About St. Thomas More · Tulsa, Oklahoma
St. Thomas More Parish is a bilingual Catholic community serving East Tulsa and the surrounding communities of Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Claremore, Coweta, Haskell, Inola, Jenks, Owasso, Mounds, Sand Springs, and Wagner. Founded in 1973 by Father Bernard Jewitt, the parish began with just 98 families who worshipped at Walt Disney Elementary School and first celebrated Mass in its own church on Palm Sunday, March 30, 1975. Today the parish counts roughly 1,386 registered families and welcomes approximately 5,000 parishioners every Sunday, with a majority Hispanic/Spanish-speaking congregation alongside English-speaking, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Micronesian communities. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma and offers one of the most extensive bilingual Mass schedules in the region.
- Established
- 1973
- Patron
- St. Thomas More
- Rector
- Rev. José María Briones
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma
Why belong here
St. Thomas More is a vibrant, bilingual Catholic family serving East Tulsa and more than a dozen surrounding communities, with about 5,000 parishioners gathering on any given Sunday. The parish offers one of the most extensive bilingual Mass schedules in the Tulsa area — seven Sunday Masses plus daily Masses in both English and Spanish — along with weekday adoration, regular confession, a food pantry, and a youth ministry. With English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Micronesian communities worshipping side-by-side, it is a place where newcomers are welcomed into a deeply rooted, culturally rich family of faith.
Mass times at St. Thomas More
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (English)
- Thursday: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (Spanish)
- Saturday: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Confessions also offered before, during, and after Sunday Masses (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM window noted)
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM (with Spanish adoration)
- All-night Adoration on the first Friday of every month: Friday 9:00 PM through Saturday 6:00 AM, ending with the 6:00 AM Spanish Mass
About St. Thomas More Parish
St. Thomas More Catholic Church was established in 1973 to serve the community of East Tulsa and the surrounding areas, welcoming all who seek solace and spiritual nourishment. The parish is bilingual and multicultural, with a majority Hispanic/Spanish-speaking community alongside English-speaking, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Micronesian families. Roughly 1,386 families are formally registered, and about 5,000 parishioners attend Mass on any given Sunday.
- Founded 1973 by Father Bernard Jewitt
- First Mass in the new church: Palm Sunday, March 30, 1975
- Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma
- Approximately 5,000 weekly Sunday parishioners
- 1,386 registered families from Tulsa and surrounding cities
Parish History
What began with 98 families gathering at Walt Disney Elementary School has grown into one of the largest parishes in East Tulsa. The parish broke ground for its church in 1973, celebrated its first Mass in the new building on Palm Sunday 1975, and has continued to expand its facilities, staff, and ministries ever since.
- 1973 — Founded with 98 families at Walt Disney Elementary School under Father Bernard Jewitt
- March 30, 1975 — First Mass celebrated in the new church on Palm Sunday
- 1978 — Front office area and north-side classrooms added; over 900 families enrolled
- 1982 — Chapel and day-care building added, completing the original complex
- August 2008 — Father Samuel Perez becomes pastor and leads major repairs and upgrades
- 2015 — A new on-site rectory is constructed
- Recent years — Chapel remodel, church south entrance, parking lot expansion, Our Lady of Guadalupe Conference Center renovation
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Father José María Briones, supported by associate pastors, a parochial vicar, and three deacons, along with a bilingual staff of religious-education coordinators, youth ministers, musicians, and office personnel.
- Rev. José María Briones — Pastor
- Rev. Ismael Comayagua — Associate Pastor
- Rev. Robert Healey — Associate Pastor
- Rev. Daniel Campos — Associate Pastor
- Rev. Leonardo Morales — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Richard Cristler — providing pastoral and sacramental care through July 2026
- Deacon Isidro Saenz
- Deacon Augusto Pellecchia
- Deacon Ken Saveth
- Sally Gonzalez — Bilingual Coordinator of Religious Education
- Alex Arevalo — Coordinator of Religious Education / Spanish Office Assistant
- Rhonda Homra — Bookkeeper
- Oscar Rosales — Youth Coordinator (Spanish)
- Ann Baltes — Office Assistant / Bulletin Editor
- Joyce Shank — English Music Director
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers a bilingual Catechetical Religious Education (CRE) program for children, coordinated by Sally Gonzalez and Alex Arevalo. Religious Education is one of the central ministries serving both English- and Spanish-speaking families in the parish.
- Bilingual CRE program
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Sally Gonzalez ([email protected])
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Alex Arevalo ([email protected])
Youth Ministry
The parish maintains an active Spanish-language youth ministry program that engages younger parishioners in the life of the parish. (Detailed program schedules are available on the parish website.)
- Youth Coordinator (Spanish): Oscar Rosales
Music Ministry
Music at St. Thomas More is led by English Music Director Joyce Shank, with parallel Spanish-language liturgical music supporting the parish's many Spanish Masses each week.
- Joyce Shank — English Music Director
- Spanish liturgical music at all Spanish Masses (including 7 Sunday Masses and several weekday Masses)
Outreach & Food Pantry
St. Thomas More runs a parish Food Pantry to serve families in need in the East Tulsa area. The pantry opens on designated Fridays and is staffed by parish volunteers.
- Food Pantry open select Fridays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
- Example distribution dates: March 6 and March 20, 2026
Buildings, Grounds & Facilities
The parish campus has grown substantially since 1975 and has been the subject of major recent upgrades, including a new rectory, an expanded parking lot, a renovated chapel, a new church entrance, and a re-imagined activity center.
- Main Church — new south-side entrance for safer traffic flow and emergency egress
- Chapel (added 1982) — new altar façade, lighting, and decorative ceiling beams
- Rectory — new construction completed in 2015
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Conference Center (formerly Henderson Hall) — new flooring, ceiling vaults, lighting, chairs, and tables
- Front Office — new reception and waiting area
- Parking lot — expanded following City of Tulsa safety measures
Visit, Contact & Directions
St. Thomas More is located on the east side of Tulsa and is accessible from across the Tulsa metropolitan area. The parish office is open during regular business hours and can be reached by phone or email.
- Address: 2720 S 129th E Ave, Tulsa, OK 74134
- Phone: (918) 437-0168
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stthomasmoretulsa.com
- Parish listed in the Diocese of Tulsa Parish Finder at dioceseoftulsa.org/parishfinder
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Bernard Jewitt1973 (founding pastor)
Gathered the original 98 families at Walt Disney Elementary School and led the parish at its founding.
- Father Samuel Perez2008 –
Took over as Pastor in August 2008 and oversaw major repairs and upgrades to the church buildings.
- Rev. José María Briones
Current Pastor.