About Saint Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church · Wellington, Florida
St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Wellington, Florida, part of the Diocese of Palm Beach. Established on July 1, 2000, the parish serves the communities of Wellington and western Lake Worth. Under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Peter Truong, the parish community gathers for daily and weekend Masses and is supported by an active team of deacons, lay staff, and a wide range of parish ministries. The parish is named after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the young Carmelite nun known as 'The Little Flower' and a Doctor of the Church, whose 'Little Way' of spiritual childhood inspires the parish's mission to live the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love.
- Established
- 2000
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Thérèse Marie Martin, 'The Little Flower')
- Rector
- Rev. Peter Truong
- Diocese
- Diocese of Palm Beach
Why belong here
St. Therese de Lisieux is a welcoming parish family in Wellington that offers multiple Sunday Masses and a daily 8:30 a.m. Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation every Saturday at 3 p.m., and the convenience of a livestreamed/recorded Mass for the homebound. Parishioners can get involved in a vibrant mix of ministries — from the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Cursillo, Charismatic Prayer Group, and the Council of Catholic Women, to outreach through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Respect Life Ministry. With active Faith Formation for children, RCIA for adults, choirs for every Sunday Mass, and a dedicated Bereavement and Baptism Preparation team, the parish offers a clear path for every age and stage of Catholic life.
Mass times at Saint Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm
- By appointment (call the parish office at 561-784-0689)
History of the Parish
St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church was established on July 1, 2000, when Fr. Louis Guerin was appointed as its first and founding pastor. The new parish community initially had no church of its own — Mass was first offered at the Wellington Boys and Girls Club, then moved to the cafeteria of Polo Park Middle School, and finally into a modular building on the property where the parish still stands today. Fr. Guerin's 'Share the Vision, Meet the Challenge' capital campaign in 2004 set the stage for a permanent home, and his successor, Fr. Brian W. Lehnert (Second Pastor from July 2006), launched the 'Building on Holy Ground' follow-up campaign in late 2007. The resulting Parish Center/Church building was used for the First Mass in May 2010 and was blessed by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito on October 3, 2010 — the Feast Day of St. Therese. On July 1, 2015 — the parish's Fifteenth Anniversary — Bishop Barbarito appointed Fr. David C. Downey as the Third Pastor. The current pastor, Rev. Peter Truong, now leads the parish community together with the deacons and lay staff.
- Established July 1, 2000
- Founding Pastor: Fr. Louis Guerin
- Second Pastor: Fr. Brian W. Lehnert (2006–2015)
- Third Pastor: Fr. David C. Downey (appointed July 1, 2015)
- Current Pastor: Rev. Peter Truong
- Present church blessed October 3, 2010 by Bishop Barbarito
Patron Saint: St. Thérèse of Lisieux
The parish takes the name and spiritual inspiration of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), the French Carmelite nun whose autobiography, 'Story of a Soul,' and 'Little Way' of spiritual childhood have made her one of only four female Doctors of the Church. She was born Thérèse Marie Martin to a devout family with four sisters who also entered religious life; she entered the Carmel of Lisieux at 15 and died of tuberculosis at 24. Her cause for beatification was opened shortly after her death, and she was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. The parish keeps a dedicated biography of her on its website and proclaims her witness of Faith, Hope and Love as the foundation-stones of parish life.
- Born Thérèse Marie Martin, 1873
- Carmelite nun of Lisieux
- Doctor of the Church
- Canonized 1925 by Pope Pius XI
- Feast Day: October 1
Mass and Devotional Schedule
Daily Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. The Saturday Vigil Mass is at 4:30 p.m., and four Sunday Masses are celebrated: 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available every Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and by appointment through the parish office. The parish also live-streams and records Mass on its website so that the homebound can remain connected to the Sunday liturgy.
- Daily Mass: Mon–Fri 8:30 am
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 pm
- Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 am and 5:30 pm
- Confessions: Sat 3:00 pm and by appointment
- Live-streamed / recorded Mass via the parish website
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Peter Truong and supported by a Pastoral Associate, deacons, an office staff, a Director of Finance/Office Manager, a Catechetical Leader, a Music Coordinator, a maintenance team and receptionists. Staff contact runs through the main parish number (561) 784-0689.
- Rev. Peter Truong — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Pete Del Valle — Pastoral Associate & Music Ministry Coordinator ([email protected], [email protected])
- Maria Pickford — Administrative Assistant
- Rodolfo Camacho — Director of Finance / Office Manager ([email protected])
- Audra Afflitto — Catechetical Leader ([email protected])
- Maria Alvarez — Receptionist ([email protected])
- Beryl Mancuso — Receptionist ([email protected])
- Mike Freeman — Maintenance ([email protected])
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry of St. Therese de Lisieux aims to enrich every Mass through praise, worship and devotion in song, helping the parish lift its thoughts to God. Each weekend liturgy has its own musical character so that worshippers can find a style that speaks to them.
- Saturday 4:30 pm — Cantor and accompanist; mix of traditional hymns, psalms, and contemporary selections
- Sunday 7:30 am — Quiet Mass with no music
- Sunday 9:30 am — Conventional Choir directed by David and Mollie Bowers; large four-part ensemble bridging Catholic liturgical and contemporary classics
- Sunday 11:30 am — Contemporary Choir directed by Alex Wooldridge; modern praise and worship
- Sunday 5:30 pm — Cantor and accompanist; modern praise and worship
- Coordinator: Deacon Pete Del Valle
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at St. Therese de Lisieux is led by Catechetical Leader Audra Afflitto and supports parishioners of every age in growing as disciples. Children prepare for the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation, while adults seeking to enter or complete their initiation journey do so through the R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults).
- Faith Formation office: [email protected]
- Children's sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation)
- R.C.I.A. for adults, led by Deacon Vinnie (Vincent Muller)
Parish Ministries and Groups
St. Therese de Lisieux offers a broad mix of liturgical, spiritual, fraternal, and outreach ministries. The Bereavement, Baptism Prep, and Extraordinary Ministers teams accompany parishioners through life's key sacramental moments; the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Cursillo Movement, Men's Group, Council of Catholic Women, and Charismatic Prayer Group support spiritual and community life; and the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Respect Life Ministry extend the parish's outreach to the poor and to the unborn and vulnerable.
- Altar Servers — Louis Giannone
- Baptism Prep — Deacon Bob
- Bereavement — Deacon Al and Brenda Rosario
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — Jean McKeen
- Charismatic Prayer Group — Larry Krauss
- Cursillo Movement — Jorge Garcia
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — Deacon Vinnie (Vincent Muller)
- Finance Committee — Father Downey
- Knights of Columbus — Alan Greenfield
- Lectors — Deacon Vinnie
- Legion of Mary — Jill Kozol
- Men's Group — Louis Giannone
- Ushers
- R.C.I.A. — Deacon Vinnie
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul Society
The St. Therese de Lisieux Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic lay organization that brings women and men together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering, following the example of its patron St. Vincent de Paul and founder Blessed Frédéric Ozanam. Vincentians make no distinction in those they serve because, in them, they see the face of Christ. In 2010 alone, the parish's St. Vincent de Paul Conference helped over 200 local families with urgent needs — mainly food and FP&L (electric) bill assistance — during the worsened economy.
- Leader: Larry Krauss
- Supported by monthly parish food collections
- Assistance primarily with food and utility payments
- Collaborates with diocesan Catholic Charities
Outreach: Respect Life Ministry
The Respect Life Ministry affirms the dignity of every human person from the moment of conception until natural death. The ministry educates parishioners about Catholic teaching on abortion, euthanasia, embryonic destructive research, human cloning, capital punishment, the dignity of the aged and handicapped, chastity, and natural family planning; supports the local crisis pregnancy center Birthline/Lifeline of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach; and encourages civic engagement on legislation that affects the Sanctity of Life.
- Contacts: Ms. Aixa Nieves and Dr. Lourdes Nieves
- Supports Birthline/Lifeline Pregnancy Care Centers (Catholic Charities, Diocese of Palm Beach)
- Promotes awareness of life issues at the parish and civic level
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments and provides dedicated preparation for each. The Baptism Preparation team (led by Deacon Bob) walks parents through the process; Reconciliation is heard every Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and by appointment; First Communion and Confirmation are prepared through the Faith Formation program; R.C.I.A. welcomes unbaptized adults and catechumens into the Church; Matrimony arrangements are made through the parish office; and the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring Communion to the homebound and those unable to attend Mass.
- Baptism Preparation (Deacon Bob)
- Reconciliation — Sat 3:00 pm and by appointment
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation via Faith Formation
- R.C.I.A. for adults (Deacon Vinnie)
- Marriage — arrangements via parish office
- Communion to the sick and homebound (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion)
Parish Information and Contact
St. Therese de Lisieux is located at 11800 Lake Worth Road, Wellington, FL 33449, on the western edge of Palm Beach County. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (summer hours: Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.–12 p.m.). The main phone line is (561) 784-0689 and the fax is (561) 784-8346. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Palm Beach and is linked on its website to Catholic Charities and the diocesan St. Vincent de Paul works.
- Address: 11800 Lake Worth Road, Wellington, FL 33449
- Phone: (561) 784-0689; Fax: (561) 784-8346
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 9 am–3 pm (Summer: Mon–Thu 9–3, Fri 9–12)
- Diocese of Palm Beach
- Main reception email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Louis Guerin2000 – July 2006
First and Founding Pastor; launched the 'Share the Vision, Meet the Challenge' capital campaign in 2004.
- Fr. Brian W. LehnertJuly 2006 – July 2015
Second Pastor; began the 'Building on Holy Ground' campaign in late 2007; oversaw construction of the present Parish Center/Church complex, First Mass celebrated May 2010, blessed by Bishop Barbarito on October 3, 2010.
- Fr. David C. DowneyJuly 1, 2015 –
Third Pastor; appointed by Bishop Barbarito on the Fifteenth Anniversary of the parish's founding; listed as serving on the Finance Committee.
- Rev. Peter Truongcurrent
Current pastor (named as pastor on the parish homepage and in the staff directory).