Catholic priests and deacons, dressed in red and white liturgical vestments, gather around the altar during the Mass of the Holy Spirit in a large, ornate chapel. A bishop at the altar leads the Eucharistic Prayer while others stand in reverent prayer behind him. Golden chalices and liturgical items are arranged on the altar.

Catholic Liturgy and Worship

Join us in sharing the mystery of faith through our many prayer and worship opportunities. We welcome all and pray that everyone may find a place of peace and transcendence in our prayer and worship.

Whether for Sunday Eucharist or Opening Year Celebration, we seek to foster and promote worship that “draws the faithful into the compelling love of Christ and sets them on fire” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy §10).

Together, the worship and prayer life at the university is both rich in its heritage and diversity.

Mass Schedule

Join us in sharing the mystery of faith through our many worship opportunities. We welcome all and pray that everyone may find a place of peace and transcendence in our prayer and worship.

Chapels & Prayer Spaces

Numerous chapels and prayer spaces, rich in history and artistic design, are available to the St. Thomas community for spiritual nourishment. Campus meditation spaces are open to people from all faith traditions.

Liturgical Ministry

As liturgical ministers, students are called to help the community celebrate. Join us and let the spirit and power of the liturgy be one of your teachers.

Music Ministry

Music ministry supports and leads community worship by engaging hearts, minds and bodies in active participation.

Vocalists and instrumentalists of every type of band and orchestral instrument are needed for Sunday Masses, special liturgies and ecumenical services.

Mass Intentions

Mass intentions are special intentions offered to God as prayers of intercession and thanksgiving in and through the Eucharist.

We are happy to receive Mass intention requests from current students, faculty and staff, as well as members of our alumni community and donors. We will do our best to find a date for your intention within four to six weeks.

Ministries and Life Events

Weddings

St. Thomas alumni, current students, faculty and staff, as well as children of alumni, faculty and staff are eligible to reserve a chapel for their wedding.

Should a couple prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage at St. Thomas, we look forward to helping them prepare for their wedding, a very special day, and also for their marriage, which lasts a lifetime.

Funeral Masses and Memorials

The Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas is a fitting place to remember and celebrate the lives of those for whom the University of St. Thomas has been significant. We welcome you and stand ready to assist in celebrating the life of your loved one.

Becoming Catholic

Campus Ministry walks with St. Thomas students who desire to learn more about or complete the Sacrament of Initiation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation). Faith is a pillar of our university, and we welcome students to explore it.

Catholic Vocations

Is God tugging at your heart, asking you to discern your vocation? Take a moment, say a prayer, and glance at some of the vocation material here. We have discernment material, event calendars, and community information. May the Lord bless your discernment of where He is calling you!

Seasonal Reflections

  • December 25, 2025

    Christmas Day: Nativity of Our Lord

    Today’s Readings As we celebrate Christmas Day, how do we move forward into a new year as people shaped by the reality of the Incarnation? What difference does the Incarnation make in our lives once the gifts have been opened, the good dishes have been put away, the radio stations have returned to non-Christmas music, and kids have returned to school? We need look no further than today’s reading from the Gospel of John, which includes a beautiful summation of John the Baptist’s ministry: He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. We are not the light, but today and every day, we are called to point people to the light, to reflect the light in how we live and work and love others. As Pope Leo has shared, when we center ourselves on Christ, we “overcome the logic of the world, of fake news, of frivolity, with the beauty and light of truth.” What might it look like for you to point others to the light? It will almost certainly look different from person to person, from one day to the next. Maybe it’s an encouraging word, a meal, an invitation, a deeper question, a […]

  • December 21, 2025

    Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Today’s Readings The familiar Advent reading from Matthew 1:18-24 places us squarely in a moment where Joseph faces not joy, but profound crisis and confusion. Mary is found to be with child, and the life growing within her threatens to shatter Joseph’s reputation, legal standing, and future. Yet, it is this specific, unexpected life that the entire divine plan hinges upon. God interrupts a narrative of human anxiety with the angel’s pivotal command “do not be afraid.” This divine intervention is not merely a comfort; it is a summons to radical courage. It affirms that life, even in its earliest, most vulnerable stages, is not an accident. The identity, mission, and inherent value of this child are established before he ever draws a breath. Joseph’s action in response is the ultimate model of protection. Though legally entitled to divorce Mary, he is called to a higher righteousness—one defined not by the law, but by sacrificial love and a courageous faith that acts despite circumstances. He refuses his natural fear and chooses to make room, physically and spiritually, for a vulnerable life that was not part of his initial plan. As we journey through Advent, the angel’s call “do not be […]

  • December 14, 2025

    Third Sunday of Advent

    Today’s Readings Rejoice! Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, stands apart as a moment of joyful anticipation, marked not only by the lighting of the rose-colored candle, but also by a distinct shift in tone—one most profoundly expressed through music. While much of Advent is characterized by quiet reflection, Gaudete Sunday offers a glimpse of the joy that awaits. For many—myself included—music becomes the vehicle through which this joy is felt, understood, and shared. The very name “Gaudete” draws from the ancient introit Gaudete in Domino Semper—“Rejoice in the Lord Always.” Sung for centuries, this chant is grounded in scripture and serves as the musical heart of the day. Its melody is both contemplative and uplifting, inviting listeners to reflect deeply while awakening within them a quiet but unmistakable joy. In its simplicity, it recalls the nearness of Christ’s birth and the hope already taking root in the world. Throughout the liturgy, music supports and amplifies the spiritual meaning of the day. Hymns for the day weave together themes of longing, hope, and celebration. Unlike the triumphant carols of Christmas, Advent music is often gentle, restrained, and meditative. However, on Gaudete Sunday, the tone subtly brightens. Harmonies lift upward. […]

  • December 7, 2025

    Second Sunday of Advent

    Todays’ Readings This Second Sunday of Advent presents us with a simple but urgent invitation: “Make straight His paths — repent and prepare for the Lord.” Advent is not only a waiting period — it is a call to movement, to change, and to preparation. When Scripture urges us to make straight His paths, we are invited to examine our hearts honestly and gently. What stands in the way of Christ entering more fully into our lives? What habits, distractions, or attachments have formed obstacles or created detours between us and God? Repentance during Advent is not meant to be only a feeling of remorse, but a renewal — a realignment of our focus and purpose back to Christ. John the Baptist reminds us that authentic repentance bears visible fruit: “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” Fruit implies action and transformation. It asks us not only to acknowledge our need for God, but to allow that acknowledgment to shape our choices, our priorities, and our daily actions. Like the crowds who left their familiar surroundings and stepped into the wilderness to hear John, we too must be willing to enter the “wilderness” of our own hearts. In that […]