Every parish is a story of God at work in a particular place, among particular people. St. Therese has been telling that story in Deephaven for generations: in the families who built this community, the priests and religious who served it, and the parishioners who continue to fill its pews today.
Our beginnings
St. Therese Catholic Church was established in 1946 under Father Mark Otto. As a military chaplain in the Second World War, Fr. Otto had prayed to St. Thérèse of Lisieux to carry him safely through the war; in thanksgiving for that answered prayer, he founded a parish here in Deephaven under her patronage.
Father Francis Shea was assigned as pastor in 1950. As young families moved into the area, he purchased the twenty-three acres on which the church, the school, and Deephaven Woods senior living now stand. He built the school, which opened in September 1959, and the growing congregation worshiped in the school basement while the parish continued to expand.
Father Jerome Janski became pastor in 1968 and built the present church in 1970 for a parish that then numbered about 500 families. Its sanctuary received the stained-glass window dedicated to St. Therese that parishioners still gather beneath today. That same year the Franciscan Clarist Sisters arrived from Kerala, India, beginning decades of faithful service to the parish and school.
The late 1990s brought the expanded narthex and the community room under Father John Bauer, and the early 2000s added the middle school and offices. Under Father Leonard Andrie the parish eliminated its debt, remodeled the chapel and sanctuary, and added a media center in the school. Deephaven Woods opened in 2013. By God’s grace and under the patronage of the Little Flower, a parish that began with 50 families has grown into a community of nearly 1,500.
A glimpse of 1976
In June 2021, during the remodel of our school, a time capsule was discovered. It was buried on November 16, 1976, for the American Bicentennial by the students and teachers of St. Therese School. Grades 1 through 7 are represented in its contents, a delightful window into parish life a half-century ago.
The relics of our patroness
In October 2023, St. Therese welcomed the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and her parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, the first married couple canonized together in the history of the Church. Thousands came to venerate, pray, and celebrate Mass during the visit, which marked the 150th anniversary of Thérèse’s birth. It was a moment of extraordinary grace in the life of our parish, connecting our community in Deephaven to the little way of our patroness.
The story continues
Our heritage is not behind us; it is the foundation we build on. We invite you to become part of the next chapter of St. Therese. Visit us at Mass, or learn more on our I’m New Here page.
Time Capsule
During the remodel of our school in June 2021, a time capsule was discovered. It had been buried on November 16, 1976 for the American Bicentennial by the students and teachers of St. Therese School. Grades 1 through 7 are represented, and the scans below are a delightful window into parish life a half century ago.
What each class buried
| Grade | Teacher | Time capsule scans |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Mrs. Groetsch & Mrs. Skalitsky | Group One (PDF) · Group Two (PDF) |
| Grade 2 | Sr. Infant Mary | View scans (PDF) |
| Grade 3 | Sr. Teresa Margret | View scans (PDF) |
| Grade 4 | Mrs. Bishop | View scans (PDF) |
| Grade 5 | Sr. Jancy | View scans (PDF) |
| Grade 6 | Sr. Ritty | View scans (PDF) |
| Grade 7 | Sr. Teresa Jose | View scans (PDF) |
Who taught here in 1976
| Class or role | 1976-77 faculty and staff |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Mrs. Shinker |
| Grade 1 | Mrs. Skalitsky and Mrs. Groetsch |
| Grade 2 | Sr. Infant Mary |
| Grade 3 | Sr. Teresa Margret |
| Grade 4 | Mrs. Bishop |
| Grade 5 | Sr. Jancy |
| Grade 6 | Sr. Ritty |
| Grade 7 | Sr. Teresa Jose |
| Grade 8 | Miss Topping |
| Science | Mrs. Clyborne |
| Art | Mrs. Forceir |
| Principal | Mr. Doering |
| Secretary | Mrs. Strigel |