Welcome to the parishes of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban! 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 and St. Columban
We are blessed with amazing patrons at St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban parishes.
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was an Itali
an 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
Office Hours
Friday: 8 am - 1 pm
Staff
- Fr. Ben Hadrich, Pastor
- Fran Zaren, Deacon
- Les Hendrickson, Parish Secretary
- Sabrina Etienne, Coordinator of Faith Formation
Online Stewardship
Mass Readings
Weekly reading
Readings for the week of September 20, 2020
- Sunday: Is 55:6-9 / Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18 [18a] / Phil 1:20c-24, 27a / Mt 20:1-16a
- Monday: Eph 4:1-7, 11-13 / Ps 19:2-3, 4-5 [5] / Mt 9:9-13
- Tuesday: Prv 21:1-6, 10-13 / Ps 119:1, 27, 30, 34. 35, 44 [35] / Lk 8:19-21
- Wednesday: Prv 30:5-9 / Ps 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163 [105] / Lk 9:1-6
- Thursday: Eccl 1:2-11 / Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17bc [1] / Lk 9:7-9
- Friday: Eccl 3:1-11 / Ps 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4 [1] / Lk 9:18-22
- Saturday: Eccl 11:9—12:8 / Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17 [1] / Lk 9:43b-45
- Next Sunday: Ez 18:25-28 / Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 [6a] / Phil 2:1-11 or 2:1-5 / Mt 21:28-32
Fr. Ben's Biblical Blog
Fr. Ben's Podcasts
Praise God for St. Peter Claver who served of slaves in Columbia: Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 (St. Peter Claver)
09/10/20 2:26 am
Happy Birthday, Mother Mary! And, could you imagine holding Mary or Jesus? Tuesday, September 8th, 2020
09/10/20 2:24 am
Fraternity Correction: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
09/10/20 2:21 am
Eucharistic Adoration
Click here to listen to Fr. Drew Braun 40 Hour Devotion Talk:
http://bhadrich.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-eucharistic-adoration-fr-drew-brauns-talk-at-40-hour-devotion/
Click here to listen to the Theology of the Body talk by Kevin Pelon:
http://bhadrich.podbean.com/e/kevin-pilons-40-hours-theology-of-the-body-talk/
Donut Sunday
Everyone loves Donut Sunday!
Held every Sunday in the gathering space after the 10:30am Mass
Please stay and linger after Mass to visit with friends, meet new parishioners, and of course,
enjoy a delicious fresh baked donut!
Volunteer now for your chance to be the most popular person at Mass on Sunday.
It's a great way to serve others.
There are no donuts to buy and everything is provided.
It's easy and fun, even children can help
Volunteer as an individual, couple, with a few friends or as a family.
Sign up here
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August 4 August 11 August 18 August 25 September 1 September 8 September 15 September 22 September 29 October 6 October 13 October 20 October 27 November 3 November 10 November 17 November 24 December 1 December 8 December 15 December 22 December 29 |
or call the parish office at 283-3293
or email
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
Father Richard Kunst: A sure way to keep your parish open
09/15/20 5:05 pm
Of all the priests in our diocese there is one in particular who you might call our “living history book.” I have had many occasions to listen to Father Dick Partika talk about everything and anything you wanted to know about the history of the Diocese of Duluth. I have always been amazed by all the facts he has contained in his memory, so if he is reading this column he might very well find reason to confirm or correct what I am about to say.
Father Richard Kunst
Read MoreBetsy Kneepkens: Enjoying the last moments before the nest is empty
09/14/20 2:24 pm
“It goes by really fast.” I could not count how many times older parents shared this advice during my oldest son’s first year. I heeded their warnings and took their message to heart. I always believed the days raising my children would fly by while leaving me with the sentiment of “where did all the time go.”
Betsy Kneepkens
Read MoreWhat’s a Catholic voter to do?
09/14/20 1:40 pm
Q&A with Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, first published in the Central Minnesota Catholic as part of “The Big Question” series.
What does the church say about Catholics’ involvement in political life and voting? Shouldn’t the church stay out of politics? Is there any scriptural basis for its involvement?
Read More