Our Church, built in 1925, has blessed us with nearly 100 years of Catholic worship, community, and ministry in this historic area of St. Paul. The architecture style is Romanesque Revival. Features include a basilica floor plan, barrel vault ceilings, an apse, and chapels around the apse and throughout the nave.
Saint Thomas Catholic Community, founded on January 1, 2008, is the union of two Catholic parishes on Summit Avenue: The Church of Saint Luke (1888) and The Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (1949). Our rich heritage from these two communities of faith has blessed us with over 125 years of Catholic worship, community, and ministry in this historic area of Saint Paul.
John Theodore Comès, one of America's most famous architects, designed Saint Thomas More Catholic Church. Comès, a native of Saint Paul, headed the firm of Comès, Perry and McMullen of Pittsburgh and was invited by Archbishop John Ireland to design and oversee the construction of this church building. When Comès died suddenly in 1922, his associate William Perry brought the project to completion. Under the direction of the Walter Butler Co. Inc. of Saint Paul.
The lower church was completed and blessed in August, 1919. Construction on the upper church began in 1924 and was completed in 1926. This work was carried out during the pastorate of Msgr. James Byrne. The dedication stone was laid by Archbishop Michael Dowling on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1925. The Mass of Dedication was celebrated by Archbishop Gregory Murray in early October, 1926. The entire work took place during the pontificate of Pius XI, whose coat of arms is carved above the southwest entrance of the church.
Saint Thomas More Catholic Church is a notable example of "Romanesque Revival" architecture, which thrived throughout Europe and North America from 1888 to 1930. Romanesque Architecture is a combination of the architectural styles of the Roman and Byzantine empires and flourished throughout Europe and England between the 9th and 12th centuries.
- A basilica floor plan- Barrel vault ceilings- An apse at one end of the building- Apsidal chapels around the apse and throughout the nave
The church is constructed of Indiana Bedford Limestone and measures 198 ft. in length. A glorified cross surmounts the imposing 122 ft. façade on Summit Avenue. Below the cross is the Paschal Lamb and a statue of Saint Luke, the original patron. The great rose window with the symbols of the four evangelists stands at the center of the facade.