Founded: May 31, 1960
Location: 1501 S. Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park
San Gabriel Region: Deanery 10

Cardinal James Francis McIntyre established this parish in the Monterey Hills during the middle of his 22-year term as archbishop. Approximately, it was the 60th parish he had inaugurated since his appointment to the City of Angels by Pope Pius XII in 1948.

The Monterey Park church is the second in the archdiocese named to honor the famous 13th century saint (the first, in Ojai, was founded 40 years earlier). Thomas Aquinas was a renowned philosopher, theologian, doctor of the church and patron of Catholic universities, colleges and schools; his feast day is January 28.

The original inhabitants of the Monterey Park area were Shoshone Indians (later named Gabrielinos by the Spaniards) who numbered some 4,000 in the 18th century. By the early 1800s, the area was part of Mission San Gabriel de Archangel and, later, Rancho San Antonio. Alessandro Repetto established a separate identity for the area when he purchased 5,000 acres of the rancho and built a home.

Some years later, Richard Garvey began developing the land and sold portions of his property thus providing the first subdivision in the area, Ramona Acres. The new residents eventually voted for cityhood on May 29, 1916, and four years later the Anglo and Spanish were joined by Asian residents who farmed and developed nurseries in the Monterey Highland area. Continued growth and property development resulted in what is now America's first Asian majority city.

In 1960, however, it was mainly an Anglo and Latino parish which Father Maurice Evans led as founding pastor. He was born in County Kerry, Ireland, and during World War II had served in England. For the first two years he celebrated Mass at Miraculous Medal Church in Montebello until a former machine shop at Atlantic Boulevard was leased as a Mass site in July 1962. A parish church was completed in February 1963, followed soon after by the school staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Newark and lay teachers.

For 15 years Father Evans headed the parish, expanding the plant and helping new parishioners integrate. He died in 1991 at age 76.

Father Brian Cavanagh from County Kilkenny, Ireland, became administrator in 1975 and then pastor in 1979, like his predecessor serving for 15 years. Upon the parish's 25th anniversary in 1985, he noted the changing look of the neighborhood, with more Asian families moving into the area. The parish had an active Legion of Mary, Christian Service organization, home prayer groups and a parish council. "All our prayer groups are very strong," he said.

Maryknoll Father Delos Humphrey served as pastor for one year, followed in 1995 by Father Edward Dover, a native of Lompoc ordained in 1985 from St. John's Seminary. In 1997 the parish name included the subheading "Chinese Mission" in the Archdiocesan Directory and listed Masses in English, Spanish and Chinese. Father Dover served the parish until 2001 when he was appointed pastor at St. Anthony of Padua in Gardena.

Father Gabriel Lui, a native of Taiwan and an associate under Father Dover, was named administrator and, in 2005, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas where liturgies are celebrated in English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. It is an active, multicultural group of parishioners who, like their Dominican patron saint, believe in the theological presentation of the truths of the faith.