 The
Catholic Chaplaincy at Yale was established in 1922 with the
appointment of Rev. T. Lawrason Riggs '10 as Yale's first Catholic
Chaplain. Fr. Riggs had been one of only eight Catholics in
his class.
His vision was to establish a ministry to Catholic students
and to build a Center that would be a focal point of Catholic
identity on Yale's Campus. Within fifteen years, he had secured
permission and support to build a Catholic Chapel on Park
Street.
The Saint Thomas More Corporation, with a predominantly lay
Board of Trustees, was formed in
1937, and in October of 1938, the Bishop of Hartford dedicated
its newly constructed Chapel, designed by architect William
Douglas '32 BFA, which condinues to serve the Yale Catholic
community to this day.
 Today,
there are over 2,500 Catholic undergraduates, Graduate/Professional
Students, Faculty, and Staff at Yale University. To meet the
needs of this ever-expanding Catholic community, Saint Thomas
More Chapel offers an increasing number of spiritual and intellectual
programs, including:
- Fellowships,
Lectures, and Chaplain's
Teas, which bring renowned speakers from around the
world to share their faith and knowledge with the community.
Recent guests include William F. Buckley, Cokie Roberts,
Cardinal Godfried Danneels, United States Senator John Danforth,
and visitors from the Vatican and White House, to name a
few.
- Small
Church Communities, intimate faith sharing and
support groups which form the foundation of the larger Saint
Thomas More Chapel community
- Retreats
twice a year for undergraduates and graduate/professional
students
- Community service and
social justice activities aimed at the needs of the New
Haven community and the world
- Ministry in varied guises,
through individual appointments, meals in the dining halls,
or the RCIA program
for those considering becoming Catholic
Our New Home: The Thomas E. Golden, Jr. Center
 On the weekend of December 1–3, 2006, we celebrated the dedication of The Thomas E. Golden, Jr. Center, built to house the growing community and ministry of Saint Thomas More Chapel. We have begun Phase II of our building campaign: the renovation of the Chapel and the Chaplain’s residence. During the academic year 2007-2008, Masses, prayer services and other events are held the Golden Center. We look forward to the completion of Phase II in the Fall of 2008. You can hear about the exciting events underway at Saint Thomas More in the Development section of this site.
 St. Thomas More:
The Man, The Saint
Sir Thomas More served as Lord Chancellor of England under
King Henry VIII. He was martyred for his opposition of Henry's
secession from the Church, and was canonized in 1935 by Pope
Pius XI. For a more detailed biography, read this article
from the Catholic Encyclopedia.
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