About St. Thomas · Providence, Rhode Island
St. Thomas Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish located at 65 Fruit Hill Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island, within the Diocese of Providence. The parish was established on April 7, 1886 — its corporate name is recorded as 'St. Thomas' Church of Manton Rhode Island' — and serves the Fruit Hill / Manton neighborhood on the city's North Side, near Rhode Island College. Today St. Thomas ministers to a family membership of around 1,100 households, with Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m., a daily 7:30 a.m. Mass, and an affiliated regional school (St. Thomas Regional School) and a mission church, Holy Cross, that was brought under its care in 2018. The parish is led by Rev. Przemyslaw "Shemek" Lepak as pastor, with Rev. Peter J. Gower assisting as senior priest and Deacon John J. Natalizia.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- St. Thomas the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Przemyslaw "Shemek" Lepak
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Thomas offers a complete rhythm of parish life — daily and Sunday Mass, Saturday confession, Eucharistic adoration, and the sacraments — along with an active parish school, faith formation, a parish prayer line, and ministries for lectors, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, altar servers, and greeters. It is a long-established Fruit Hill parish (since 1886) with about 1,100 family members and a school serving more than 200 students, giving newcomers a tight-knit community in which to register, worship, and serve.
Mass times at St. Thomas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Monday of the month, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Parish History
St. Thomas was founded on April 7, 1886 to serve the growing Catholic community in the Manton / Fruit Hill section of Providence's North Side. The parish was incorporated in Rhode Island on February 11, 1888 under the corporate name 'St. Thomas' Church of Manton Rhode Island.' For more than a century it has ministered in the same neighborhood, near present-day Rhode Island College. In 2018 the parish welcomed Holy Cross Church (118 King Philip St.) as an affiliated mission church, broadening its pastoral reach within the city.
- Founded April 7, 1886
- Incorporated in Rhode Island on February 11, 1888 as 'St. Thomas' Church of Manton Rhode Island'
- Third pastor Rev. James O'Reilly founded the parish school in 1926
- Fr. Sweeney (1944) envisioned a dedicated school building
- Current school building opened fall 1955 under Bishop McVinney
- Holy Cross, 118 King Philip St., became a mission of St. Thomas in 2018
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is served by a priest-pastor, an assistant senior priest, and a deacon, supported by a parish secretary, business manager, and parish life coordinator. Music is directed by two lay directors — one for each worship site — reflecting the parish's dual-campus reality at St. Thomas and the Holy Cross mission.
- Rev. Przemyslaw 'Shemek' Lepak — Pastor
- Rev. Peter J. Gower — Assistant Senior Priest
- Rev. Mr. John J. Natalizia — Deacon
- Ms. Angela Boulay — Parish Secretary
- Mr. David Cote — Business Manager
- Mrs. Julie Moura — Parish Life Coordinator
- Mrs. Julie Mayhew — Director of Music (St. Thomas)
- T. Kevin Morgan — Director of Music (Holy Cross)
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and administers the sacraments of Reconciliation, Baptism, Matrimony, and the Anointing of the Sick. Sacramental policies stress parish registration, ongoing Mass attendance, and advance planning for weddings, with the Anointing of the Sick available upon request for any serious illness, anticipated surgery, or hospitalization.
- Baptism — parents register and attend Mass weekly for at least three months; required pre-baptismal class for parents and godparents
- Matrimony — call the Rectory at least one year before the desired date
- Anointing of the Sick — call the Rectory for illness, surgery, or hospitalization
Liturgical Ministries
St. Thomas draws lay parishioners into the celebration of the liturgy through the traditional liturgical ministries, with schedules for each Mass published regularly.
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- Greeters
- Music ministry (choirs/directors at both St. Thomas and Holy Cross)
St. Thomas Regional School
St. Thomas Regional School, located at 15 Edendale Avenue in North Providence, is the parish's affiliated Catholic elementary school. It was founded in 1926 by the parish's third pastor, Rev. James O'Reilly, who invited the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton, Pennsylvania, to staff it. Mother Marie was the first superior. The school today serves more than 200 students in grades K-8 under Principal Mary DiMuccio and continues the founding motto, 'We Walk By Faith.'
- Founded in 1926 by Rev. James O'Reilly
- Staffed by Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton, PA
- Mother Marie — first superior of the school
- Current dedicated school building opened fall 1955 (Bishop McVinney)
- 15 Edendale Avenue, North Providence, RI 02911 — 401-351-0403
- Principal: Mrs. Mary DiMuccio
- Motto: 'We Walk By Faith' — serves K-8, more than 200 students
Parish Life & Registration
The parish welcomes new members and invites them to register by completing a form at the Rectory or picking one up at the entrance of the church. The Parish Life Coordinator helps connect newcomers to ministries and parish activities.
- New parishioners may register at the Rectory or via forms at the church entrance
- Completed registration forms may be returned in the collection basket
- Contact: Mrs. Julie Moura, Parish Life Coordinator
Contact & Location
The parish offices (Rectory) sit on Fruit Hill Avenue on Providence's North Side, near Rhode Island College, with both a phone line and a parish email for general inquiries and sacramental requests.
- Address: 65 Fruit Hill Avenue, Providence, RI 02909
- Phone: (401) 272-7118
- Fax: (401) 272-8431
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stthomaschurchri.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John P. Soaresappointed 2008
Transferred from 12 years on the University of Rhode Island campus at Christ the King, Kingston; named pastor of St. Thomas by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin.
- Rev. James O'Reilly
Third pastor of St. Thomas; founded St. Thomas Regional School in 1926 and invited the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton, PA, to staff it.
- Fr. Sweeney1944
Envisioned a new parish school building in 1944 but was transferred before his vision could be realized.