A Parish That Gathers in Four Languages
On 51 Marketplace in Irvine, St. Thomas More Catholic Church serves one of Orange County's most diverse Catholic communities. Weekend worship here is celebrated in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese, and the parish grounds host Vietnamese lion dancers at Lunar New Year, a Filipino Simbang Gabi Mass, a Las Mananitas Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a Living Stations of the Cross. The parish mission statement describes a Spirit-filled community that values its Roman Catholic faith by celebrating the sacraments, breaking open the Scriptures, and joyfully offering itself in service to others, seeking, under the patronage of St. Thomas More, to build a caring community that embraces friendship, integrity, and courageous love of God.
Mass Times and Confessions
Saturday Masses begin at 4:00 pm in Vietnamese and 6:00 pm in English. Sunday brings a full day of worship: 8:00 am English, 9:30 am English (Act of God), 11:30 am English, 1:00 pm Spanish, 3:00 pm Chinese, and 5:00 pm English. Confessions are scheduled in the Priest's Office, and Mass is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person. Weekday morning Mass and Eucharistic adoration are listed on the parish calendar.
Clergy and Parish Leadership
Fr. Eugene Lee serves as Pastor, with Fr. Thomas Tran as Parochial Vicar. Two Norbertine and community weekend assistants, Fr. Joseph Horn, O Praem, and Fr. Joe Justice, help celebrate Masses and sacraments. Three deacon couples minister alongside the priests: Deacon Tin and UyenLan Nguyen, Deacon Leonard and Nancy Sun, and Deacon Tim and Michelle O'Donoghue. The parish also remembers its founding pastor, Fr. John Janze, now retired, and the late Fr. Bill Krekelberg, Parochial Vicar Emeritus. A music director, Kwang Nguyen, leads a robust liturgical music program.
Liturgy Support and the Seven Sacraments
A team of lay liturgical ministries keeps the Masses running smoothly. Altar Servers, open to boys and girls in fourth grade or above who have made their First Communion, are introduced to the order of Mass through formal practice sessions. Lectors proclaim the readings, Ushers greet and seat the assembly, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, appointed by the pastor and authorized by the bishop, assist with the distribution of the Eucharist. The Eucharist to the Homebound ministry sends trained ministers each week to parishioners who cannot attend Mass. The Music ministry coordinates several choirs, including the AOG (Act of God) Choir, Life Teen and Young Adult Choir, Spanish Choir, Chinese Choir, Filipino Choir, and Vietnamese Youth Choir, each rehearsing in the St Nicholas Room or other parish spaces.
All seven sacraments are celebrated at St. Thomas More. Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation each have dedicated preparation ministries. Marriage preparation is supported through Marriage Encounter and Marriage Case Support, and a Wedding Coordinator helps couples plan the liturgy. Bereavement ministry accompanies families through funerals, and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, also known as RCIA) walks inquirers through the journey to full initiation, with sessions offered in English, Vietnamese, and Chinese.
A New Church Rising on the Parish Grounds
A distinctive feature of the parish right now is construction of a new church building. The Believe and Build Capital Campaign is raising funds and a live camera streams the building progress, allowing parishioners and visitors to watch the walls rise. A construction progress document is updated regularly, and gifts of stock, life insurance, retirement plans, and employer matching gifts are all accepted alongside the standard giving basket, text-to-give at 949-919-5494, online e-giving, and mailed or dropped-off donations in the parish lobby.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Children's Faith Formation (CFF) provides classes for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, with registration requiring a baptismal certificate on file and, for families from other parishes, a Letter of Transfer. Confirmation preparation begins in high school through the Youth Ministry Office. Vacation Bible School rounds out the summer. Director Pamela Ocampo leads the CFF program, with Lisa Busch coordinating the junior high REP track and the VBS. For high schoolers, Director of Confirmation and Youth Ministry Michael Fahey, with Assistant Youth Minister Alex Nguyen, leads STM YTH, gathering teens for the Life Teen choir, Ignite nights in the multipurpose room, Confirmation preparation, and the parish's annual STM XLT evenings.
Adult Faith Formation, directed by Tara Reynaud with Denyse Gagnon and Mary Jane Rin, plans Bible studies, guest speaker events, book clubs, and prayer gatherings throughout the year. Small Faith Communities (SFC) are Gospel-centered small faith-sharing groups that gather in homes to discuss the Scriptures and grow in relationship with God and one another, joined under the motto Pope Francis used to describe the work: Faith is a flame that grows stronger the more it is shared and passed on. The parish Bible Focused Formation (BFF) program offers classes such as Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible. The parish Library, open on Saturday and Sunday mornings, holds an extensive lending collection, and a Spanish Bible Study meets in the Bible Focused Formation track.
Young adults are served through STM Young Adult Ministry (YAM), which gathers for fellowship events like FuturePast and brewery nights and serves in the parish. That Man Is You (TMIY), a men's program, meets Saturday mornings in Meeting Room 1. More Moms supports mothers in their vocation, the Legion of Mary meets for spiritual development, the Pilgrim Virgin devotion circles through homes, Cursillo forms small Christian communities, and Taize Prayer offers evening contemplative worship.
Communities That Shape the Parish
St. Thomas More is shaped by the cultural communities that call it home. The Vietnamese Ministry celebrates its weekly Saturday Mass, hosts Lunar New Year with a lion dance, and offers bilingual faith formation in Vietnamese and English. The Chinese Community gathers for its Sunday afternoon Mass, with the Chinese Choir, OCIA preparation, and an after-Mass gathering in the multipurpose room and patio. The Filipino Community celebrates the San Lorenzo Ruiz Feast Day Mass and hosts receptions, the Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast team also draws Filipino participation, and the parish choir lineup includes a dedicated Filipino Choir. Ministerio Hispano (Hispanic Ministry) supports the Spanish-language Mass and choir. The Young Ladies Grand Institute (YLGI), a Filipino Catholic women's organization, also maintains a presence at the parish.
For those wanting a deeper spiritual experience, Christ Renews His Parish offers a women's and men's weekend retreat; Simbang Gabi, the Filipino nine-day novena of dawn Masses leading to Christmas, is celebrated with carols and fellowship; and the parish gathers for Corpus Christi Procession and Adoration, Living Stations of the Cross during Lent, and the STM XLT evenings that combine adoration, praise, and a meal.
Service and Outreach
Outreach flows through several ministries. St. Vincent de Paul serves neighbors in need, the Respect Life ministry promotes the dignity of life from conception to natural death, and the Safety Ministry keeps the parish grounds secure during events. Knights of Columbus Council 13111 meets in the parish and serves through pancake breakfast fundraisers. Corazon supports couples in their marriage, Bereavement walks alongside grieving families, the Grief Share Ministry offers a video-based support program for those mourning a loss, and STM Veterans connects parishioners who have served in the armed forces.
Prayer and the Parish Office
A Prayer Partner program pairs parishioners who commit to praying for one another's intentions; prayer requests can be submitted online and answered prayers are shared with the parish. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, with a recorded after-hours emergency line at extension 7. Lisa Bergler serves as Office Manager and Bulletin Editor.
Joining the Parish
New families can register through the Parish Registration form, available in the lobby. Visitors are welcome at any of the seven weekend Masses, with confessors available before Mass, a pastor and parochial vicar reachable through the main number (949) 551-8601, and a deep bench of ministries ready to receive new members. The parish bulletin, posted weekly, lists the current schedule of Bible studies, devotions, and special events. For those who would like to give, online giving, text-to-give, stock donations, and the Believe and Build Capital Campaign all support both the parish's daily mission and the rising walls of its new church.