About St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church · Quincy, Florida
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish located at 27 N. Shadow Street in Quincy, Florida, within the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee. The parish serves the small city of Quincy and the surrounding seven hamlets of Gadsden County, offering three Sunday Masses (two in Spanish, one in English) along with weekday Masses in both languages. It is currently pastored by Rev. Vincent Alexius, SVD, a member of the Divine Word Missionaries, and is known for welcoming a diverse congregation that includes long-time Anglo and African-American families alongside a growing Hispanic community from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia and Puerto Rico.
- Patron
- St. Thomas the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Vincent Alexius, SVD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee
Why belong here
St. Thomas the Apostle is one of the few places in rural Gadsden County where English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics worship together as one community, with bilingual Masses, a unified pastoral council, and ministries that welcome every background. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass in both languages, Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday and after the First Friday Mass, a monthly Healing Mass, and a robust Religious Education program preparing children for First Communion and Confirmation. With active lay-led music at every liturgy, RCIA, door-knocking evangelization, and a long tradition of bilingual pilgrimages, it is a vibrant, family-oriented parish where newcomers quickly find a place.
Mass times at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- Friday after the 8:30 AM Mass
- Sunday 30 minutes before each Mass
- Wednesday 30 minutes before Mass
Adoration times
- Every Thursday after the 6:30 PM Mass
- After the 8:30 AM Mass on the First Friday of the month
About St. Thomas the Apostle Parish
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee, located at 27 N. Shadow Street in Quincy, the seat of Gadsden County in the Florida Panhandle. The parish identifies itself as one community worshipping in two languages, with both English- and Spanish-speaking families sharing the same pastoral council, the same Religious Education program, and the same liturgical celebrations. It is led today by Fr. Vincent Alexius, SVD, of the Society of the Divine Word, with Luisa Maldonado serving as Parish Secretary.
- Pastor: Rev. Vincent Alexius, SVD
- Parish Secretary: Luisa Maldonado
- Diocese: Pensacola–Tallahassee
- Location: 27 N. Shadow St., Quincy, FL 32351
Parish History and Community
St. Thomas the Apostle has ministered to Catholics across the rural hamlets of Gadsden County for decades. Since the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee was carved from the Diocese of St. Augustine in 1975, the parish has been part of that new diocese. In 2011 Fr. Nicholas Schumm reorganized parish life around a bilingual model, and the parish has continued to grow under successive Divine Word Missionary priests, including Fr. Michael Somers and the present pastor, Fr. Vincent Alexius.
- Part of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee since 1975
- Administered by Fr. Nicholas Schumm from 2011
- Served by Divine Word Missionary priests (Fr. Somers, Fr. Vincent Alexius)
- Annual bilingual pilgrimage tradition (e.g. 2012 Alabama monastery trip)
- Door-to-door evangelization of Gadsden County's seven hamlets
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish runs a year-round Religious Education program (Catequesis) for children and youth, directed by Juan and Rocio Cruz. Programs are offered in both English and Spanish for the Sacraments of Initiation, with clear requirements regarding Mass attendance, parental involvement, and documentation. Registration costs are kept low, with discounts for larger families.
- First Communion – 2-year program; child must be at least 6 and turn 7 before Jan. 1
- Confirmation – 1-year program; must be in 9th grade or 14+ years old by Jan. 1
- RCIA – begins each September; contact the parish office
- Donation: $25 per child ($20 for second child, $75 cap for 3+ children)
- Directors: Juan and Rocio Cruz
- Bilingual instruction in both English and Spanish
Sacraments at St. Thomas
Information about the seven sacraments is published on the parish website. Parents preparing for Baptism must be registered parishioners and attend a Baptism class. The Religious Education page sets out dress codes, sponsor (godparent) requirements, and documentation for First Communion and Confirmation.
- Baptism – registered parishioners; Baptism Class required
- First Communion – 2-year preparation; white dress for girls, formal attire for boys
- Confirmation – 1-year preparation; any-color modest dress or formal shirt and pants
- Godparents/sponsors – must have received the Sacraments of Initiation
- RCIA – open to adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church
- Marriage, Anointing of the Sick – contact the parish office
Parish Life, Music and Community
St. Thomas is celebrated for the way its lay members shape parish life. At least 14 musicians serve each Mass, drawing on the rich Catholic musical traditions of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia and Puerto Rico as well as the English-speaking community. Every Lent the parish stages an elaborate, parishioner-organized dramatization of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), including a depiction of the Crucifixion.
- Lay music ministry with at least 14 members per service
- Annual dramatized Via Crucis / Way of the Cross during Holy Week
- Bilingual parish pilgrimage tradition
- Parish fundraising through tamale sales and car washes
- Single bilingual pastoral council rather than separate language communities
Safe Environment and Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee
St. Thomas the Apostle is part of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee, which was established in 1975. The parish and diocese publish a bilingual 'Safe Environment' notice making clear that victims of sexual abuse by clergy or church personnel can reach trained Victim Assistance Coordinators. This commitment is displayed prominently on the parish homepage in both English and Spanish.
- Diocesan helpline (English): (850) 877-0205
- Spanish-language assistance coordinator: (850) 264-6752
- Diocese formed November 1975 from parts of the Dioceses of St. Augustine and Mobile
- Fifth Bishop: Gregory L. Parkes (installed June 5, 2012)
Contact and Visiting St. Thomas
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone, fax, email or in person. The church sits on North Shadow Street in central Quincy, and parish communications are published in both English and Spanish throughout the website.
- Address: 27 N. Shadow St., Quincy, FL 32351
- Phone: (850) 627-2350
- Fax: (850) 627-2532
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stthomasquincy.com/
- Mailing: St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, PO Box (per parish records), Quincy, FL 32351
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Nicholas Schumm2011–
Administrator who launched the bilingual pastoral council, the 2012 monastery pilgrimage, and the door-to-door parish visitation of the seven hamlets of Gadsden County.
- Fr. Michael Somers, SVD2013–2015 (approx.)
Irish-born Divine Word Missionary who arrived from a 6-year posting in Ecuador and was known for fluent Spanish and close ties with the Hispanic community.
- Fr. Rick (Castillo)until August 1989
Reassigned from Good Shepherd Parish in Tallahassee as Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Quincy (per neighboring Good Shepherd's history).