About St. Thomas. St. Joseph of the Holy Family Parish. · East Falmouth, Massachusetts
St. Thomas Chapel is a seasonal Catholic chapel in Falmouth Heights, Massachusetts, that has been part of the Roman Catholic community on Cape Cod since 1918. Originally a converted ballroom on the shore of Falmouth Harbor, it was founded by Father Thomas Kennedy of Woods Hole to serve the Irish immigrant servants of the summer Catholic residents of the Falmouth Heights area. Today it operates as one of two chapels within St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish — a unified Catholic community of close to 3,000 households formed on July 1, 2021 from the four former Falmouth parishes and including the chapel of St. Thomas along with St. Anthony, St. Patrick, St. Elizabeth Seton, and St. Joseph Chapel in Woods Hole. The chapel remains open Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekend, with a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:30 PM and Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM celebrated under the pastorship of Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, V.F.
- Established
- 1918
- Patron
- St. Thomas the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Thomas Chapel offers something rare on Cape Cod: an intimate seasonal Mass setting literally on the shore of Falmouth Harbor — many longtime visitors describe kneeling before a stained-glass view of boats on the water. As a chapel of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, its members are part of a 3,000-household Catholic community with three churches, another chapel (St. Joseph in Woods Hole), daily and weekend Mass across multiple sites, regular Eucharistic Adoration, and a full sacramental-preparation and youth-formation program run from St. Anthony's in East Falmouth. Whether you are a year-round Falmouth resident, a summer visitor to Cape Cod, or a Catholic traveler in the area, the parish welcomes you to make the chapel — and the parish — your spiritual home.
Mass times at St. Thomas. St. Joseph of the Holy Family Parish.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 6:00–6:45 PM — St. Anthony Church
- Thursday 9:30–10:30 AM — St. Elizabeth Seton Church
- 1st Friday 2:00–3:00 PM — St. Patrick Church
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM — St. Anthony and St. Elizabeth Seton churches
- 1st Saturday 8:30–9:30 AM — St. Patrick Church
Adoration times
- Monday 6:00–7:00 PM — St. Anthony Church (except Monday holidays)
- Wednesday 4:00–5:00 PM — St. Joseph Chapel, Woods Hole (Memorial Day through Columbus Day)
- Thursday 9:30–10:30 AM — St. Elizabeth Seton Church
- 1st Friday 12:00–3:00 PM — St. Patrick Church
St. Thomas Chapel at a Glance
St. Thomas Chapel is the seasonal Catholic chapel of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, located at 446 Grand Avenue in Falmouth Heights, Massachusetts. Tucked along the harbor-side of Falmouth — on what was once called Deacon's Pond until it was opened to the sea in 1908 — the small converted social hall has been a Catholic Mass site since July 4, 1918. Today it celebrates a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:30 PM and Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM during the Cape Cod season (Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekend).
- Type: Chapel (seasonal worship site)
- Worship language: English
- Opened for Mass: July 4, 1918
- Address: 446 Grand Avenue, Falmouth Heights, MA 02540 (official: Deacon's Lane)
- Chapel hours: M–F, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Memorial Day – Columbus Day weekend
History
The chapel was originally a social hall serving summer visitors to Falmouth Heights. Father Thomas Kennedy, then-pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Woods Hole, purchased and converted it so that the Irish Catholic servants of the affluent summer residents would have a place for Sunday Mass. The first Mass was celebrated on July 4, 1918. In 1928 Bishop Daniel Feehan elevated it to a full parish, with Father James Coyle as its first (and only) resident pastor, and a mission at Immaculate Conception in Megansett. By 1931 St. Patrick's in downtown Falmouth became the parish church, and St. Thomas reverted to mission status. In July 2021 it joined the new unified parish, St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family.
- 1889 — St. Joseph's, Woods Hole, founded by Fr. Cornelius McSweeney (the mother parish for all Falmouth parishes).
- 1908 — Deacon's Pond connected to Nantucket Sound, becoming Falmouth Harbor.
- 1911 — St. Patrick's on Main St., Falmouth, dedicated by Bishop Daniel Feehan.
- 1918 — Fr. Thomas Kennedy leases Harbor View Park and converts the ballroom; first Mass July 4, 1918.
- 1921 — Property purchased.
- 1928 — St. Thomas designated a full parish; Fr. James Coyle appointed first pastor.
- 1931 — St. Thomas reverts to mission status under St. Patrick's.
- July 1, 2021 — St. Thomas joins St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish.
The Unified Parish: St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family
St. Thomas Chapel is one of five worship sites of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish — a unified Catholic community of close to 3,000 households formed on July 1, 2021, at the recommendation of the Falmouth Pastoral Council and with the approval of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., of the Diocese of Fall River. The new parish brought together St. Anthony (East Falmouth), St. Patrick (Falmouth), St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (North Falmouth), St. Joseph Chapel (Woods Hole), and St. Thomas Chapel (Falmouth Heights). The merger was driven by a declining number of priests in the diocese and a desire to strengthen evangelization across Cape Cod.
- Established July 1, 2021
- Bishop: Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. (Diocese of Fall River)
- Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, V.F.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Bryan R. Bangs
- Roughly 3,000 households; 3 churches + 2 chapels
- Main office: 167 East Falmouth Hwy., East Falmouth, MA 02536
Clergy & Staff
St. Thomas Chapel is served by the unified parish clergy and staff based at 167 East Falmouth Hwy. in East Falmouth. The pastor is Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, V.F., assisted by Parochial Vicar Rev. Bryan R. Bangs and five permanent deacons. A Director of Business & Operations, an Assistant Director of Operations, a Director of Youth Faith Formation & Evangelization, a Pastoral Coordinator for Adult Faith Formation, a Ministry Apprentice, a Cemetery Superintendent, and a Ministry-to-the-Sick coordinator (Sister Juleanne Burns) round out the team.
- Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, V.F. — Pastor (ext. 125)
- Rev. Bryan R. Bangs — Parochial Vicar (ext. 110)
- Deacon James 'Gus' Adams
- Deacon Peter M. Guresh
- Deacon Paul J. Harney
- Deacon William W. Hays
- Deacon Patrick J. Mahoney
- Daniel Cunha — Director of Business & Operations
- Sister Juleanne Burns — Ministry to the Sick
- Maura Polles — Director of Youth Faith Formation & Evangelization
- Thomas Palanza Jr. — Pastoral Coordinator & Adult Faith Formation
- Jacqueline Hale — Ministry Apprentice
- Kathleen (Kathy) Kanaley — Music Director, St. Anthony
- Kari Fietek — Music Director, St. Elizabeth Seton
- Barbara Leighton — Music Director, St. Patrick
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith Formation for Grades 1–High School is run from St. Anthony's in East Falmouth. Classes meet Sunday mornings, 9:45–10:45 AM, followed by the 11:00 AM Mass. The program includes a new EDGE middle-school track (Grades 6–8) as well as Confirmation preparation for high-school students. A Youth Choir (Grades 3–8), directed by Kathy Kanaley, rehearses at 9:00 AM on Faith Formation Sundays and sings at the 11:00 AM Mass. The parish also runs Lumen Young Adults (ages 18–35) on Monday evenings and Adult Faith Formation for catechumens, candidates, and adult learners.
- Youth Faith Formation — Grades 1–8, Sundays 9:45–10:45 AM at St. Anthony's
- EDGE Middle-School Ministry — Grades 6–8
- Confirmation Preparation — High School
- Youth Choir — Grades 3–8, Sunday 9:00 AM
- Lumen Young Adults — Mon 6:00 PM (Adoration) + 7:00 PM (small groups, Fatima Hall)
- Adult Faith Formation / Inquiry — for unbaptized, non-Catholic baptized, and unconfirmed Catholics
- Director: Maura Polles (ext. 109)
Music & Liturgical Ministry
Each of the three churches has its own Director of Music Ministry. A Youth Choir of Grades 3–8, directed by Kathy Kanaley, rehearses Sunday mornings at St. Anthony's and sings at the 11:00 AM Mass during the Faith Formation year. Altar Servers are recruited from third grade through high school seniors, with a brief training session provided; the parish maintains a published Liturgical Ministry Schedule on its website.
- Kathleen (Kathy) Kanaley — Music Director, St. Anthony
- Kari Fietek — Music Director, St. Elizabeth Seton
- Barbara Leighton — Music Director, St. Patrick
- Altar Servers — youth and adult ministry; brief training provided
Contact & Visit
The parish main office is at 167 East Falmouth Highway in East Falmouth, Massachusetts (at St. Anthony's Church), open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. The single parish phone number (508-548-0108) routes to every church and chapel site, including St. Thomas. The chapel itself is open for prayer Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekend.
- Parish office: 167 East Falmouth Hwy., East Falmouth, MA 02536
- Phone: 508-548-0108
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- St. Thomas Chapel hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Memorial Day – Columbus Day weekend)
The View from the Pew
Visitors and longtime parishioners consistently single out one feature of St. Thomas Chapel: the harbor view from the pew. Because the chapel sits on the shore of Falmouth Harbor (formerly Deacon's Pond), a side entrance looks directly out over the boats; Mass-goers have described kneeling to a stunning water view and feeling 'short the words' to describe it. The chapel's tiny seasonal scale, paired with that harbor tableau, is what makes St. Thomas a memorable stop on Cape Cod.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Kennedy1918–1928
Pastor of St. Joseph's, Woods Hole; purchased the Falmouth Heights social hall and converted it into St. Thomas Chapel, opening with the first Mass on July 4, 1918.
- Fr. James Coyle1928–1931
First (and only) resident pastor when St. Thomas was designated a full parish in 1928; reassigned in 1931 when St. Patrick's became the parish church.