity: 1,064
- Predecessor (1894): brick Romanesque, 650 seats, $22,000
- Notable feature: fine acoustics — host to Mendelssohn Choir of CT and Fairfield County Children's Choir
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School opened its doors in 1882 on the first floor of the parish rectory with 130 students under four Sisters of Mercy. Closed after the 1892 fire, it reopened in 1921 when Msgr. William J. Blake built a three-story brick school on Ruane Street. The school has grown steadily with the Fairfield community: expanded in 1953–1956 with eight additional rooms; added its first kindergarten in 1974; welcomed its first lay principal in 1978; added Pre-K in the mid-1980s; and in 2002 received a major Parish Center housing the gymnasium and middle school classrooms. Today it is a NEASC-accredited, co-educational PreK–8 school serving more than 300 students with two classrooms per grade.
- 1882 — Original school opens with 130 students taught by Sisters of Mercy
- 1921 — Three-story brick school built under Msgr. William J. Blake
- 1953–1956 — First physical expansion: eight new rooms
- 1974 — First kindergarten class
- 1978 — First lay principal
- Mid-1980s — Pre-K program added; After School Care Program added
- 2000 — Capital campaign leads to gymnasium, multipurpose room and middle school classrooms (2002)
- 2006 — "Growing to Greatness" capital campaign
- 2007 — State-of-the-art Science Lab completed
- 2009 — New Library-Media Center opened
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently led by Fr. David Roman (Pastor), with Deacon Frank Mantero assisting and Rev. Ferry Galbert (Diocesan Vocations Director) serving the parish. The administrative team includes Allison McCarthy (Office Assistant) and Mary Jane Edwards (Pastoral Office Assistant). Janet Wrabel directs Faith Formation; Julie Wallace serves as Parish Business Manager. The Music Ministry is led by Ruth Rolander and Erick Sanchez; Angela Mantero coordinates Baptismal and Marriage Preparation; and Johnna Hoffman serves as Marketing Editor. Stephen D'Ambrisi chairs the Parish Finance Board, with Cynthia Lambert and Richard Miller serving as Parish Trustees.
- Fr. David Roman — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Frank Mantero
- Rev. Ferry Galbert — Diocesan Vocations Director
- Allison McCarthy — Administrative Office Assistant
- Mary Jane Edwards — Pastoral Office Assistant
- Janet Wrabel — Director of Faith Formation
- Julie Wallace — Parish Business Manager
- Ruth Rolander & Erick Sanchez — Music Ministry
- Angela Mantero — Baptismal & Marriage Preparation
- Johnna Hoffman — Marketing Editor
- Stephen D'Ambrisi — Parish Finance Board Chair
- Cynthia Lambert & Richard Miller — Parish Trustees
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Thomas Aquinas offers a wide range of ministries so that every parishioner can share their gifts. The Music Ministry provides music for every liturgy; the Faith Formation office coordinates religious education, sacramental preparation and RCIA. Marriage and Baptism preparation is coordinated through Angela Mantero. The Knights of Columbus Father Coleman Council #2616 (with the Columbiette's Auxiliary) hosts the annual Holiday Craft Fair and Tag Sale. The Eucharistic Adoration program is coordinated by Kathleen DeSilets, and parishioners are encouraged to commit to an hour of adoration each Wednesday morning.
- Faith Formation (Janet Wrabel)
- Music Ministry (Ruth Rolander & Erick Sanchez)
- Baptismal & Marriage Preparation (Angela Mantero)
- Eucharistic Adoration (Kathleen DeSilets — [email protected], 845-418-7172)
- Knights of Columbus Father Coleman Council #2616 & Columbiette's Auxiliary
- Parish Finance Board (Stephen D'Ambrisi)
- Parish Pastoral Council / Trustees
- St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School & After School Care Program
Sacraments & Liturgy
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist (First Communion), Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders (through vocation discernment with the Diocese) and Marriage. Infant Baptism and Marriage preparation are coordinated by Angela Mantero; Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment through the parish office. Reconciliation is heard Saturday afternoons, and First Communion and Confirmation preparation is offered through the Faith Formation office.
- Baptism (Angela Mantero)
- Confirmation & First Communion preparation (Faith Formation)
- Reconciliation: Saturday afternoons
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- Marriage preparation (Angela Mantero)
- RCIA for adults — through Faith Formation
Annual Events & Community Life
Beyond the regular liturgical schedule, St. Thomas Aquinas hosts beloved community traditions that draw residents from across Fairfield and the surrounding towns. Each Lent, the parish hosts an annual Fish Fry Dinner in the parish gym; the Holiday Craft Fair and Tag Sale is hosted by the Knights of Columbus Father Coleman Council #2616 Columbiette's Auxiliary. The church's fine acoustics make it a popular venue for concerts by The Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut and the Fairfield County Children's Choir. The parish school also maintains an active After School Care Program offering supervised recreational activities, homework time, and study.
- Annual Lenten Fish Fry Dinner
- Holiday Craft Fair & Tag Sale (Knights of Columbus Father Coleman Council #2616 Columbiette's Auxiliary)
- Concerts by The Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut
- Concerts by the Fairfield County Children's Choir
- After School Care Program (parish school)
- 130th anniversary celebration (2006)
Visiting, Address & Contact
St. Thomas Aquinas is located at 1719 Post Road, the main thoroughfare through Fairfield, Connecticut. The parish phone line is 203-255-1097. The website (stthomasfairfield.com / stthomasfairfield.org) hosts weekly bulletins, Mass and Adoration times, online giving, and contact forms. The Parish Center (built in 2002) houses the school gym, middle school classrooms, and many parish events. The adjacent former convent property has been converted to an assisted living facility for seniors.
- Address: 1719 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824
- Phone: 203-255-1097
- Websites: stthomasfairfield.com and stthomasfairfield.org
- School website: stasonline.net
- On-site parking at church and Parish Center
- Adjacent convent property converted to assisted living facility
- Parish Center (2002): $4.2 million, includes gym and middle school classrooms
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Martin P. Lawlor1876
First resident pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas; separated Fairfield from its mission status.
- Rev. Thomas Mullen1876–1877
Succeeded Lawlor in December 1876; divided his time between Fairfield and Westport; died suddenly August 1877 of a heart condition at age 32.
- Rev. Dennis J. Cremin1879–1883
Relocated the church to a new lot, added a basement (rededicated November 1880); opened the parish school in 1882 staffed by Sisters of Mercy; later transferred to Sacred Heart, Bridgeport.
- Rev. Thomas J. Colemanafter 1883
Built the parish rectory; presided over parish during the January 19, 1892 fire.
- Rev. Msgr. William J. Blakeearly 20th century
Longest-serving pastor in the parish's history; built St. Thomas Aquinas School in 1921.
- Rev. Msgr. William F. Casey
Listed in parish succession of pastors.
- Rev. Msgr. George B. Curtiss
Listed in parish succession of pastors.
- Rev. Msgr. Frank C. Dellolio
Listed in parish succession of pastors.
- Rev. Msgr. John C. Tetreault
Listed in parish succession of pastors.
- Rev. Victor T. Martin
Listed in parish succession of pastors; identified as pastor on Wikipedia article.
- Rev. David Roman
Current pastor (as listed on parish staff page and school website).
- Rev. John Quinn
Listed in parish succession of pastors on the official history page.
- Rev. William A. Hart
Listed in parish succession of pastors on the official history page.
- Rev. Philip J. McCabe
Listed in parish succession of pastors on the official history page.
- Rev. William O'Dell
Listed in parish succession of pastors on the official history page.
- Rev. Patrick Duggan
Listed in parish succession of pastors on the official history page.
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