About St. Thomas More · Pensacola, Florida
St. Thomas More Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee located in the Warrington neighborhood of West Pensacola, Florida. Founded in 1957 to serve the growing Catholic community of Warrington, the parish is now led by Rev. Luke Farabaugh and offers a traditional schedule of daily and Sunday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, First Saturday devotions, and a wide range of parish ministries. The parish describes itself as 'a joyful and faithful parish family nestled in the heart of West Pensacola, striving each day to grow in holiness, serve our neighbor, and celebrate the Sacraments with reverence and devotion.' Its patron saint is St. Thomas More, the English lawyer, scholar, and Lord Chancellor who was martyred in 1535 for refusing to acknowledge King Henry VIII as head of the Church.
- Established
- 1957
- Patron
- St. Thomas More
- Rector
- Rev. Luke Farabaugh
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee
Why belong here
St. Thomas More welcomes visitors, newcomers, and lifelong Catholics with the same warm invitation its pastor extends personally: 'You are not only welcome—you are wanted.' The parish offers the full rhythm of traditional Catholic life—daily Mass Monday through Friday, two Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, monthly Holy Hour workshops on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, First Saturday Mass with the Rosary in honor of Our Lady of Fatima, and a full sacramental preparation program for baptism and marriage. Active ministries span every age and interest: Faith Formation for children (Ages 8 and Up), the Knights of Columbus, Ladies Altar Society, Catholic Women's Group, an Outreach program, Burse Club, Sacred Music, Altar Servers, Ushers, and a Parish Pastoral and Finance Council. As one parishioner blog notes, this is 'a close-knit parish' where the ordinary daily acts of Catholic life are taken seriously and every visitor is greeted by name.
Mass times at St. Thomas More
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Friday 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM (30 minutes at the conclusion of Mass)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration every Friday for 30 minutes at the conclusion of the 7:30 AM Mass (8:00 AM – 8:30 AM)
Welcome and Parish Registration
St. Thomas More Parish welcomes visitors, newcomers, and longtime Catholics with a personal letter from its pastor. In the registration message, Fr. Luke Farabaugh describes the parish as 'a joyful and faithful parish family nestled in the heart of West Pensacola, striving each day to grow in holiness, serve our neighbor, and celebrate the Sacraments with reverence and devotion.' The parish takes as its motto a familiar line from its patron: 'The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.' Registration is available online via the parish website, and the contact form also lets newcomers schedule a meeting with a priest.
- Online Parish Registration form via stthomasmore.ptdiocese.org
- Personal welcome letter from Fr. Luke Farabaugh
- Contact form options: Parish Registration, Schedule a Meeting with a Priest, Schedule Baptism Preparation, Request a Sacramental Record, Schedule Marriage Preparation
Our Staff and Clergy
Pastoral and administrative staff are listed on the parish website's 'Our Staff' page. The parish is served by a small team working under the new pastor, supported by an Office Manager and several part-time staff handling Sacramental records, faith formation/OCIA, and maintenance. The Office Manager is the central point of first contact for most parish business.
- Pastor — Rev. Luke Farabaugh (frlukestmfl.org)
- Office Manager — Kathy Salamida ([email protected])
- Sacramental Assistant — Karen Manning ([email protected] / [email protected])
- Maintenance / OCIA — Alex Bader ([email protected])
- Office Assistant — Michele Gousy
Father Luke Farabaugh — Pastor
Father Luke Farabaugh is a Pensacola native who graduated from Pensacola Catholic High School and studied economics at Florida State University. While at FSU he felt a strong call to the priesthood and entered seminary in South Florida, where he spent seven years in study and formation. His first priestly assignment was at St. Dominic Parish in Panama City, where he was suddenly tested by Category 5 Hurricane Michael, which destroyed all of the parish's buildings; he lost his car and personal belongings, and the community celebrated Mass in a tent for two years while rebuilding—an experience he often points to as a formative lesson in trust. Outside of ministry he enjoys fishing, reading, sci-fi, and dog training (he has a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy). His Installation Mass as pastor of St. Thomas More is scheduled for August 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM, with Bishop William Wack, CSC presiding.
- Pensacola native; Pensacola Catholic High School alumnus
- B.A. in Economics, Florida State University
- Seven years of seminary formation in South Florida
- First assignment: St. Dominic Parish, Panama City (post-Hurricane Michael rebuilding)
- Installed as Pastor of St. Thomas More — August 8, 2026
Parish Groups and Ministries
The parish supports a broad slate of parish groups and ministries serving every age and stage of life, coordinated by lay leaders. Liturgical roles (ushers, altar servers, sacred music), faith-formation ministries for children and adults, devotional and service organizations (Ladies Altar Society, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Women's Group, Burse Club, Outreach), and governance councils (Finance Council and Parish Pastoral Council) are all active. The parish encourages interested parishioners to contact the parish office for more information on how to get involved.
- Ushers — Charlie Dickin
- Faith Formation — Michele Kenaga
- Ladies Altar Society / CCW — Lynn VanNatter
- Knights of Columbus — Alex Bui
- Outreach — Lynn VanNatter
- Burse Club — Joyce Edgar
- Catholic Women's Group — Olga Witt
- Sacred Music — (open)
- Altar Servers — Alex Bader
- Finance Council
- Parish Pastoral Council
Sacraments
Parishioners can use the website's contact form to schedule Baptism Preparation or Marriage Preparation, and can request Sacramental Records through the dedicated records email. Sacramental emergencies outside office hours can be phoned to a dedicated priests' line.
- Baptism Preparation — request via Contact Us form
- Marriage Preparation — request via Contact Us form
- Sacramental Records — [email protected]
- Sacramental emergencies — 850-525-2947
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Children's faith formation includes a Sunday morning Children's Bible Study at 9:15 AM, designed for ages 8 and up, which dovetails with the parish's two Sunday Masses so families can come to Mass together. Adult formation is supported by faith-formation staff and the OCIA process (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), coordinated by Alex Bader.
- Children's Bible Study — Sundays, 9:15 AM (Ages 8 and Up)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Alex Bader
- Faith Formation inquiries — [email protected]
Parish Life and Community Events
The parish keeps a lively social calendar alongside its liturgical one. Recurring events include a Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast, monthly Ladies Altar Society meetings (after the 8:00 AM Mass on the 3rd Sunday, in the Parish Hall Classroom), and recurring Sacred Heart of Jesus Workshops on Saturdays. Annual highlights include the patron saint celebration (MoreFest / St. Thomas More Parish Picnic) and the Knights of Columbus All-American Trivia Night.
- Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast
- Ladies Altar Society — 3rd Sunday, after 8:00 AM Mass, Parish Hall Classroom
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Workshop — monthly Saturdays (8:30 AM and 6:00 PM)
- St. Thomas More Parish Picnic (MoreFest) — patron saint celebration
- All-American Trivia Night — Knights of Columbus
History of the Parish
St. Thomas More was created in 1957 as the second Catholic parish in Warrington, responding to the growth of the west Pensacola Catholic community. While the church was under construction, the new community worshipped in the auditorium of Warrington Middle School. The parish once operated St. Thomas More Catholic School, which closed after enrollment declined, but the parish itself has continued to serve Warrington Catholics for more than sixty-five years. The patron saint's perseverance under persecution, and his famous conviction that 'the ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest,' shapes the parish's quiet, family-centered character.
- 1957 — parish established
- Worshipped at Warrington Middle School auditorium while the church was under construction
- 11th Catholic parish in the Pensacola area; 2nd Catholic parish in Warrington
- Formerly operated St. Thomas More Catholic School (later closed)
Our Diocese — Pensacola–Tallahassee
St. Thomas More Parish belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee, in the Western Deanery. The diocese was established in 1975 from portions of the former Diocese of Mobile and the Diocese of St. Augustine; the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola and the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee are its two principal churches, and the diocese itself is placed under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Thomas More — the same patron as this parish. The current bishop is the Most Reverend William Albert Wack, CSC, a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross who was installed on August 22, 2017.
- Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee
- Western Deanery
- Bishop — Most Rev. William Albert Wack, CSC (installed August 22, 2017)
- Diocese placed under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Thomas More
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or via the website's contact form. A dedicated emergency sacramental line is in place for after-hours emergencies (anointing of the sick, last rites, etc.).
- Address — 3295 Barrancas Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32507
- Phone — (850) 456-2543
- Email — [email protected]
- Sacramental emergencies — 850-525-2947
- Website — https://stthomasmore.ptdiocese.org/