The beauty and warmth of St. Thomas Aquinas in Flatlands fills you as you enter the church.
Over the years, the families who have filled the pews have changed.
At first it was mostly Italian and Irish, now it’s Caribbeans, Asians, and Hispanics, who come to worship.
The church, itself, has also seen some changes.
It began in the 1880’s as a small mission church on Flatbush Avenue, but later a new, bigger building opened in the 1930’s with a 155-foot tower.
Fast forward a few decades and most wouldn’t have painted a pretty picture when describing it.
Msgr. John Brown decided it was time for a change and envisioned a renaissance.
He turned to the congregation for help, and one parishioner in particular, Christopher Spinelli.
“St. Thomas was always a very warm parish, the people were warm and very welcoming,” Spinelli said. “I never felt the building represented that.”
Spinelli, a well-known artist and art teacher in the REACH program for underserved children, used his skills and artistry to bring out the vibrancy of the church.
Christopher Spinelli from St. Thomas Aquinas in Brooklyn is The Pulse of The Parish.