About St. Thomas Aquinas · Rio Rancho, New Mexico
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is a large, active parish in southern Rio Rancho, New Mexico, belonging to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Founded in 1974 as a mission of nearby St. Jude Parish, it has grown into one of the largest parishes in the archdiocese and is the spiritual home of St. Thomas Aquinas School (Pre-K through 8th grade). The parish is known for its reverent liturgy — including a Solemn Sunday Mass and a 24/7 Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — and for an unusually broad range of ministries spanning children, youth, young adults, adults, music, and social outreach.
- Established
- 1974
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Msgr. Douglas Raun
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the largest and most active parishes in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, with a commitment to reverent liturgy and the personal sanctification of its parishioners. A Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, allowing parishioners to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament at any hour. Worship is supported by religious education from preschool through adulthood, plus ministries serving children, youth, young adults, adults, social outreach, and music — so newcomers can find a place to grow in holiness and serve others.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Friday at 8:00am & 5:00pm
- Saturday at 8:00am & 2:30pm
- Special confession appointments by calling the Parish Office
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (adorers sign up for scheduled one-hour shifts)
Our Story
St. Thomas Aquinas began in 1974 as a mission of St. Jude Parish, gathering in a small community room in the Haynes Park area of Rio Rancho. On November 1, 1974 — the Solemnity of All Saints — Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez formally erected it as a parish. Over five decades the parish has grown alongside Rio Rancho itself and has even given birth to two new parishes in the city: Church of the Incarnation and St. John Vianney. The 50th anniversary was marked in 2024 with a Solemn Mass, parish-hall reception, and special recognition of original members.
Leadership & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Msgr. Douglas A. Raun and supported by two Vicars, Rev. Lloyd Scott McKee and Rev. Christopher Osuji, as well as three deacons who also serve as ministry directors. A team of religious sisters and lay professionals directs Children's Ministry, Music & Liturgy, Communications, Facilities, Finance, and front-office operations. The parish encourages anyone needing assistance to call the parish office at (505) 892-1511.
- Pastor: Msgr. Douglas Raun
- Vicars: Rev. Lloyd Scott McKee, Rev. Christopher Osuji
- Deacon & Director of Adult Education: Rev. Mr. Jeff Schaff
- Deacon & Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry: Rev. Mr. Phil Kahle
- Deacon & Director of Social Concerns: Rev. Mr. Edward Leyba
- Director of Children's Ministry: Sister Roseann Fernandez, MPF
- Director of Music & Liturgy: Steven Woodbury
- Communications Manager: Ben Walden ([email protected])
Parish Ministries
St. Thomas Aquinas runs an unusually wide range of ministries, organized by life stage and area of service. Each major area is led by a deacon or religious sister, with calendars and sign-ups published on the parish website so newcomers can plug in.
- Children's Ministry
- Youth & Young Adult Ministry (with High School Youth Ministry Calendar)
- Adult Education & Small Groups (with Adult Ministry Small Group Calendar)
- Social Concerns / Outreach
- Music & Liturgy
- Alpha Course
- Tabernacle Altar Flower Memorial program
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and the Anointing of the Sick is coordinated through the parish office, while ongoing faith formation for adults — including the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — is handled by the Adult Education team under Deacon Jeff Schaff.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- First Eucharist
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- RCIA / Adult Initiation
St. Thomas Aquinas School
St. Thomas Aquinas School is the parish school, located on a separate campus at 1100 Hood Rd SE in Rio Rancho. It serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade and is part of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Catholic Schools system. The curriculum is built on federal, state, and archdiocesan guidelines, with religion, reading, math, language arts, science, and social studies as core subjects, plus art, music, library, and gym. The Pre-K program requires children to be 4 years old by September 1; Kindergarten requires age 5 by the same date. Application and registration are handled online with a non-refundable $75 application fee and a $500 registration fee per student.
- Pre-K through 8th grade
- Separate campus: 1100 Hood Rd SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124
- Phone: (505) 892-3221
- Part of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Catholic Schools
- Principal office contact through the school
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 5:00pm (Confessions are heard 9:45am–5:00pm weekdays in the listed window) and can be reached by phone at (505) 892-1511 or by email at [email protected]. The parish business office has a secondary location at 1594 Sara Rd SE, Suite F, in the Panorama Plaza. Communications inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
- Main church: 1502 Sara Rd SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124
- Phone: (505) 892-1511
- Email: [email protected]
- Business Office: 1594 Sara Rd SE, Suite F, Rio Rancho, NM 87124
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:30am–5:00pm
- Facebook: facebook.com/StThomasAquinasParish