About St. Teresa of Avila · Whitehall, Montana
St. Teresa of Avila is a mission-sized Roman Catholic parish in Whitehall, Montana, part of the Diocese of Helena. It serves the agricultural Jefferson Valley community in southwest Montana with Saturday vigil Masses (the schedule shifting seasonally between summer and winter hours) and weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays. The parish is led by Father John Crutchfield and supported by secretary/bookkeeper Denice Rust, and it sustains its small-town Catholic life through groups like the St. Teresa's Women's Auxiliary and the Knights of Columbus.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- St. Teresa of Avila (Teresa of Jesus, 16th-century Spanish Carmelite mystic and Doctor of the Church)
- Rector
- Father John Crutchfield
- Diocese
- Diocese of Helena
Why belong here
St. Teresa of Avila is a small-town parish where Catholics of the Jefferson Valley know one another by name. Worship is centered on a Saturday vigil Mass that shifts with the seasons (6:00 pm in summer, 4:00 pm in winter) and weekly Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration from noon to 2:00 pm, giving parishioners a steady rhythm of prayer. Active lay groups — the St. Teresa's Women's Auxiliary and the local Knights of Columbus council — keep the parish closely tied to its Catholic identity and the wider Whitehall community.
Mass times at St. Teresa of Avila
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–3:50 PM (Winter: first weekend of November through end of April)
- Saturday 5:40–5:50 PM (Summer: first weekend of May through end of October)
- Before Mass and by appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday 12:00 noon – 2:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish Identity & Diocese
St. Teresa of Avila is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena, entrusted with the pastoral care of Catholics in Whitehall and the surrounding Jefferson Valley. It is identified in diocesan directories under the parish roster of southwest Montana and is linked to the Mission of Notre Dame in Twin Bridges.
- Diocese: Diocese of Helena
- Parish type: Mission-sized parish (Roman-Latin rite)
- Linked mission: Notre Dame, Twin Bridges
History of St. Teresa of Avila, Whitehall
According to a Montana travel/heritage listing, the parish's first church was built in 1907, making St. Teresa one of the older Catholic parishes in southwest Montana. As the local Catholic community grew, the present church was constructed in 1971 on 2nd Street East, where it continues to serve the small-town population of Whitehall and the outlying ranches of the Jefferson Valley. The parish is listed under Catholic Directory filings as a diocesan parish (Saint Teresa Avila Parish).
- 1907 — Original church built in Whitehall
- 1971 — Present church constructed
- Current pastor: Father John Crutchfield
Parish Ministries & Groups
Despite its small size, St. Teresa's sustains an active lay life through two longstanding parish groups: the St. Teresa's Women's Auxiliary, which meets in the Church Hall on the third Wednesday of each month at 10:00 AM, and the Knights of Columbus council, which gathers on the first Thursday at 7:00 PM from September through May. Both groups meet in the parish hall and are central to the parish's fellowship, fundraising, and service to the wider Whitehall community.
- St. Teresa's Women's Auxiliary — 3rd Wednesday, 10:00 AM, Church Hall
- Knights of Columbus — Sept.–May, 1st Thursday, 7:00 PM, Church Hall
Staff & Pastoral Team
The parish is led by its pastor, Father John Crutchfield, with administrative support from secretary and bookkeeper Denice Rust. Both are listed on the diocesan parish page for St. Teresa of Avila, Whitehall.
- Pastor: Father John Crutchfield
- Secretary/Bookkeeper: Denice Rust
Contact, Location & Visiting
The parish's physical church is at 107 2nd St. East in Whitehall, with correspondence going to P.O. Box 337, Whitehall, MT 59759. Inquiries reach the office at 406-287-3893 (fax 406-287-9213) or [email protected]. The parish is approximately two blocks east of Interstate 90, making it a short stop for travelers passing through this stretch of the Jefferson Valley.
- Address: 107 2nd St. East, Whitehall, MT 59759
- Mailing: P.O. Box 337, Whitehall, MT 59759
- Phone: 406-287-3893
- Fax: 406-287-9213
- Email: [email protected]
- Near I-90, eastern side of Whitehall