About St. Thomas the Apostle · Smyrna, Georgia
Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church is a Catholic parish in Smyrna, Georgia, founded in 1966 and located in Cobb County just northwest of Atlanta. The parish is staffed by the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.), who have ministered there since 1977. A bilingual (English/Spanish) community, St. Thomas the Apostle serves a vibrant and growing Catholic population in the Smyrna area, offering daily and weekly Masses in both languages, a Parish School of Religion, the Life Teen youth ministry, and a wide range of liturgical, service, and faith-formation ministries.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- St. Thomas the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Brian Sheridan, M.S.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
St. Thomas the Apostle is a bilingual Catholic community rooted in the Smyrna area since 1966, with daily Mass in both English and Spanish and a thriving Hispanic ministry. Parishioners can grow in faith through the Parish School of Religion (K–8), the Life Teen youth ministry, Edge programs, RCIA for adults, and a dedicated Music Director leading liturgy. A strong culture of service is visible in the active Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus Council 12386, the Feed the Hungry ministry, a Eucharistic Ministry to the Sick and Homebound, and a Legion of Mary praesidium — making the parish a welcoming home for families, newcomers, and Spanish-speaking Catholics alike.
Mass times at St. Thomas the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- By appointment (call 770-432-8579 Ext. 0)
- Communal Penance Services during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- Thursday after the 7:30 p.m. Spanish Mass — one hour of Adoration
History of the Parish
Saint Thomas the Apostle was founded on June 1, 1966 as a mission of what is now the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The first parish families attended Mass at a movie theater until the parish's Social Hall was constructed. Archdiocesan priests led the community from 1966 to 1977, beginning with founding pastor Rev. Richard B. Morrow. In 1977 the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette took over pastoral leadership, beginning with Fr. Robert E. Dyer, M.S., and the order has staffed the parish continuously ever since.
- Founded June 1, 1966
- Initial Mass location: a local movie theater
- 1977: Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette arrive — Fr. Robert E. Dyer becomes first La Salette pastor
- 1995: Fr. James Caffery, M.S., begins pastorate that will launch the parish's Hispanic ministry in 1998
- 2010: Memorial Garden dedicated, donated by Gus Scannapieco
- 2011: Teak La Salette Cross installed at the King Springs Road entrance
Sisters Who Served — Nuns of the Holy Humility of Mary (1966–1985)
Religious women from the Nuns of the Holy Humility of Mary supported parish life and religious education for nearly twenty years, beginning with Sr. Elizabeth Heisler in 1966 and concluding with Sr. Mary Ann Warner in 1985.
- Sr. Elizabeth Heisler (1966–1972)
- Sr. Damian Schiner (1967–1972)
- Sr. Mary Rita Brennon (1967–1970)
- Sr. Barbara Walter (1970–1972)
- Sr. Mary Jane Melchoir (1972–1977)
- Sr. Linda Valasik (1977–1980)
- Sr. Therese Zak (1980–1984)
- Sr. Diane Dougherty (1983–1984)
- Sr. Mary Ann Warner (1976–1985)
Art, Memorabilia & Sacred Objects
Six decades of parish life have filled St. Thomas the Apostle with devotional art and memorial pieces given by parishioners and clergy. The stained-glass window at the entrance, the bronze Our Lady of La Salette, the Stations of the Cross, the Memorial Garden, and the ivory cross display together give the church a layered visual identity shaped by its community.
- Stained-glass window at entrance — risen Christ and doubting Thomas, banner reading 'Believe'
- Bronze statue of Our Lady of La Salette — donated by Fr. Jerry Biron, M.S. (ca. 1985)
- Statue of Mary — acquired during Fr. Dyer's pastorate
- Stations of the Cross — from Maison Bouvrier Inc., Canada, donated during Fr. McGlone's tenure
- St. Thomas the Apostle painting — made in India in 2005 by request of Fr. Joy Chukkananickal, M.S.
- Ivory crosses wall art — made by former parishioner and artist Carl Leick; moved to Social Hall after 2015 renovation
- Wooden Nativity — donated in honor of M.L. and Jack Kellner, parishioners since 1972
- Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe — donated by the Hispanic parishioners
- Statue of the Blessed Mother (indoors) — donated by Glenda Brennan and family in memory of Tom Brennan
- Teak La Salette Cross — crafted by Phil Reynolds (British parishioner), installed Jan. 21, 2011
Memorial Garden
Dedicated in September 2010 and donated by parishioner Gus Scannapieco, the Memorial Garden is a place for all St. Thomas families to remember their loved ones. Engraved bricks are placed throughout the garden and donations continue to be accepted for new bricks.
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish staff supports the priests, deacons, and ministries of St. Thomas the Apostle in liturgy, faith formation, youth ministry, communications, and administration. The team is bilingual in English and Spanish.
- Pastor: Rev. Brian Sheridan, M.S.
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Sunny Poovathumkudy, M.S.; Rev. John Patrick Sullivan, M.S.
- Hispanic Ministry: Rev. Jaime Molina, M.N.M.
- Deacons: Dcn. Michael Garrett; Dcn. Earl D. Jackson; Dcn. Enrique Tovias
- Director Adult Faith Formation / RCIA: Linda Veit
- Director of Religious Education: Cindy Hagan
- Life Teen Coordinator / Youth Minister: Estela Montoya
- Confirmation Coordinator: Danny Hernandez
- Music Director: Patty Smith
- Parish Secretary, Baptism Coordinator, Bulletin Editor, Social Media: Araceli Romero
- PSR / First Communion Secretary (Español): Elizabeth Medina
- Business Manager: Dawn Bowie
- Accounts Receivable: Raina Savary
- Accounts Payable: Angeles Moreno
- Parish Database & Registration: John Casey
- Evangelization Assistant / Evening Secretary: Mara Luna
Parish Ministries
The parish organizes its ministries into Liturgy, Service, Religious Education, and Support — giving parishioners a range of ways to participate in the life of the church and serve the wider Smyrna community.
- Liturgy — Eucharistic Ministry to the Sick and Homebound; Eucharistic Ministers
- Service — Feed the Hungry Ministry; Knights of Columbus Council 12386; Society of St. Vincent de Paul; SVDP House of Dreams
- Religious Education — Life Teen; Edge; Parish School of Religion (K–8)
- Support — Our Lady Refuge of Sinners Praesidium (Legion of Mary); St. Thomas Women's Auxiliary
Parish School of Religion (PSR)
The Parish School of Religion supports families whose children attend public schools, providing faith formation from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Classes meet on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with an expected commitment of roughly 12 hours per month for catechists and families.
- Led by Dcn. Michael Garrett, Director of Religious Education
- Contact: 770-432-8579 Ext 112 — [email protected]
- Catechist inquiries: Faith Formation Office 770-432-5296
Life Teen & Edge Youth Ministry
St. Thomas the Apostle hosts the Life Teen movement for high-school students, with a dedicated Sunday evening Mass at 5:00 p.m. The Edge program serves middle-school youth, and the youth ministry is coordinated by Estela Montoya.
Sacraments at St. Thomas the Apostle
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments, with dedicated preparation tracks for children and adults. Sacramental preparation is coordinated through the Religious Education Office (770-432-8596) and the Adult Faith Formation office.
- Baptism — coordinated through Araceli Romero
- First Reconciliation — fall of 2nd grade
- First Eucharist / First Communion — celebrated in May after two years of preparation
- Confirmation — coordinated by Danny Hernandez
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 2:30–4:00 p.m. and by appointment
- Matrimony — contact Parish Office
- Anointing of the Sick — through the Eucharistic Ministry to the Sick and Homebound
Getting Involved & Contact
Parishioners are invited to participate as Eucharistic Ministers, catechists, choir members, Knights of Columbus brothers, St. Vincent de Paul volunteers, Legion of Mary members, or members of the Women's Auxiliary. The staff directory on the parish website lists each program lead, and the Parish Office can be reached at 770-432-8579 during business hours.
- Parish Office: 770-432-8579
- Email: [email protected]
- Religious Education / PSR: 770-432-8596
- Faith Formation / RCIA: 770-432-8579 Ext. 122
- Online giving: available through the parish website
- Live-streamed Mass: available through the parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard B. Morrow1966–1972
Founding pastor; archdiocesan priest.
- Rev. James Maciejewski1972–1974
Archdiocesan priest.
- Rev. Robert E. Dyer, M.S.1977–1986
First La Salette pastor; acquired the statue of Mary during his tenure.
- Rev. James P. McGlone, M.S.1986–1990
Stations of the Cross donated by parishioners during his pastorate.
- Rev. Don Baribeau, M.S.1990–1994
- Rev. James Caffery, M.S.1995–2004
Invited Fr. Jaime Molina in 1998 to begin the parish's Hispanic ministry.
- Rev. James H. Kuczynski, M.S.2004–2013
- Rev. Brian Sheridan, M.S.2013–present
Current pastor.