About St. Teresa · Port Deposit, Maryland
St. Teresa (of Avila) is a small Catholic mission church in the historic river town of Port Deposit, Maryland, serving Catholics in western Cecil County. Built in 1866 of locally quarried Port Deposit granite, it is one of four worship sites of Good Shepherd Parish in Perryville, which also includes St. Agnes in Rising Sun and the largely inactive St. Patrick Chapel in Pilottown. St. Teresa offers a single Sunday morning Mass and remains a beloved fixture along North Main Street in a town better known for its 19th-century granite industry. The parish is part of the Iron Hill Deanery of the Diocese of Wilmington (Delaware).
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- St. Teresa of Avila
- Rector
- Rev. Jay R. McKee (pastor of Good Shepherd Parish since January 2007)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wilmington (Iron Hill Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Teresa offers an intimate Sunday Mass in one of Cecil County's most architecturally distinctive small churches — a granite landmark on North Main Street in historic Port Deposit. As a mission of Good Shepherd Parish, it is supported by an active cluster of ministries that include the Knights of Columbus (and its Squires program for boys), a rejuvenated youth ministry, a Respect Life Committee, an active senior ministry, and a St. Vincent de Paul Society that runs a food pantry at St. Agnes and a weekly meal for the homeless. Worshippers at St. Teresa are linked to Good Shepherd School in Perryville, where a close-knit, family-oriented Catholic community gathers around daily Mass and parish life along the Susquehanna River.
Mass times at St. Teresa
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM at Good Shepherd Church, Perryville (or by appointment — call the parish office)
Adoration times
- 1st Friday 9:30–11:00 AM (with Benediction at 11:00 AM)
About St. Teresa of Avila, Port Deposit
St. Teresa (of Avila) is one of four worship sites of Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, which serves the western Cecil County communities of Perryville, Port Deposit, Rising Sun, and Pilottown. From its granite walls on North Main Street, St. Teresa offers a single Sunday morning Mass in English. The parish is part of the Iron Hill Deanery in the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, and is pastored by Father Jay R. McKee from the parish offices at Good Shepherd Church in Perryville.
- Mission church of Good Shepherd Parish, Perryville, MD
- Iron Hill Deanery, Diocese of Wilmington
- Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM (English)
- 162 N. Main St., Port Deposit, MD 21904
History of St. Teresa
Catholic worship in Port Deposit long predates the present church. Mass was first offered in the area at Abrahams Hall (now the Water Witch Fire House) and later in the former bank building at the center of town, which today serves as the museum for the former U.S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge. The Diocese of Wilmington records St. Teresa of Avila as built in 1857 and named in 1866; it was originally part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Early Masses were supplied by priests from Havre de Grace.
- Early worship at Abrahams Hall (now Water Witch Fire House)
- Mid-1800s worship in the former bank building (now Bainbridge museum)
- St. Teresa of Avila church built in 1857 and named in 1866
- Originally part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Father Arnd and the Trees of Main Street
In the early 1890s, Father Arnd of St. Teresa also served on the Port Deposit Town Council. He is remembered for advocating and overseeing the planting of the poplar trees that lined Main Street — the trees visible in so many early-1900s postcards and photographs of the town.
- Father Arnd, pastor at St. Teresa in the 1890s
- Member, Port Deposit Town Council
- Champion of the poplar trees along Main Street
Architecture
St. Teresa is a modest Late Federal-style church built of locally quarried Port Deposit granite with clapboard. Port Deposit's light bluish-gray granite (containing an abundance of black mica) supplied stone for an estimated twelve churches in Philadelphia, three in Washington, D.C., and at least five in Baltimore during the 19th century.
- Late Federal style
- Local Port Deposit granite with clapboard
- Part of a wider regional tradition of granite quarrying that supplied churches across the Mid-Atlantic
Good Shepherd Parish — the Cluster
St. Teresa is part of Good Shepherd Parish, the 'motherhouse' of a four-church cluster in western Cecil County. Good Shepherd itself was established in 1949, but the parish's roots go back to 1819, when St. Patrick's opened in Pilottown for Irish immigrants along the Susquehanna. St. Agnes in Rising Sun followed in 1891. St. Patrick's Chapel in Pilottown remains part of the parish but is largely inactive, hosting Mass just once a year on special occasions.
- Good Shepherd Church, Perryville (main parish complex, with offices and school)
- St. Agnes Church, Rising Sun (Sunday Mass in English; Saturday Spanish Mass)
- St. Teresa Church, Port Deposit (Sunday Mass 8:00 AM)
- St. Patrick Chapel, Pilottown (largely inactive; special-occasion Mass only)
Good Shepherd Catholic School
Good Shepherd Catholic School in Perryville is a long-standing ministry of the cluster, originally opened in 1957 by Father William R. Couming in the parish convent and moved to its permanent site in 1959. The school marked its 60th anniversary in 2017. Baptisms of students at school Masses — including a notable 2018 ceremony of three students — have been highlights of parish life.
- Opened 1957 in the convent (Father Couming)
- Permanent site since 1959
- Family-oriented Catholic school community in Perryville
Clergy and Staff
Father Jay R. McKee has served as pastor of Good Shepherd Parish (including St. Teresa) since January 2007. He is the only priest regularly assigned to the cluster and is assisted by retired priests of the diocese and the Archdiocese of Baltimore who help celebrate Mass at the various churches, especially St. Teresa. Father McKee also serves as an associate director of the diocesan Office of Priestly and Religious Vocations, with a focus on grade-school vocations.
- Rev. Jay R. McKee — pastor since January 2007
- Rev. John Abrams — semi-retired priest (Archdiocese of Baltimore); celebrates a weekly Mass at St. Teresa
- Rev. Ray Forester — retired (Diocese of Wilmington); former Good Shepherd pastor
- Deacon Ken Pull — parish deacon (also a musician)
Parish Ministries
Across the cluster, Good Shepherd Parish supports a vibrant network of lay-led ministries. Several operate out of St. Agnes in Rising Sun, but they serve the whole cluster including St. Teresa worshippers.
- Knights of Columbus (with Squires program for minors)
- Youth ministry
- Respect Life Committee
- Senior ministry
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — monthly luncheon at St. Agnes; weekly meal for the homeless; food pantry at St. Agnes
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation and scheduling is coordinated through the Good Shepherd Parish office in Perryville. Call the parish at 410-642-6534 for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, RCIA, and First Communion/Confirmation preparation.
- Baptism
- First Communion / Confirmation (often through Good Shepherd School)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Reconciliation by appointment and Saturdays at Good Shepherd
Visiting Port Deposit and St. Teresa
St. Teresa sits on North Main Street in the historic river town of Port Deposit, once a booming granite and lumber port on the Susquehanna River. From I-95 (north or south), take Exit 93, turn right at the first light, then left at the next onto MD-222 and follow it into Port Deposit; the granite-and-clapboard church is about 1.5 miles along Main Street on the right. Parking is on-street in the small-town setting. Postcards of the church are sold at the Paw Paw Building at 98 North Main Street.
- From I-95 Exit 93, follow MD-222 into Port Deposit
- Located 1.5 miles along Main Street on the right
- Granite-and-clapboard structure, easy to spot
- On-street parking on North Main Street
Notable Parishes & People
St. Teresa and the wider Good Shepherd cluster have produced vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and have been featured in The Dialog, the newspaper of the Diocese of Wilmington.
- Michael Preston — Port Deposit native raised at St. Teresa; ordained May 22, 2021 by Bishop Malooly for the Diocese of Wilmington; first Mass at St. Teresa on May 23, 2021
- Father Jay McKee — associate director, diocesan Office of Priestly and Religious Vocations (grade-school focus)
- Deacon Ken Pull — parishioner and musician featured at parish anniversary events
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Arndearly 1890s
Also served on the Port Deposit Town Council; advocated planting the poplar trees along Main Street.
- Father William R. Coumingmid-20th century
Good Shepherd pastor who opened the parish school in 1957 (in the purchased convent); the school moved to its permanent site in 1959.
- Father Ray Forester
Retired priest of the Diocese of Wilmington; a portion of his active priesthood was spent as pastor of Good Shepherd Parish.
- Father Jay R. McKeeJanuary 2007–present
Current pastor of Good Shepherd Parish (which includes St. Teresa as a mission church). Also an associate director of the diocesan Office of Priestly and Religious Vocations, focusing on grade-school vocations.