About St. Thomas Aquinas · Reno, Nevada
St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno, located at 310 West 2nd Street in downtown Reno, Nevada. Completed in 1908 (and re-dedicated in 1910 after a major fire) and elevated to cathedral status in 1931 with the creation of the Diocese of Reno, it is the canonical seat of Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg and the spiritual center of Catholicism in northern Nevada. The cathedral is renowned for its Renaissance Revival–Classically influenced architecture, an interior wraparound mural of the 'Adoration of the Lamb of God' by Edith and Isabel Piczek, and an altar built from native Nevada aragonite. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022 as part of the St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral Complex, which also includes a 1931 parish school and rectory designed by prominent Nevada architect Frederic DeLongchamps.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Rev. Charles (Chuck) Durante, Rector
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Reno and the spiritual hub of northern Nevada Catholicism, offering seven Sunday Masses (including a Spanish-language Mass, the only one in the parish) and daily Masses throughout the week, plus Thursday adoration and weekly confessions. Visitors are drawn to its renowned Piczek sanctuary mural—one of the finest of its kind in America—and its National Register–listed architecture. Active community life includes the Women of St. Thomas Aquinas (hosting First-Sunday coffee and donuts), a youth ministry with summer parking-lot games, monthly Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, RCIA and religious-education programs, and a strong tradition of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament anchored by an aragonite altar built from native Nevada stone.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 1:00 PM to 5:15 PM
About St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral
St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno, located at 310 West 2nd Street in downtown Reno, Nevada. Built in 1908 by Father Thomas Tubman to replace earlier churches that had been lost to fire, it has served as the cathedral of the diocese since 1931 and remains its canonical seat today under Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg. The current rector is Father Chuck Durante, who grew up in the parish, and he is assisted by parochial vicar Father Beda Martirez. The parish staff includes Rocio Paz (Office Administrator), Suzanna Corral (Bookkeeping), and Bryan Eber (Music Coordinator).
- Mass schedule: 7 Masses on Sundays (5 English, 1 Spanish), daily Masses Mon–Sat
- Confessions: Thursday 5:30–6:30 PM and Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM, or by appointment
- Adoration: Thursday 1:00 PM – 5:15 PM
- Parish Office: Monday 11 AM–5 PM; Tuesday–Friday 9 AM–5 PM
- Phone: (775) 329-2571 • Fax: (775) 329-2824 • [email protected]
History
Catholic life in Reno dates to 1871 with the founding of St. Mary's, which burned in 1879. The present cathedral grew out of a 1904 plan by Father Thomas Tubman to build a far larger church; Father Tubman purchased the Sol Levy property at Second and Chestnut (now Arlington) on May 21, 1906, the cornerstone was laid in June 1906, and the church was dedicated June 21, 1908, in a Renaissance Revival design by the Northwestern Construction Company of Wahpeton, North Dakota. A fire on December 21, 1909 — set by embers from a neighboring house — collapsed the ceiling, but Tubman rebuilt the church with a metal and Bedford-slate roof and it was re-dedicated November 20, 1910. Pope Pius XI established the Diocese of Reno on March 21, 1931, with Father Thomas K. Gorman as the first bishop; he was installed at the cathedral on August 19, 1931, the same day the church was consecrated as a cathedral. (See the dedicated 'History' section above for full detail on the 1950s renovation, the Piczek murals, and the 2008–2010 seismic retrofit.)
Sanctuary, Art, and Architecture
The cathedral is built in the Renaissance Revival style with Classical and Neo-Baroque influences, featuring twin bell towers capped with domed cupolas and a symmetrical front façade with three processional copper doors (designed by Gordon Newby and fabricated by Harry Banta and Les Stencil, installed 1959). The interior includes a vaulted ceiling, ornately carved confessionals, and a 1963 Justin Kramer organ. The most celebrated artistic feature is the sanctuary mural, 'Adoration of the Lamb of God, our Lord in the Blessed Eucharist,' by Hungarian-born sisters Edith and Isabel Piczek (Los Angeles), who also designed the stained-glass windows (installed mid-1960s). The Blessed Sacrament altar (1954, designed by Gordon Newby of Salt Lake City) is faced with honey-colored native Nevada aragonite from a mine between Gabbs and Tonopah owned by John Connolly, brother of then-Bishop Connolly, and is flanked by hand-carved mahogany angels with gold leaf and Dirk Van Erp copper candlesticks.
- Architect: Northwestern Construction Company of Wahpeton, North Dakota (1907–1908)
- School & rectory architect: Frederic DeLongchamps (1931)
- Altar redesign (1954): Gordon Newby, Salt Lake City
- Copper entrance doors: Harry Banta & Les Stencil, installed 1959
- Organ (1963): Justin Kramer, Los Angeles, $24,000
- Murals (1956–1966) and stained-glass windows: Edith & Isabel Piczek
Sacraments
The cathedral celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptisms are normally celebrated within any weekend Mass; parents must be registered and active parishioners for at least three months, complete a pre-baptismal class, and pay a $40 administrative fee. First Communion and Confirmation are prepared and administered through the parish Religious Education team. Confession is offered weekly (Thursday and Saturday). Couples should contact the parish office for marriage preparation, and the sick should call the office to arrange the Anointing of the Sick.
- Baptism — register 3 months in advance; pre-baptism class required
- First Communion / Confirmation — via Religious Education
- Confession — Thu & Sat (or by appointment)
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — call (775) 329-2571
- Holy Orders — refer to diocesan Office of Vocations ([email protected])
Ministries and Community Life
Parish life at the cathedral is anchored by a strong sacramental rhythm — daily Mass, weekly Confession, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and a popular monthly Taizé Prayer Around the Cross (fourth Friday). The Women of St. Thomas Aquinas host fellowship coffee and donuts after the First-Sunday Masses, and run regular business meetings to plan parish events. A youth ministry offers 'Parking Lot Games' (basketball, volleyball, outdoor games) every other Friday evening during summer. The parish also serves as a hub for diocesan ministries including Faith Formation & Evangelization, Ethnic Ministries (Spanish-speaking community), Prison Ministry, and Project Rachel post-abortion healing.
Parish Staff
The cathedral is staffed by a small but dedicated team. Father Chuck Durante serves as Rector and as Vicar General of the Diocese of Reno; Father Beda Martirez serves as Parochial Vicar and as chaplain at Lovelock Prison. Lay staff include Rocio Paz (Office Administrator), Suzanna Corral (Bookkeeping), and Bryan Eber (Music Coordinator). The parish office can be reached at [email protected] or (775) 329-2571 (fax 775-329-2824).
- Father Chuck Durante — Rector (ext. 106, [email protected])
- Father Beda Martirez — Parochial Vicar (ext. 101, [email protected])
- Rocio Paz — Office Administrator (ext. 100, [email protected])
- Suzanna Corral — Bookkeeping (ext. 108, [email protected])
- Bryan Eber — Music Coordinator ([email protected])
Diocese of Reno
The Diocese of Reno was created by Pope Pius XI on March 21, 1931, carving Nevada out of the dioceses of Sacramento and Salt Lake City and making St. Thomas Aquinas the cathedral. (In 1995, Pope John Paul II established the separate Diocese of Las Vegas, taking southern Nevada; in May 2023 the Diocese of Reno became a suffragan of the newly elevated Archdiocese of Las Vegas.) The current bishop is Most Rev. Daniel H. Mueggenborg, D.D., S.T.L., appointed by Pope Francis on July 20, 2021, succeeding Bishop Randolph Roque Calvo. The Pastoral Center offices are listed at catholicreno.org, with Faith Formation, Ethnic Ministries, Youth & Young Adult Ministry, Vocations, Catholic Schools, Mission Advancement, Communications, Respect Life, Project Rachel, and Prison Ministry all coordinated from the diocesan offices.
- First Bishop: Thomas K. Gorman (1931–1952)
- Second Bishop: Robert J. Dwyer (1952–1966)
- Third Bishop: Joseph Green (1967–c.1977)
- Fourth Bishop: Daniel F. Walsh (c.1987–1995)
- Fifth Bishop: Phillip F. Straling (1995–2005)
- Sixth Bishop: Randolph Roque Calvo (2006–2021)
- Seventh (current) Bishop: Daniel H. Mueggenborg (2021–present)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Tubman1904–c. 1920s
Transferred from Virginia City in 1904; built the present cathedral on Second & Chestnut (Arlington); earlier fathered the smaller 1905 church also named St. Thomas Aquinas that burned; raised by the Sacramento diocese to dean in November 1921.
- Most Rev. Thomas K. Gorman, D.D., D.Sc. Hist.1931–1952
First Bishop of Reno; installed at the cathedral on August 19, 1931; commissioned the Theodore Braasch ceiling and wall murals (1935–1938).
- Most Rev. Robert J. Dwyer1952–1966
Second Bishop of Reno, came from the rectorship of the Salt Lake City cathedral; oversaw the 1950s interior overhaul including the Piczek murals, the new aragonite altar, copper doors, and stained-glass windows.
- Rev. Charles (Chuck) DuranteJuly 1, 2018–present
Current Rector; lifelong parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas (first Communion, Confirmation, first Mass); appointed by Bishop Randolph Calvo; also serves as Vicar General of the diocese.
