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Welcome!
A joyful welcome from St. Tom’s to you as a guest of our faith community!
St. Thomas Aquinas Center serves as the Catholic center at Purdue University. Affectionately known as “St. Tom’s,” the parish is supported by the Dominican Friars from the Province of St. Albert the Great in Chicago, under the leadership of our pastor Fr. Andy McAlpin, OP.
St. Tom’s parishioners include more than 900 resident families and nearly 3,000 Catholic students attending Purdue and participating in more than 35 ministries under the Dominican pillars of Community, Prayer, Study, and Service.
Our mix of resident and student parishioners creates a vibrant community, and we are so pleased you are visiting us (online and in person). Below are a few resources to acclimate you to our parish. St. Tom’s offers Daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, and four Sunday Mass Times. There are also daily opportunities for Confession.
Use the tabs below for information about St. Tom's, including our history, clergy and staff, Mass times, events, and how to become a registered member.
Do you have questions or aren't finding what you are looking for on our website? Please don’t hesitate to contact us by email (c[email protected]) or by phone (765) 743-4652 with any questions or needs that you may have. The Church Office is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
PARKING: Since St. Tom's resides within the Purdue University campus community, parking permits are a requirement from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Weekdays. You must have a permit if you are at the church during those hours. Visit our Parking Information page for details on acquiring a temporary permit when visiting St. Tom's during this timeframe.
ACCOMMODATIONS: St. Tom's seeks to make its worship space accessible to all of God's people. Visit our Accommodations webpage for more information.
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About St. Tom's
St. Thomas Aquinas serves as the Catholic Center at Purdue University.Our parish e ngages the youthful energy of all its members to nurture their faith journey across all generations through liturgy, spiritual and intellectual formation, stewardship, and justice with peace.We joyfully welcome all who wish to meet life’s challenges through lived faith in Jesus Christ.
Purdue Catholic Campus Ministry began in 1906 when the Catholic Club was founded. Students traveled across the Wabash River to attend services at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Lafayette. The Newman Club was chartered in 1927. In 1928, Reverend Leo Pursley was assigned as associate pastor of St. Mary’s Church and to work with Purdue students.
Fifty years ago, Fr. Thomas Heilman had a vision to establish a student center at Purdue University to serve the spiritual needs of Catholics attending Purdue University. That vision became reality when the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel was dedicated in April 1951. Fr. Heilman’s vision called for adequate space and facilities for programs, faith sharing, and social as well as educational activities.
By 1963, St. Thomas Aquinas faced the challenge of meeting the needs of a growing Catholic population on campus. At that time the seating capacity of the worship area was expanded from 350 to 1,200. Large meeting rooms in the lower level provided study areas and space for religious programs.
The year 2000 saw the arrival of the Dominican Friars from the Province of St. Albert the Great in Chicago. Today, the Center is under the leadership of Fr. Tom McDermott, OP, and is among the largest parish/campus ministries programs in the nation. St. Tom’s serves more than 1,000 resident parishioner families and the nearly 13,000 Catholic students attending Purdue. St. Tom’s provides through 35+ ministries and programs. It is this mix of resident and student parishioners that creates a vibrant community. The homey atmosphere created by the resident parishioners makes St. Tom’s one of the great memories the Purdue students take with them into their lives.
Find out more on our Wikipedia page.
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St. Tom's Clergy & Staff
Our clergy and staff welcome you to St. Tom's and look forward to meeting you! Please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Get to know and reach out to them.
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Mass @ St Tom's
Mass takes place at St. Tom's 365 days of the year with evening Mass offered on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. and Sundays at 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. (when Purdue classes are in session).
Mass Times
- SATURDAY:5:30 PM Vigil
- SUNDAY:9:00 AM (In-Person/Livestreamed);11:15 AM (and 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. during Purdue's fall and spring semesters)
- MON-SAT: 11:30 AM
- MON-THURS: 5:30 PM (during Purdue's fall and spring semesters)
- WED: 9:00 PM
To stay in the know about all of the ministry and worship opportunities at St. Tom's, be sure to sign up for our weekly email ("Flocknote").
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Join us
St. Thomas Aquinas serves as the Catholic center at Purdue University. .We joyfully welcome all who wish to meet life’s challenges through lived faith in Jesus Christ.
If you are a visitor who has or is considering Purdue for their education or relocating to Greater Lafayette, we hope that you find your place here at St. Tom’s. To help you get started, here are the Mass and Confession times during the fall and spring semesters: Use the tabs below to learn more about our parish, join the community, and receive notifications about programs and activities that might interest you.
To become a member of St. Tom's just click the button below.
RegisterMore Information
To learn more about our parish programs, join the community, and receive notifications about programs and activities that might interest you, use the buttons below to jump over to our current student parishioner and current resident parishioner pages.
Current Student Parishioner
Current Resident Parishioner
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