St. Thomas Church
St. Thomas Church (Catholic) is on 56 Margin St. at the Peabody/Salem line. St. Mary's cemetery is adjacent to the church.
A white wooden church was the first building built for the parish, in 1927,on the Phelan farmland, which bordered St. Mary's Cemetery. The first pastor was Father Edward Fraher.
The present St. Thomas Church design is early English gothic. The exterior is light-colored brick with stone trimmings. The opening services were on Dec. 21, 1930. Later, a rectory was built that matched the church design, and in 1950, the St. Thomas Parochial school was built, then a convent for the nuns that taught at the school.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston considered closing the church in 2004, but reversed its decision. It was decided that St. Thomas will stay open, but merge with Our Lady of Fatima church of Peabody.
See Also
- Vertical File in Salem Collection - Churches
- St. Thomas Church Church website
- "New Catholic parish a fact New Year's eve" Salem Evening News, Jan. 3, 1928.
- "New Catholic church in North Salem was built in eight days", Salem Evening News, Jan. 28, 1928.
- St. Thomas considers taking on archdiocese in court fight", Salem News, Sept. 16, 2004, p. A2
- St. Thomas to stay open, merge with Our Lady" Salem News, June 28, 2005, p. A2
- Merger will reunite 2 different churches, traditions" Salem News, June 29, 2005, p. A1
- The Peabody Story by John A. Wells, 1972, p. 482-3
