About St. Thomas the Apostle · Wilmington, Delaware
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Wilmington, located at 301 North Bancroft Parkway in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1903 under Bishop John J. Monaghan and named for St. Thomas the Apostle in honor of the first Bishop of Wilmington, Most Reverend Thomas A. Becker, the parish serves a multi-generational community on the northern edge of downtown Wilmington. The parish offers Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, weekday Masses Tuesday through Thursday, the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons, Eucharistic Adoration, and live-streamed Masses through its YouTube channel. Under its longtime pastor Msgr. Steven P. Hurley, V.G., and now Father James S. Lentini (appointed June 26, 2026), the parish is known for its liturgical life, active Liturgy Committee, and historic roots that include a parish school and convent staffed in its early decades by the Franciscan Sisters from Glen Riddle.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- St. Thomas the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. James S. Lentini (effective June 26, 2026)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington
Why belong here
St. Thomas the Apostle offers a stable, mid-sized parish home in the Diocese of Wilmington with a clear liturgical rhythm: two Sunday Masses (8:00 AM and 10:00 AM), three weekday Masses, weekly Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons, and daily Mass live-streamed Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM on its YouTube channel. An active Liturgy Committee (chaired by Deacon Francis Quinlan) supports ongoing liturgical formation and the training of liturgical ministers, while a music program under Music Director Patrice Roman anchors parish worship. Rooted in a community on North Bancroft Parkway since 1903, the parish welcomes those seeking a traditional Catholic parish life with accessible sacraments and a personal pastor.
Mass times at St. Thomas the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Parish History
St. Thomas the Apostle traces its origin to July 9, 1902, when Bishop John J. Monaghan of the Diocese of Wilmington purchased property near Fourth Street and Grant Avenue for a new Catholic church and school. The cornerstone was laid May 24, 1903, and on June 30, 1903, Rev. John J. Connelly was appointed the parish's first pastor. The school opened that September with 218 children taught by Franciscan Sisters from Glen Riddle. Father Connelly built the Avondale-Granite rectory (1911) and an $80,000 parish plant before his sudden death on February 20, 1925.
- Cornerstone laid May 24, 1903, by Bishop John J. Monaghan
- First pastor: Rev. John J. Connelly (1903–1925)
- School opened September 1903 with 218 pupils (Franciscan Sisters from Glen Riddle)
- Rectory completed 1911 (Avondale Granite, 18 rooms)
- Current church opened February 19, 1928 (850 seats, cornerstone laid May 15, 1927 by Bishop Edmond J. FitzMaurice, D.D.)
- 1953 parish anniversary booklet: "The History of St. Thomas the Apostle: The First Fifty Years"
- 1954 fundraiser booklet for a new school
Mission Statement
The parish's published mission statement frames St. Thomas the Apostle as a family seeking a relationship with God by espousing the teachings and principles of Jesus Christ. The statement emphasizes personal unity with God, loving relationships with others, sharing the Good News through liturgy and daily life, and seeing Christ in the young and elderly, rich and poor, sick and alienated. It explicitly unites the parish under the leadership of the Bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington in the Universal Church.
Live Stream & Recorded Masses
Daily Mass is live-streamed Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM on the parish YouTube channel. Sunday Mass is recorded and posted on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 PM, though the parish notes that technical issues can occasionally delay the recording being available until after 4:00 PM.
- Daily Mass live Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM
- Sunday Mass recorded and posted Saturday ~4:00 PM
- All Masses available on the Parish YouTube page
Our Clergy & Staff
St. Thomas the Apostle is currently in a pastoral transition. Bishop William E. Koenig of the Diocese of Wilmington has appointed Msgr. Steven P. Hurley, V.G. — who has served as the parish's 11th pastor since 2011 while also serving as Vicar General — to be the next Pastor of St. Mary Magdalen effective June 24, 2026. Rev. James S. Lentini, most recently pastor of Holy Cross Church in Dover for twelve years, has been appointed as the new pastor of St. Thomas effective June 26, 2026, and will also serve as pastor of St. Ann's, Wilmington, with Father Eric Frimpong as associate pastor.
- Rev. Msgr. Steven P. Hurley, V.G., STL — Pastor 2011–2026
- Rev. James S. Lentini — Pastor 2026–present (also Pastor of St. Ann's, Wilmington)
- Rev. Eric Frimpong — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Francis A. Quinlan — Deacon / Parish Manager
- Patrice Roman — Music & Choir Director ([email protected])
- Cindy Brown — Parish Bookkeeper ([email protected])
Liturgy Committee
The Parish Liturgy Committee serves as an advisory body to the pastor. Its published goals include assessing the needs of the worshipping assembly, supervising the training of competent liturgical ministers, providing ongoing liturgical formation, developing parish policies for liturgical celebrations, implementing changes mandated by the diocesan bishop, and routinely evaluating the parish's liturgical celebrations.
- Deacon Francis Quinlan, Chair
- Mickey Cuiffetelli
- Kathy Devaul
- Patrice Roman
- Paul Schweiger
- Ray Worrall
Historic Ministries & Societies
The 1953 anniversary booklet "The History of St. Thomas the Apostle: The First Fifty Years" records that under Father Edward McAteer (1950–1956) the parish could "proudly point to its Holy Name Society, Blessed Virgin Sodality, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Youth Organization of Junior and Senior levels, Cub Packs and Boy Scouts." Devotions in honor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal were held each Sunday evening, and annual parish retreats were conducted by visiting religious orders.
- Holy Name Society (1953)
- Blessed Virgin Sodality
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Catholic Youth Organization (Junior & Senior)
- Cub Packs and Boy Scouts
- Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal devotions (Sunday evenings)
Contact, Office & Accessibility
The parish office is located at 301 North Bancroft Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19805, and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. General inquiries go to [email protected] and the parish phone line is (302) 658-5131. The church is equipped with a handicap-accessible ramp on the left side of the building.
- Address: 301 North Bancroft Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19805
- Office Hours: Tue–Thu, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Phone: (302) 658-5131
- Email: [email protected]
- Handicap ramp on the left side of the church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John J. Connelly1903–1925
First pastor; built the church, rectory (1911, Avondale Granite, 18 rooms), and oversaw the opening of the Mission School with the Franciscan Sisters of Glen Riddle in 1903. Died February 20, 1925.
- Rev. John N. Dougherty1925–1946
Second pastor; announced and oversaw construction of the present church (1927–1928, 850 seats).
- Rev. Patrick Brennan1946–1950
Third pastor; remembered in the 1953 anniversary booklet for boundless charity.
- Rev. Edward A. McAteer1950–1956
Fourth pastor; expanded parish societies and began the campaign for a new school.
- Msgr. Charles L. Conway1956–1970
- Rev. Charles F. Shields1970–1974
- Rev. Christopher Plokhooy1974–1977
- Rev. John McLaughlin1977–1986
- Rev. John J. Taggart1987–1998
- Rev. Daniel W. Gerres1998–2010
- Msgr. Steven P. Hurley, V.G.2011–2026
Also served as Vicar General of the Diocese of Wilmington; appointed Pastor of St. Mary Magdalen effective June 24, 2026.
- Rev. James S. Lentini2026–present
Previously pastor of Holy Cross Church in Dover for 12 years; also appointed pastor of St. Ann's, Wilmington.