Welcome to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church! Thanks for stopping by our website. We are excited that God has sent you to be part of our parish family.
The Catholic community here in the southern part of Shelby County, Alabama has a rich history that continues to this day. We've grown a lot since we began as a mission chapel in 1869! Right now, there are over 1,500 families registered in the parish, with new members coming each week from Montevallo, Alabaster, Calera, and many other towns.
The St. Thomas community is very active in worship and ministry, with members serving the Lord in many ways. As you become part of our parish, I invite you to pray about how you can become an active part of the great things God is doing here.
Again, welcome to St. Thomas. May God bless you richly as you join us for worship and service. We look forward to seeing you Sunday!
Christ's peace,
Rev. Bradley Jantz
New members of the church are encouraged to register as a parishioner! You can register at the link below. If you prefer a paper form, visit during our office hours from 8am-4pm Monday-Thursday and 8am-12pm Friday.
RegisterOur parish uses Flocknote to send urgent announcements via text and email. To sign up to receive any important announcements, you can use the link below or text "CATHOLIC2022" to 84576.
Sign UpThe Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA – formerly RCIA) offers the opportunity for non-Catholics to join the Catholic Church. This process is for anyone unbaptized, anyone baptized in a non-Catholic church, and any Catholic adult who has not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Class sessions are held on Tuesday evenings at 6:30PM in the St. Joseph room. Note that participation in OCIA does not carry any obligation to join the Catholic Church–it is first and foremost an opportunity to welcome anyone who wishes to learn about our faith. If you are interested in attending classes and possibly joining the Church, please contact Sister Amanda at 205-663-3936 EXT. 104 or via email at sramanda@stthomascatholic.com. Or, you can fill out this form.
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church was built in Montevallo in 1951 under the guidance of Reverend Joseph A. Durick, the Director of the North Alabama Mission Band. It was dedicated by Bishop Thomas J. Toolen on May 11, 1952.
St. Thomas served the people of Montevallo and the surrounding area as a mission church of the North Alabama Mission Band until October 1956.
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church was raised to the status of parish in October 1956, when Reverend Thomas J. Blythe was assigned as the first resident pastor. Father Blythe served as Catholic Campus Minister to Alabama College (now called the University of Montevallo), as well as Pastor of St. Thomas Parish until June 1960.
However, the history of Catholic ministry in the Montevallo area began long before the building of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church. Montevallo is mentioned in documents as a mission from the Church of the Assumption in Selma as early as 1869. Other communities served from the Church of the Assumption included Straven, Aldrich, and Marvel Mines. In the early 1880’s Jesuit missionaries built a frame church in Brierfield. That church was destroyed by a cyclone in 1905, but its ruins remain in Brierfield Ironworks Park.
In the late 1880’s, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church was built in Blocton, being served as a mission church by the priests from St. John’s Catholic Church in Tuscaloosa. St. Francis Church was later served by the priests from St. Paul’s in Birmingham, and then by the priests on the North Alabama Mission Band. The center of activities in the area shifted from Blocton to West Blocton. Thus, in 1950, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church was built in West Blocton. This church was served as a mission of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church from 1956 until 1973. There remains a cemetery in the area, where many Catholics are buried.
The Pastors and Administrators who have served St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church include Reverend Edward L. Foster (Administrator), Reverend Oliver Adams (Administrator), Reverend Thomas J. Blythe, Reverend Michael J. White, Reverend J. Peter Sheehan, Reverend Joseph Underwood, Reverend Joseph McDevitt, Reverend John J. Owen, (Administrator), Reverend Philip N. O’Kennedy, Reverend Raymond J. Remke, Reverend Ray W. Keiser, Reverend Raymond A. Dunmyer, and Reverend Brad Jantz.
The Pastoral Associates who have served the parish include Sister Deborah Kennedy, RSM and Sister Pat Hinton, OSF.
The original St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church was built on the corner of Highland and Moody Streets near the campus of the University of Montevallo. Due to an increase of parish membership, new property was purchased for a larger church building. The new site includes more than 20 acres of property on Highway 119 in Montevallo near the Alabaster City Limits. A new building was constructed on this site. The First Mass was celebrated there on August 17, 1991, and shortly thereafter, the new worship facility was dedicated on October 13, 1991.
St. Thomas has been blessed with continued growth, including a large number of Spanish-speaking parishioners. Plans for future expansion were unveiled at the 50th Anniversary Celebration on May 12, 2002. The first phase of that vision included a new worship facility and a new education building. Those two new buildings were dedicated on April 20, 2005.
St. Thomas serves people from Bibb County, Chilton County, and Shelby County. Cities and communities served include Montevallo, Alabaster, Calera, Helena, Jemison, Columbiana, Maylene, Wilton, Marvel, West Blocton, Centreville, and Randolph. There are presently over 1,800 parishioners registered in St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.
Please note that if you are enrolling in Faith Formation programs or receiving some sacraments, you will be asked to register as a parishioner at St. Thomas if you have not already done so. You can register here.
If you have received a sacrament at St. Thomas before in the past and need a certificate as proof to give to another church, fill out this form and a staff member will get to you as soon as possible.
In the Sacrament of Baptism, the Catholic Church welcomes members to the Church. For adults seeking Baptism, please see the material on the Rite of Christian Initiation on the Ministries page. For the baptism of children, the parish offers a class to prepare the parents for the Sacrament of Baptism.
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the recipient is sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. For adults seeking Confirmation, please see the material on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults on the Ministries page. For adolescents seeking the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Diocese of Birmingham requires a two-year preparation program. At Saint Thomas, this program is offered beginning in the 9th grade, with Confirmation being celebrated at the end of the 10th grade year.
The Eucharist is celebrated at every Mass. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Catholic Church believes that the recipient receives the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. For adults seeking to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, please see the material on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults on the Ministries page. Children are prepared for the reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the second grade, and older children are prepared in a separate program.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated on Saturdays between the hours of 4pm and 5pm, or by scheduling an appointment with Father Jantz. Special Reconciliation Services are celebrated during Advent and Lent.
The Sacrament of the Sick celebrated God’s healing power. The parish celebrates a Communal Celebration of the Sacrament each year. For individual celebration of the sacrament, please contact Father Jantz.
The Catholic Church teaches that the Sacrament of Matrimony is a life-long commitment of love. In order to prepare for this sacrament, the Catholic Church requires a six-month period of preparation which includes interviews with a priest, a weekend retreat, and other preparations. For information on beginning this process, contact Father Jantz.
The Diocese of Birmingham sponsors programs for the Permanent Diaconate and for the priesthood. If you believe you are called to religious vocation, please contact Father Jantz. Additionally, you can read info from the Diocese about discerning religious vocation.