St. Teresa Church history

In 1894, the building of the first church was started under the direction of Rev. Msgr. Edward McSweeney, pastor of St. John’s. A contractor was hired, and a work force was formed by the people who would become the first parishioners of the new church. For about 2 years, services were held in the basement with the first mass celebrated by Rev. James O’Brien, assistant of St. John’s.

In 1896, the parish was formed under the patronage of St. Teresa of Avila, with the Rev. Herman Hamakers as its first resident pastor. At the time, there were less than 100 families in the parish. On November 10, 1896, the church was dedicated by Bishop James Healy.

In July 1915, St. Teresa’s School and rectory was built. In 1922, the Sisters of Mercy moved into the original rectory which became their convent. The school, which was the gift of Louis Mutty (Mothe) in memory of his parents, opened that same year. The Sisters of Mercy taught at St. Teresa’s School, until it closed in 1969. In their years of service, the Sisters made an impact upon the parish and community.

On November 6, 1945, a student made a visit to the church on her way home from school and noticed smoke in the church. Apparently, a fire had started in the basement around the chimney of the heating plant. The flames swept up through partitions in the belfry, destroying the attic and roof. The walls and tower stood through the night, with the bell remaining intact.

St. Teresa’s Church was destroyed by the fire, bringing great sorrow to Rev. Maurice Carroll and all parishioners. Efforts to rebuild began almost immediately and two years later, on August 22, 1948, Bishop Daniel Feeney blessed and laid the cornerstone of the new church, located across the street from the site of the disastrous fire.

Rev. Rudolph Leveille was appointed pastor on July 1, 1987. Early in his administration the school building was sold to C.E.S. and a fundraising campaign was begun to build a new parish center on the site of the original church next to the rectory. The parish center was completed and dedicated on June 4, 1989.

On October 13, 1996, St. Teresa’s Church celebrated its 100^th Anniversary with a Mass, presided by the Most Rev. Michael Cote, Auxiliary Bishop of Portland. Concelebrants included Rev. Rudolph Leveille, pastor of St. Teresa’s, priests from surrounding areas and those who formerly served at the church.