About St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish · Albuquerque, New Mexico
St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish & Newman Center is the Catholic campus parish serving the University of New Mexico from 1815 Las Lomas Road NE in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1950 by Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne as a 'Newman Club' for students, it grew into a full parish of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe staffed for over six decades by the Dominican friars, with preaching, sacramental ministry, and the Dominican Ecclesial Institute shaping parish life. In 2014, pastoral leadership was reassigned to diocesan priests, and in July 2025 Fr. Adrian Sisneros became pastor. The parish's student-facing arm, LoboCatholic, gathers UNM students around retreats, small groups, service, and leadership — calling itself the Catholic presence 'in the heart of Lobo country.'
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas (co-patron St. John Henry Newman)
- Rector
- Fr. Adrian Sisneros (became pastor July 2025)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish is built around its twin callings as both a parish family and the official Catholic presence at the University of New Mexico. Students plug into LoboCatholic through retreats, small groups, service, and leadership; families and parishioners encounter a robust sacramental life with daily and Sunday Mass, weekday Adoration, regular Confession, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), Baptism and Marriage prep, Religious Education for grades K–7, and High School Confirmation prep. Designated giving categories let donors fund Campus Ministry, Religious Education, Vocations/House of Discernment, or the General Offertory, so newcomers can easily join a community where faculty, students, young families, and longtime Albuquerque parishioners worship together on the UNM campus.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Monday–Friday: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM (around Morning Masses)
Adoration times
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM (around Sunday Masses, in the chapel; walk-ins welcome)
Parish Identity & Mission
The parish operates under a dual identity as both a parish family and the official Catholic campus presence at UNM. Its full name, St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish & Newman Center, honors its twin patrons — St. Thomas Aquinas, patron of Catholic education, and St. John Henry Newman, the great university pastor and thinker — and reflects its twin mission of being a parish family and the Catholic presence at the University of New Mexico. In 2025, the parish rolled out a refreshed brand that uses the complete title more often so the identity is crystal-clear: a university parish rooted in St. Thomas's wisdom and Newman's vision for Catholic life at the university.
- Full name: St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish & Newman Center
- Co-patrons: St. Thomas Aquinas & St. John Henry Newman
- Student-facing banner: LoboCatholic
- Refreshed brand rolled out in 2025
Parish History
From its 1950 founding through the present, the parish has grown from a small Newman Club into a recognized parish of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, sustained for over six decades by the Dominican friars.
Founding Era (1950s)
Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne established a Catholic center just off UNM's main campus in 1950, repurposing a former fraternity house called Aquinas Hall into a home for prayer, study, and community. The Dominican friars were invited from the start to staff the new ministry. As the community grew, a dedicated chapel was added in 1954 and a lounge/meeting hall opened in 1957.
- 1950: Catholic center established by Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne; Aquinas Hall repurposed
- 1954: Dedicated chapel added
- 1957: Lounge / meeting hall opened
Growth into a Parish (1960s–2000s)
Across the following decades the Center matured from a student club into a fully recognized parish of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, serving students, faculty, staff, and families while keeping a special focus on campus ministry. The Dominican friars shaped parish life through preaching and sacramental ministry, and in the 1990s they founded the Dominican Ecclesial Institute, which brought Catholic lectures and formation to the wider community.
- Matured from student club to full parish of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe
- Served students, faculty, staff, and families
- Dominican Ecclesial Institute founded in the 1990s
A New Chapter of Leadership (2014)
After more than six decades of Dominican service, the Archdiocese reassigned pastoral leadership of the Aquinas Newman Center to diocesan priests in 2014. Parish coverage at the time noted both gratitude for the friars' long witness and hope for continued growth in campus ministry under archdiocesan care. Fr. Michael DePalma became the first archdiocesan pastor in this new chapter.
- 2014: Pastoral leadership transferred to diocesan priests
- Fr. Michael DePalma became first archdiocesan pastor
Our Parish Today
In July 2025, Fr. Adrian Sisneros became pastor, building on the parish's legacy with renewed focus on student outreach, sacramental life, and vocations. Students carry the parish's spirit onto campus under the banner LoboCatholic — a simple way of saying that the parish's life with Christ belongs in the heart of Lobo country and that every student, faculty member, and family is called to holiness.
- Fr. Adrian Sisneros became pastor in July 2025
- Renewed focus: student outreach, sacramental life, vocations
- LoboCatholic is the on-campus student ministry
Mass & Sacraments
The parish offers a full daily and Sunday Mass schedule at its chapel on Las Lomas Road, together with scheduled times for Confession and Eucharistic Adoration. Schedules may shift during university breaks and Holy Days — the parish invites visitors to check the Events calendar for updates.
Sunday & Vigil Masses
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 5:00 PM (Student Mass)
Daily Mass
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:15 AM and 5:15 PM
- Tuesday, Thursday: 12:10 PM and 5:15 PM
- Saturday: 8:30 AM
Other Sacramental Services
Beyond Mass, Confession, and Adoration, the parish prepares members for the remaining sacraments and supports them through OCIA and ongoing faith formation.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage preparation — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) meets Monday at 6:00 PM
- Adult Confirmation — register online
Faith Formation & Education
Faith formation at the parish spans cradle-Catholic education, adult initiation, and high-school Confirmation prep, all designed to fit the rhythm of UNM-area families.
- Religious Education for grades K–7 — Sundays at 10:00 AM
- High School Confirmation preparation — Sundays at noon
- OCIA for adults (Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist) — Monday evenings at 6:00 PM
- Adult Confirmation registration available online
- Bible Studies for students and parishioners
Student Ministry — LoboCatholic
LoboCatholic is the parish's on-campus community for UNM students — 'Lobo' for UNM + 'Catholic.' Through retreats, small groups, service, and leadership, LoboCatholic equips students to follow Christ and build lasting friendships. The flagship gathering is the Sunday 5:00 PM Student Mass, followed by a community meal in the parish hall where new and returning LoboCatholics meet. The Events calendar keeps students plugged into Bible Studies, Study Nights, retreats, and other special events year-round.
- Sunday 5:00 PM Student Mass with meal afterwards
- Retreats and small groups
- Service and leadership opportunities
- Bible Studies and Study Nights
- Designated online giving category: Campus Ministry
Parish Ministries & Volunteer Life
The parish runs a wide range of ministries that families, students, and longtime parishioners can join. A Volunteer Interest Form on the I'm New page is the easiest way to start; popular spots include hospitality, music, student meals, campus outreach, RE/Confirmation, facility projects, and the parish Fiesta event team.
- Music ministry
- Hospitality
- Altar care
- Campus hospitality team
- Student meals
- Campus outreach
- RE/Confirmation team
- Facility projects
- Fiesta event team
- Vocations / House of Discernment support
Giving & Support
The parish offers online giving with both weekly and monthly options, letting donors direct gifts to specific parish missions.
- Weekly or monthly online gifts
- Designations: Campus Ministry, Religious Education, Vocations / House of Discernment, General Offertory
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Dominican friars1950–2014
From the parish's founding in 1950, Dominican friars staffed the ministry continuously for more than six decades, shaping parish life through preaching, sacramental ministry, and the Dominican Ecclesial Institute (founded in the 1990s).
- Fr. Michael DePalma2014–
First archdiocesan (diocesan) pastor after pastoral leadership was reassigned from the Dominicans to diocesan priests in 2014.
- Fr. Adrian Sisnerosfrom July 2025
Became pastor in July 2025, focusing on student outreach, sacramental life, and vocations, and rolling out the refreshed parish name.