History
1957-1969
With the number of Catholic families in northeast Wichita growing, Bishop Mark K. Carroll decreed the establishment of a new parish on August 15, 1957, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rev. Patrick J. Holloran, SJ, president of Chaplain Kapaun Memorial High School for young men, was named pastor. Former parishioners of the Church of the Magdalen and Holy Savior chose St. Thomas Aquinas, theologian and Doctor of the Church, as their patron. Parish membership was 150 families.
By January 1958, a building drive received $22,000 in pledges; in August 1959, a $350,000 school with kindergarten through eighth grade was dedicated. The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) staffed the school. School doors were opened to 317 eager students on September 1.
The school became the nucleus of parish life. Mass was celebrated in the gym, and parish business was held in the cafeteria. With steady growth to 295 families, plans were made to expand. Groundbreaking for a north wing of the school, including a chapel on the lower level, was held in January 1964. The first Mass was celebrated on August 9. In September, Monsignor Robert J. Blanpied became pastor. Bishop Leo C. Byrne dedicated the new chapel in March 1965. On September 3, a tornado hit east Wichita, damaging the school and the adjacent convent.
The first pastoral council was named in 1966. St. Thomas Aquinas families now numbered 350; over the next several years, the number increased to more than 500. Rev. Edward York, a former United States Air Force chaplain and teacher, was named pastor in February 1969.
1970-1989
The Sisters of Charity left the school in 1970, and a lay faculty was hired for that fall. The first Mass in English (not Latin) was celebrated on October 2, 1970. Rev. Philip J. Allen, associate pastor, was named administrator and became pastor in December 1972.
By the late 1970s, the parish had grown to 585 families. Space was at a premium. The school needed a cafeteria kitchen, and the assembly room on the lower level shrank when the Altar Society installed a kitchen. Eleven couples began a feasibility study regarding the possibility of building a church. In October 1980, the Gloria Dei program was initiated to finance and plan for a new church. The goal was to raise $2,000,000. Father Allen placed the program under the protection of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, and parishioners began regular daily prayers and novenas to her. By November, the first million was pledged. Following a parish-wide "Impact Sunday," the drive yielded $210,000 above the goal.
In April 1982, the old rectory was razed, and the parish and Gloria Dei offices were moved to the school's lower level. Father Allen took up temporary residence in a home donated to the parish. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on May 16 in the rain. The cornerstone was laid on January 29, 1984, for a church that would now be the center of worship for nearly 700 families. Bishop Eugene J. Gerber dedicated the church on June 3 with 50 concelebrating priests in attendance. The "Aquinas Organ," so named by its Philadelphia builder, debuted with three organists, a full choir, and an orchestra. The steeple, figuring so prominently on the skyline, generated enough interest in the surrounding community that public tours of the facility were scheduled for the fall.
Rev. Sean J. O'Shea came to the parish in August 1985. He arrived just as the bishop introduced the stewardship concept of time, talent and treasure to the diocese. His dream for Catholic education would result in the modernization of the school and the building of the "cloister" to connect the church and school. The rededication took place in January 1988. To help record the parish's history and reflect on the "good news" of our community, the first issue of Reflections, the parish newsletter, was published in February 1986.
1990-1999
With membership now at over a thousand families, a program for the future of our parish called VISION 2000 was formalized. After surveying the community, the steering committee developed a definitive plan to meet the parish's needs. St. Thomas Aquinas School received the 1996 Banner School Award from the Diocese of Wichita, and the need to accommodate the ever-increasing enrollment made expansion and enhancements to the school facility a priority. The VISION 2000 appeal began in April 1996 with a goal of raising at least $2,000,000. A novena in May was dedicated to a successful campaign, and by August, well over $3,000,000 had been pledged.
One goal of VISION 2000 was the institution of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel of the Nativity. A shrine, built to display the Blessed Sacrament for worshippers, was opened on March 2, 1997. The Mission Outreach apostolate was also an outgrowth of the program and has, over the years, donated several hundreds of thousands of dollars to local, area, and worldwide charities.
Students were given a few weeks of extended summer vacation in 1997, which allowed all the construction to be accomplished for the school's opening in September. A reported 700 students were enrolled in preschool through eighth grade, a record number in the school's history.
On Sunday, February 8, 1998, Bishop Eugene J. Gerber made a pastoral visit to dedicate the new buildings. The latest additions—classrooms, a nursery and preschool, a cafeteria/auditorium, a gym/parish activity center, and offices—were heralded as state-of-the-art. An open house, reception, and parish dinner were held. Invitations went out to all former parish priests, principals, faculty, and alums. More than 900 guests attended.
With many tremendous tasks successfully completed during his nearly 15 years of pastoral direction of St. Thomas Aquinas parish, Father O'Shea's retirement was announced at the end of 1998.
1999-2008
Rev. Daniel J. Spexarth began his pastoral leadership of the parish on January 28, 1999, the feast day of our patron saint. The parish had grown to 1550 families. A Wednesday evening Mass, daily confessions before Masses, and adult education classes were added to the calendar to promote spiritual growth. Changes to our church and parish grounds included raising the tabernacle to draw attention to the Eucharist as the center of parish life and a new parking lot and plaza dedicated by Bishop Thomas Olmsted on August 15, 2002. The statue of Mary with the Child Jesus was erected as the plaza's focal point. At the parking lot entrance, the statue of Jesus welcomes all to rest for a while to find relief from daily life. New traditions such as Lenten soup suppers and Easter egg hunts became part of parish life, and a website was developed to keep us up with the times.
In 2003, our school was named the Diocesan School of Academic Excellence, the first award of its kind. In 2005, the parish developed a Vision Statement, Mission Statement, and Parish Motto as we endeavored to become more perfectly One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.
During the summer of 2007, the parish celebrated Mass in the school gym while renovating the church nave, sanctuary, and vestibule in preparation for the parish's Golden Jubilee celebration on August 19, 2007. The parish charter members and the priests who had served our parish over the years were honored at the jubilee Mass and the following reception. For this special occasion, Father Dan and the parishioners of St. Thomas Aquinas received the Apostolic Blessing of Pope Benedict XVI.
2008-Present
Rev. Matthew C. McGinness became the seventh pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas parish on June 15, 2008. Bishop Jackels installed Father McGinness at a special Mass on October 12, 2008. Charged with shepherding a membership of more than 1,300 families, Fr. Matt's main objective was to enhance the parish's vibrancy. Efforts were focused on instilling a mentality of hospitality and providing stewardship and outreach opportunities for parishioners to serve and be served.
At the 37th annual parish dinner honoring our patron, on January 31, 2009, Father Matt formally renamed the parish hall Allen Hall in honor of beloved former pastor Rev. Philip J. Allen, who had passed to his eternal reward on September 17, 2008. The school celebrated its Golden Jubilee on August 30, 2009, with all former parish priests, staff, and alumni invited.
A Buildings & Grounds Committee and Welcome Committee were formed. After two years of work, beginning in 2009 with a parish survey, the parish adopted its first Pastoral Plan in 2011. The first annual Parish Mission was presented in March 2010 to assist ongoing parish-wide spiritual growth.
Parish and Stewardship Council were re-established. The Greeters, Over 60s, and the STA Cares for Our Own Apostolate were newly established. Fr. Matt established our annual St. Paddy's Day Bash. The STArlight Gala premiered in November 2012 to benefit parish fellowship and support an Endowment Program for our Parish and School.
In 2016, Allen Hall received a much-needed refresh, which included the remodeling and updating of every area of the School and Church, and concluded in 2018 with the addition of another parish office and a conference room named after Rev. Sean O'Shea. The parish underwent another pastoral planning process in 2018, using various focus groups to gather information and ideas. The second Pastoral Plan was published in 2019. This comprehensive plan will guide our parish into 2022. Our parish continues to enjoy fellowship opportunities with weekly Coffee & Donuts, a monthly Wine & Cheese social, and Walking with Purpose, all new initiatives within the last few years.
Now, as we live in the present but look to the future with Father Matt leading our parish family of nearly 1600 households, we seek the blessing of Almighty God on our continued endeavors by placing our lives in his hands. We pray that all who grace our church with their presence will find our parish family to be devoted, faithful, and committed people of God who strive to do His holy will in all things.