Service at St. Thomas
St. Thomas of Canterbury from the start has been committed to giving back to the community it serves. Recognizing that those surrounding the parish needed more assistance than most Catholic churches offered, St. Thomas developed a multitude of programs, including a first of its kind social care program in the 1960s. Other programs offered included senior citizens programs, a counseling program, a language program, a Vietnamese aid and culture program, youth services, and summer programs. These all served to provide the St. Thomas community with food, education, social connections, and more.
St. Thomas Job Ad 1976
Learn more about programs offered at St. Thomas in this ad for a Senior Citizen Coordinator and a Social Worker. These positions would provide vital support to the disadvantaged members of St. Thomas parish.
The Financial Strains of Giving Back to the Community
Hear from a St. Thomas Parishioner Dedicated to Continuing His Life-Long Commitment to Service Through St. Thomas.
Service at St. Thomas Today
Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry
Among St. Thomas’s many social services, the longest lasting have been its food pantry and soup kitchen. The kitchen serves warm meals every Tuesday and the food pantry is open every Monday and Thursday morning.
Canterbury House
Canterbury House, a parish ministry created in the wake of the Mary, Mother of God merger, is hosted in St. Thomas of Canterbury Church. It serves as a mutual aid organization modeled after the Catholic Worker movement. Canterbury House Director James Murphy, with help from parishioners, has been holding a home cooked weekly Wednesday dinner for migrants, many of whom are staying in local shelters.
