About St. Thomas More · Narragansett, Rhode Island
St. Thomas More Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Narragansett, Rhode Island, part of the Diocese of Providence, that serves year-round residents and summer visitors along Rhode Island's South County coast. The parish is anchored by the historic St. Thomas More Church at 53 Rockland Street in Narragansett Pier and is complemented by St. Veronica Chapel at 1035 Boston Neck Road in Bonnet Shores, which was built as a seasonal mission chapel in 1961 and now operates year-round. Worship includes daily Mass, Saturday vigil, multiple Sunday Masses, weekly Reconciliation, a Rosary every morning before Mass, and an active program of faith formation for children and adults, sacramental preparation, and outreach to the local community through the Knights of Columbus, the Mother Teresa Fund, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
- Established
- 1884
- Patron
- St. Thomas More
- Rector
- Fr. David Procaccini
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Thomas More offers a historic and active worship community along the Narragansett coast with two complementary sites — the landmark 1906 St. Thomas More Church at Narragansett Pier and the year-round St. Veronica Chapel in Bonnet Shores — providing daily Mass, multiple Sunday Masses, weekly confession, daily Rosary, and seasonal Stations of the Cross. A robust faith formation program grades 1–9 and a strong adult formation track (Men's Bible Study, ENDOW for women, Tuesday adult studies, and RCIA) make it a true formation parish, while the Knights of Columbus Pope Pius XII Council, the Mother Teresa Fund, the St. Vincent de Paul clothing bins, and ongoing mission trips anchor a concrete outreach to neighbors in need.
Mass times at St. Thomas More
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM at St. Thomas More
- By appointment (contact the parish office at 401-789-7682)
Adoration times
- Lent: Mondays during Lent (St. Veronica Chapel) — 6:00 PM Lenten Confession & Adoration with three priests (schedule announced in bulletin)
Parish History
Founded in 1884 as a mission chapel of Our Lady of Mercy in East Greenwich (transferred to Wakefield's St. Francis Parish in 1879), the parish was dedicated to St. Philomena. A larger, Romanesque-influenced church with wood shingles and a tall bell tower, designed by Murphy, Hindle & Wright, was completed in 1906 and blessed by Bishop Matthew Harkins on July 19, 1908. The mission was elevated to an independent parish on April 4, 1917 under Rev. Austin J. O'Toole. In 1961 the parish was renamed St. Thomas More and the Bonnet Shores mission chapel of St. Veronica was opened. The 1884 wooden chapel was replaced in 1977 by a new rectory and parish center matching the 1906 church.
- 1884 — first Catholic chapel built in Narragansett Pier, dedicated to St. Philomena
- 1906–1908 — present church built and blessed by Bishop Harkins
- April 4, 1917 — elevated to an independent parish
- May 19, 1961 — renamed St. Thomas More Church and Corporation
- July 7, 1961 — first Mass at St. Veronica Chapel, Bonnet Shores
- 1977 — original 1884 chapel demolished; rectory and parish center built
- October 14, 2011 — Rhody Preservation Project Award
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
Faith formation at St. Thomas More uses the Faith and Life series from Ignatius Press for grades 1–8, presenting Catholic doctrine through salvation history in a student-friendly format. Sacramental preparation for First Confession and First Communion takes place in 2nd grade; Confirmation preparation is now in 8th grade (with 8th and 9th graders meeting together during the transitional year, to be confirmed as a group in spring 2026). Tuition is on a sliding scale ($50–$120 per family) with assistance available through Fr. Taillon or Miss Conca.
- Grades 1–4: Sundays 10:00–10:50 AM at St. Veronica Chapel
- Grades 5–7: Wednesdays 5:45–6:45 PM at St. Veronica Chapel
- Grades 8–9 (Confirmation): Sundays 6:00–7:15 PM at St. Thomas More
- Baptismal certificate required for incoming students not baptized at the parish
Adult Faith Formation
Adults at St. Thomas More have several ongoing formation opportunities. The parish hosts a long-running Saturday morning men's Bible Study and the ENDOW women's study rooted in Pope St. John Paul II's teachings on the feminine genius. A current small-group study on St. Teresa of Avila, led by Director of Faith Formation MaryTheresa Conca, meets twice monthly on Tuesdays in morning and evening sessions. A Summer Bible Study runs Tuesday mornings for eight weeks. Those interested in becoming Catholic are guided through RCIA.
- Men's Bible Study — Saturdays 7:30 AM, parish hall (14+ years running)
- St. Teresa of Avila Study — twice monthly Tuesdays, led by MaryTheresa Conca
- ENDOW women's study group
- Summer Bible Study — Tuesday mornings, 8 weeks
- RCIA for those becoming Catholic
Parish Staff
Fr. John C. Halloran serves as Pastor Emeritus, and Fr. Brendan J. Rowley is the Temporary Parochial Vicar. Deacon Joseph Clossick assists with parish ministry. MaryTheresa Conca is the Director of Faith Formation, Carol Matousek serves as Parish Secretary, and Michael Tellier handles web and graphic design. Separate Music Directors serve St. Thomas More Church (Organist & Choir Director) and St. Veronica Chapel.
- Rev. John C. Halloran — Pastor Emeritus
- Fr. Brendan J. Rowley — Temporary Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Joseph Clossick
- MaryTheresa Conca — Director of Faith Formation
- Carol Matousek — Parish Secretary
- Director of Stewardship (on staff)
- Michael Tellier — Web/Graphic Design
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a strong suit of the parish. A St. Vincent de Paul clothing bin sits inside the fence at the top of the St. Thomas More parking lot; food-collection bins at both churches benefit the Jonnycake Center in Wakefield, RI; and a quiet Mother Teresa Fund assists parishioners and local neighbors in need with rent, utilities, food, prescriptions, and Thanksgiving and Christmas help. The parish has a long Mission Trip tradition — past destinations include Hogar Emmanuel Orphanage in the Dominican Republic, the Community of Jesus Crucified in St. Martinville, LA, and Mustard Seed Jamaica. Parishioners are also pointed to Latino outreach through St. Charles Borromeo Church in Providence.
- Knights of Columbus Pope Pius XII Council — meets 2nd Mondays, 7:00 PM, parish hall
- Mother Teresa Fund — rent, utilities, food, prescriptions
- St. Vincent de Paul clothing bin
- Jonnycake Center food drive
- Mission Trips — Dominican Republic, Louisiana, Jamaica
- Prayer Chain Ministry
Sacraments
The parish prepares candidates for and celebrates all the usual sacraments: Baptism, Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and the Rite of Christian Burial. Baptisms are scheduled with required preparation, and parishioners bringing children baptized elsewhere must provide a baptismal certificate. Marriage guidelines and requirements are available on the parish website. All Catholics over the age of reason are entitled to the full Rite of Christian Burial. Confession is regularly available on Saturdays and by appointment.
- Baptism
- Reconciliation (Saturdays 4:00–4:45 PM and by appointment)
- First Holy Communion (2nd grade preparation)
- Confirmation (8th grade; transition class in 9th grade)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick / Pastoral care (on request)
Worship Sites
St. Thomas More Parish operates out of two sites along Narragansett's coast. St. Thomas More Church, the parish's center, anchors Narragansett Pier at 53 Rockland Street. St. Veronica Chapel at 1035 Boston Neck Road in Bonnet Shores began life as a summer-only mission chapel in 1961 and today operates year-round, sharing Sunday Masses between the two churches so residents and visitors can worship close to home.
- St. Thomas More Church — 53 Rockland Street, Narragansett, RI 02882
- St. Veronica Chapel — 1035 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett, RI 02882
Music Ministry
Music is provided at each worship site by dedicated directors: a Music Director, Organist & Choir Director at St. Thomas More Church and a Music Director at St. Veronica Chapel, helping parish liturgies reflect the seasons and feast days of the Catholic year.
- Music Director, Organist & Choir Director — St. Thomas More Church
- Music Director — St. Veronica Chapel
- Lector and Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister coordinators
- Altar Server coordinator
Getting Involved
Newcomers are welcomed explicitly on the parish website with a registration link, and the parish offers many ways for the faithful to plug in: catechist roles for Faith Formation, the Knights of Columbus council, the men's and women's Bible studies, the Mother Teresa Fund and food drives, the Prayer Chain Ministry, and the Lector/Eucharistic Minister/Altar Server teams. Contact the parish office at 401-789-7682 or [email protected] for details.
- New Parishioner registration on the website
- Catechist and aide roles for Faith Formation
- Knights of Columbus council membership (contact John Walsh)
- Music Ministry, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers
- Prayer Chain and outreach volunteer opportunities
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Austin J. O'Toole1917–
First pastor when the mission chapel was elevated to an independent parish on April 4, 1917. Bought the rectory, 'Driftwood,' at auction in August 1917; converted the original 1884 chapel into a parish hall.
- Rev. T. Henry Barry1954 – c.1961
Opened St. Philomena Convent (1959) and dedicated the parish school (1960). Supervised the 1961 renaming of the parish to St. Thomas More and the opening of St. Veronica Chapel in Bonnet Shores.
- Rev. Marcel Taillon1997–present (with brief AMS leave 2018–2024)
Pastor since 1997; oversaw the 2011 restoration of the 1906 church that earned the 'Rhody' Preservation Project Award.