Welcome St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in International Falls, MN! Founded in 1905 the church has been our faith home for more than 100 years and is a testament to the faith of the proud, resilient and independent people who first settled in our area.
Please explore our website for information about the Catholic faith, parish events, our publications, and much more! We encourage visitors and new parishioners to become involved in our parish community and the many events and programs we offer to grow in faith.
Mission Statement
Mission Statement of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish
Love God. Love our neighbor. Seek the lost. Make disciples.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
“For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). |
St. Thomas Aquinas Feast Day Celebration
Please join us in celebrating the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, our Patron Saint.
January 28, 2015
6:00pm Mass at St. Thomas
All Parish Potluck to follow in Maronic Hall at about 6:30pm
Following this time of food and conversation as a parish family, Fr. Ben will review the inspirational life of our patron.
Childcare available.
Please come!
St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban
We are blessed with amazing patrons at St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban parishes.
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and a Catholic priest. His “introduction” to our faith is a five-volume work entitled Summa Theologica. He is a doctor of the Church and famous for his brilliant writings in philosophy and theology. It has been said that he would dictate up to five different works at the same time with his scribes! At the end of his life, Jesus appeared to Thomas and said, “Well have you written of me, Thomas, what shall be your reward?” Famously, Thomas replied, “Only you, Lord.” The feast day for St. Thomas Aquinas and our parish is January 28th. He is the patron saint of Catholic schools, colleges, schools and students.
St. Columban (559-615) had a heart for monasticism and missionary work. After fleeing Ireland to avoid temptations of lust, Columban entered a cloistered monastery and eventually worked with his companions throughout Europe to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. He was known for his discipline, especially in his rule of life and spiritual practices. His personal holiness, toughness, witness to marriage and fidelity to the pope continue to inspire us today. The feast day for St. Columban and our parish is November 23rd.
Mass Times
St. Thomas
- Saturday- 5:00 pm
- Sunday- 10:30 am
- Monday- 8:30 am
- Tuesday- 8:30 am
- Wednesday- 8:30 am & 3:30 pm (Falls Care Center every other week)
- Thursday- 8:30 am & 1:00 pm (Littlefork Care Center same week as Falls Care Center)
- Friday- NO MASS
St. Columban in Littlefork
- Sunday- 8:30 am
Confessions
4:00pm on Saturday at St. Thomas and 30 minutes before every Mass
Communion Services
| Monday | 2:00 pm the Villa Apartments 2nd and 4th Mondays |
| Thursday | 11:00 am Ranier Roost |
| Thursday | 1:30 pm Ridgeview |
| Friday | 10:00 am West Falls Estates |
Office Hours
Friday: 8 am - 1 pm
Staff
- Fr. Ben Hadrich, Pastor
- Fran Zaren, Deacon
- Pat Bjorum, Pastoral Minister
- Mary Harms, Parish Administrator
- Jean Johnson, Faith Formation
- Gina Shinners, Faith Formation
Volunteer at St. Thomas
We are welcoming parish and encourage all members to become active in a ministry or volunteer in an area where your gifts and talents will best serve the church.
The following is our list of ministries we currently have available for all to join. If you are interested in learning more about a specific ministry please contact the parish office for further information.
Altar Server
Sacristan
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Funeral Lunch Committee
Homebound Ministry
Faith Formation (Children and Adult)
Tabernacle Society
Welcome Ministry
Usher
Music Ministry
Lector
Knights of Columbus
Catholic Daughters
Diocese News
Catholics join in marking 70th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation
01/27/15 9:27 pm
By Jonathan Luxmoore / Catholic News Service Catholic leaders joined in commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where 1.2 million mostly Jewish prisoners were killed by the Nazis during World War II.
When we ask how God was present in the hell of Auschwitz, we must remember Gods last word is one of peace, said Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland.
Read MorePope to dads: Play with your kids, be strong, loving, moral role models
01/27/15 9:21 pm
By Carol Glatz / Catholic News Service When their lives are all work and no play, men turn their children into orphans who lack a father to guide them, show them love and teach them values, Pope Francis said.
They are orphans in a family because their fathers are often absent, also physically, from home, but above all because when they are home they dont act like fathers, they dont dialogue with their children, they dont fulfill their role as educators, they dont give their children, by way of their example and their words, those principles, values and rules of life that they need like bread, he said.
Read MoreWashington priest on road to sainthood devoted to aiding poor children
01/26/15 11:19 pm
By Mark Zimmermann / Catholic News Service As a boy growing up in his native Washington, Aloysius Schwartz dreamed of becoming a missionary priest and serving the poor.
As a man, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz did just that, founding an order of religious sisters, the Sisters of Mary who joined him in bringing an education, housing and job training to thousands of orphans and street children, and hospitals for the poor in South Korea and the Philippines, work that expanded to Mexico before he died of Lou Gehrigs disease in 1992 at the age of 61.
Read MoreFr. Ben's Biblical Blog
Parish Mission Messages
Link to Davis Walsh Talk
Link to Fr. Brandon Moravitz Talks
Link to Bishop Sirba Homily
Fr. Ben's Podcasts
Talk on St. Thomas Aquinas
01/28/15 9:40 pm
Following our evening Mass to honor our patron, St. Thomas Aquinas, I gave a talk to our parishioners and our 7th-11th grade students in faith formation after a parish pot-luck. This speaks in greater detail of our amazing patron.
Read MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas: Daily Mass Homily–Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 (Feast of our Patron, St. Thomas Aquinas; Parish Celebration)
01/28/15 9:37 pm
This is the second homily I gave in honor of our patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas. This one was delivered at our parish celebration.
Read MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas: Daily Mass Homily–Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 (Feast of our Patron, St. Thomas Aquinas; School Mass)
01/28/15 9:35 pm
I gave two different homilies for the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas as this is our patron saint. The first was given to our children, the second within a special evening Mass to our parishioners and our 7th-11th grade faith formation students.
Read MoreMass Readings
Weekly reading
Readings for the Week of January 25, 2015
- Sunday: Jon 3:1-5, 10 / 1 Cor 7:29-31 / Mk 1:14-20
- Monday: 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5 / Mk 3:22-30
- Tuesday: Heb 10:1-10 / Mk 3:31-35
- Wednesday: Heb 10:11-18 / Mk 4:1-20
- Thursday: Heb 10:19-25 / Mk 4:21-25
- Friday: Heb 10:32-39 / Mk 4:26-34
- Saturday: Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 / Mk 4:35-41
- Next Sunday: Dt 18:15-20 / 1 Cor 7:32-35 / Mk 1:21-28