About St. Thomas Aquinas · Madison, South Dakota
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is a Roman Rite parish in Madison, South Dakota, serving the Catholic community of eastern South Dakota within the Diocese of Sioux Falls. Established in 1882, the parish offers Mass five times per week, the Sacrament of Reconciliation at multiple scheduled times, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust Faith Formation program for children and youth. The parish is also home to the Joyful Noise Choir and supports the DSU (Dakota State University) Newman Ministry through its pastor, who serves as the university chaplain.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Father Anthony Urban
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas offers a full sacramental and devotional life, including weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and frequent Confession times. The parish invests in the next generation through Faith Formation for grades K-6 and a dedicated Youth Faith Formation program, plus the Joyful Noise Choir. It also reaches beyond its own walls by serving as the pastoral home and chaplaincy for the DSU (Dakota State University) Newman Ministry, making it a hub for both lifelong parishioners and college students seeking Catholic community.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday from 4:30 pm until 4:55 pm
- Thursday from 7:30 am until 8:20 am
- First Saturday from 8:30 am until 8:55 am
- Saturday from 4:00 pm until 4:45 pm
- By appointment by calling the parish office
Adoration times
- Tuesday from 7:00 am until 5:05 pm
About St. Thomas Aquinas Parish
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is a Roman Rite parish serving Madison, South Dakota and the surrounding region of eastern South Dakota. Established in 1882 and part of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, the parish is located at 415 N Van Eps Avenue, two blocks north of Sunshine Foods. It offers a full schedule of weekday and Sunday Masses, frequent Confession times, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, Faith Formation for children, youth ministry, and a vibrant music ministry.
- Founded 1882
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
- Pastor: Father Anthony Urban
- Address: 415 N Van Eps Ave, Madison, SD 57042
- Phone: 605-256-2304
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Thomas Aquinas runs a Faith Formation program for children in grades K-6 under the direction of Liz Gors. A separate Youth Faith Formation program is led by Heidi Comes, who also serves as the DSU Newman Director. The parish partners with the Diocese of Sioux Falls for Safe Environment Training, which is required for all adults who work with youth.
- Grades K-6 Faith Formation — directed by Liz Gors ([email protected])
- Youth Faith Formation — directed by Heidi Comes ([email protected])
- Diocesan Safe Environment Training: sfcatholic.org/safe-environment/
Music & Liturgy — Joyful Noise Choir
Music ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas is led by Brenda Hanley, who directs the Joyful Noise Choir. The choir supports the parish's liturgical life and is a point of community and worship for parishioners of all ages who enjoy singing at Mass.
- Joyful Noise Choir Director: Brenda Hanley — 605-270-1070
Parish Organizations & Events
The parish maintains an active roster of parish organizations and parish-wide events, listed on the sttha.org 'Organizations & Events' page. The parish also publishes a parish calendar and detailed ministry schedules for liturgical ministers (current PDFs on the website cover May–June and July–August rotations).
- Parish Organizations (full list on sttha.org)
- Parish Calendar page
- Ministry Schedules (PDF) — updated quarterly
DSU Newman Ministry (College Outreach)
Through its pastor, Father Anthony Urban, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish provides chaplaincy to the Dakota State University Newman Club. Father Urban describes his role as helping students 'continue your lifelong encounter with Jesus and the Church He established.' The Newman Center is a vital college-campus outreach of the parish, serving DSU students in Madison.
- Chaplain: Father Anthony Urban
- A Sioux Falls native, ordained 11+ years
- German Shorthaired pointer named Will (a personal note from Father Urban)
Holy Family Pastorate & Diocesan Connection
St. Thomas Aquinas belongs to the Holy Family Pastorate of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, grouped with St. Agatha in Howard and St. William of Vercelli in Ramona. Father Anthony Urban serves as pastor of all three parishes. This pastorate model allows the rural eastern South Dakota parishes to share clergy resources while maintaining distinct parish identities and local Mass schedules.
- Holy Family Pastorate
- St. Agatha — Howard
- St. Thomas Aquinas — Madison
- St. William of Vercelli — Ramona
- Pastor: Father Anthony Urban
Parish Staff & Contact
The parish staff is led by Father Anthony Urban and supported by a Parish Secretary, Bookkeeper, Faith Formation Director (K-6), Youth Faith Formation / DSU Newman Director, and the Joyful Noise Choir Director. The Parish Office is located in the church basement and is open Tuesday through Thursday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (closed 12:00–1:00 PM for lunch, and closed Monday and Friday).
- Parish Priest — Father Anthony Urban
- Parish Secretary — Spencer Daniels ([email protected])
- Bookkeeper — Karri Roling-Wilson ([email protected])
- Faith Formation K-6 — Liz Gors ([email protected])
- Youth Faith Formation & DSU Newman — Heidi Comes ([email protected])
- Joyful Noise Choir Director — Brenda Hanley (605-270-1070)
Online Giving & Parish Resources
St. Thomas Aquinas uses the MyEoffering online giving platform, allowing parishioners to set up one-time or recurring electronic contributions. The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin link from the homepage for current parish announcements and prayer intentions.
- Online Giving via MyEoffering
- Weekly bulletin link on homepage
- Contact parish office at 605-256-2304 for assistance
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas A. FlynnLong-tenured (associated with the parish for many decades)
Referenced in early St. Thomas parish / cemetery records; described as priest of the local Catholic parish.
- Father Anthony Urban2020–present
Reassigned from St. John the Baptist, Lesterville, and St. Wenceslaus, Tabor, to serve as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, Madison, and chaplain of the Newman Ministry at DSU.