About St. Thomas Aquinas · Nahant, Massachusetts
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish located at 248 Nahant Road in Nahant, Massachusetts, on the rocky peninsula north of Lynn. It is one of two parishes in the St. John the Evangelist / St. Thomas Aquinas collaborative, administered together with St. John the Evangelist Church in neighboring Swampscott under the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish offers one weekly Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM in its Nahant church, with weekday Masses, the Vigil Mass, Adoration, and Confessions celebrated at St. John the Evangelist in Swampscott. Together the two parishes share a pastor, Msgr. John R. McLaughlin, a single office staff, religious education program, music director, and joint sacramental preparation.
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. John R. McLaughlin
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas offers an intimate, close-knit Catholic community on the Nahant peninsula with a single Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM that brings together the parish's island-like neighborhood of worshippers. Through the partnership with St. John the Evangelist in Swampscott, parishioners gain access to a full sacramental life — daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, First Communion, Confirmation, RCIA, weddings, and baptisms — along with shared ministries including Religious Education, Altar Servers, Lectors, the Rosary Group, St. Vincent de Paul, a youth-led fundraising committee, Lenten studies, and a Pro-Life clothing drive for Catholic Charities.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 – 3:45 PM at St. John the Evangelist, Swampscott
- Wednesday 5:30 – 6:30 PM at St. John the Evangelist, Swampscott (during Adoration)
Adoration times
- Tuesday after 7:00 AM Mass at St. John the Evangelist, Swampscott
- Wednesday 5:30 – 6:30 PM at St. John the Evangelist, Swampscott (with Confession)
About the Parish
St. Thomas Aquinas is a Roman Catholic parish in Nahant, Massachusetts, on the small peninsula north of Lynn. It is partnered with St. John the Evangelist Parish in Swampscott under the Archdiocese of Boston, sharing one pastor, one office staff, one religious education program, and one bulletin. The parish's mailing address is 248 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908, and Sunday Mass is celebrated there at 9:00 AM.
Clergy & Staff
St. Thomas Aquinas shares its clergy and staff with St. John the Evangelist. Pastor Msgr. John R. McLaughlin leads the collaborative, with Rev. Frank D. Campo in residence. Deacon Andrew Acampora supports operations, while two parish secretaries, a business manager, the director of religious education, and the music director round out the team.
- Rev. Msgr. John R. McLaughlin — Pastor
- Rev. Frank D. Campo — In Residence
- Deacon Andrew Acampora — Operations
- Irene Curran & Patti Finlay — Parish Secretaries
- Sarah Cowell — Business Manager
- Maureen McDonnell — Director of Religious Education (both parishes)
- Ben DiScipio — Music Director
Sacraments
The collaborative celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments for parishioners of both St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John the Evangelist. Baptisms are typically celebrated during Mass on weekends — at the 9:00 AM Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas and at the 10:30 AM Mass at St. John's. First Communion and Confirmation are celebrated in spring, with Confirmation for grades 8, 9, and 10, presided over by a bishop.
- Baptism — during weekend Masses at either church
- First Communion — spring at St. John's
- Confirmation — Grades 8–10, celebrated by Bishop
- Weddings (Marriage) — by arrangement with the parish office
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Religious Education & RCIA
The Religious Education program, directed by Maureen McDonnell, serves the children of both St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John the Evangelist parishes. Classes run from Grades 1 through 10, with a special track for Confirmation candidates in Grade 8 and continuing formation for Grades 9 and 10. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) — restarted by Msgr. McLaughlin — welcomes adults exploring the Catholic faith, First Communion, or Confirmation, meeting in the Parish Center.
- Grades 1–4 — Sundays at 9:20–10:20 AM or 11:30 AM–12:30 PM
- Grades 5–8 — Tuesday and Wednesday 7:00–8:00 PM (Confirmation class for Grade 8)
- Grades 9–10 — once a month on Sunday 5:00–6:00 PM
- RCIA — meetings at 6:30 PM in the Parish Center
Parish Ministries & Groups
Beyond the sacraments, the collaborative supports a lively network of lay ministries. Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers proclaim and distribute at Mass; altar servers (Grades 3–8) assist at the altar; and a Parish Rosary Group — Our Lady's Sodality, now in its 100th year — gathers monthly at St. John's to pray the rosary together. A St. Vincent de Paul Council ministers to the local poor, and a teen-led Fundraising Committee (the recently Confirmed Class of 2024) runs events to support parish facilities.
- Parish Rosary Group (Our Lady's Sodality) — second Tuesday, 6:00 PM at St. John's
- St. Vincent de Paul Council
- Youth Fundraising Committee
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers
- Coffee & Fellowship — first Sundays after 10:30 AM Mass at St. John's
- Lenten Studies — 10:00–11:30 AM in the Parish Center
Music & Liturgy
Music for the parishes is led by Music Director Ben DiScipio. In September 2025 Msgr. John McLaughlin unveiled two new murals at St. John the Evangelist Church, painted by sacred artist Michael Corsini, enriching the liturgical environment shared by both parishes.
- Music Director: Ben DiScipio ([email protected])
- New murals unveiled at St. John's, September 2025 (artist: Michael Corsini)
Outreach & Pro-Life
The collaborative supports local Catholic Charities outreach, including a yearly Pro-Life Baby Clothing and Diaper Drive that benefits the Young Parent Program of Catholic Charities North. A 'Tree' set up near the church entrance invites parishioners to take a baby-clothing symbol and return a wearable gift or diapers by early October. The St. Vincent de Paul Council also assists the less fortunate in the community.
- Pro-Life Clothing & Diaper Drive for Catholic Charities North
- St. Vincent de Paul Council sandwich, beverage, and baked-good sales at parish events
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The collaborative office is open Monday–Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (hours updated to 8:30 AM–3:30 PM on the website) at 198 Humphrey Street, Swampscott, MA 01907. The Nahant church itself sits at 248 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908.
- Parish Office: 198 Humphrey Street, Swampscott, MA 01907 — Ph. 781-593-2544
- St. Thomas Aquinas Rectory: 248 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908 — Ph. 781-581-0023
- Email (rectory): [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Joint website: https://www.stjohnstthomas.com