About St. Theresa · Austin, Texas
St. Theresa Catholic Church is a Catholic parish and school located in the Northwest Hills neighborhood of Austin, Texas, serving approximately 6,000 parishioners across nearly 6,000 souls and roughly 1,600+ families. Founded in 1968 by the Diocese of Austin and dedicated to St. Theresa of Lisieux, the parish is led today by Fr. Larry Covington — a familiar face, since he played the organ at the first Mass in the original church in 1971 as a 14-year-old. Worship is offered in English with a Saturday vigil and three Sunday Masses, daily weekday Mass, weekly reconciliation, monthly First Friday adoration, and a robust program of faith formation, youth ministry, outreach to the homeless, and a National Blue Ribbon Catholic elementary school (Pre-K through 8th).
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- St. Theresa of Lisieux
- Rector
- Rev. Charles L. (Larry) Covington
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
St. Theresa welcomes everyone as a Northwest Austin community grounded in Scripture, growing in the Holy Spirit, and reaching out in love. Active parishioners feed the unhoused through two Mobile Loaves & Fishes trucks and the Early Bird Taco Ministry (200 tacos every Friday morning since the 1990s), visit the homebound at Brookdale Northwest Hills and Longhorn Village, lead OCIA classes for those becoming Catholic, and form teenagers through Saturday Night Live! youth nights and Sports & Summit. Add a National Blue Ribbon school, a brand-new Elmer Hall, daily Mass, monthly First Friday adoration, and a pastor who literally grew up in the parish, and you have a place where it is easy to belong and serve.
Mass times at St. Theresa
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (with Benediction) in the church
Parish History and Founding Story
St. Theresa was born in 1963 from an anonymous gift of four acres in Northwest Hills, earmarked for a church dedicated to St. Theresa of Lisieux. The Diocese of Austin added five more acres and formally established the parish in 1968 under founding pastor Msgr. Charles Elmer, who celebrated the first Masses at Gullett Elementary and Murchison Middle School. The first church was dedicated in 1971; the school followed in 1986; and the rebuilt sanctuary, dedicated September 29, 2001, was constructed after a 2000 fire destroyed the nearly-finished new building just weeks before its first scheduled Mass.
- 1963 – Anonymous donor gives 4 acres in Northwest Hills
- 1968 – Diocese of Austin establishes St. Theresa Parish
- Oct. 3, 1969 – Groundbreaking for sanctuary, parish hall, and rectory
- Jan. 10, 1971 – First Mass in the new church (14-year-old Larry Covington on organ)
- Jan. 31, 1971 – Dedication of the original church by Bishop Louis J. Reicher
- 1985 – Education Building completed
- 1986 – St. Theresa Catholic School opens with 38 students in PK–1st grade
- 1990 – Parish grows to 1,600 families
- 1999 – Multipurpose gymnasium completed (becomes 'Saint Gym' worship space)
- May 23, 2000 – Fire destroys nearly completed new sanctuary
- Sept. 29, 2001 – Dedication of reconstructed church (two stained-glass windows survived)
- 2008 – 40th Anniversary Mass and celebration
- 2013 – Elmer Hall (education building) completed
- 2018 – 50th Anniversary Mass and celebration
Our Patroness — St. Theresa of Lisieux
The parish is named for St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, the Carmelite nun better known as 'The Little Flower.' Born in France in 1873, she entered the Lisieux Carmel at fifteen and died of tuberculosis at twenty-four, leaving behind her autobiography Story of a Soul and her promise: 'I will pass my heaven in doing good on earth.' She was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope St. John Paul II in 1997 and is honored on her memorial feast day, October 1.
- Patroness of missions, florists, pilots, and the ill
- Feast Day: October 1
- 'The Little Flower' — her autobiography is Story of a Soul
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Larry Covington, who has served as pastor since 2014 and has a personal connection to St. Theresa dating back to the first Mass in 1971. He is assisted by Parochial Vicar Fr. Barry William Cuba and two permanent deacons: Rev. Deacon Tony Pynes and Rev. Deacon Keith Carter (who, along with his wife Maureen, returned to the parish in 2007).
- Rev. Charles L. (Larry) Covington — Pastor (since 2014)
- Rev. Barry William Cuba — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Deacon Tony Pynes
- Rev. Deacon Keith Carter
Parish Staff and Key Contacts
Lay staff direct the day-to-day operations of liturgy, music, formation, communications, and finance at St. Theresa. J.D. McQueen II, M.Div. serves as Director of Liturgy and Associate Director of Music/Organist, with H. Morris Stevens, Jr., Ph.D. as Director of Music Ministry. Mary Beth Hubik is Director of Parish Life and Social Media; Geneva Moore is Director of Ongoing Formation & Discipleship; Cheryl Solt handles Communications; and Kari Cruz is the Pastor's Administrative Assistant.
- H. Morris Stevens, Jr., Ph.D. — Director of Music Ministry
- J.D. McQueen II, M.Div. — Director of Liturgy & Associate Director of Music / Organist
- Mary Beth Hubik — Director of Parish Life / Social Media
- Geneva Moore — Director of Ongoing Formation & Discipleship
- Cheryl Solt — Communications
- Lisa McAdams, M.Ed — Finance Officer
- Kari Cruz — Pastor Administrative Assistant (ext. 1006)
- Arnoldo Rodriguez, Jr. — Facilities Manager
- Chase Crouse — contact for OCIA / Becoming Catholic
- Parish Secretary / Baptism Scheduling — 512-451-5121 ext. 1002
St. Theresa Catholic School
St. Theresa Catholic School opened in 1986 with 38 students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade and grew grade-by-grade over the next two decades, completing its expansion in 2005 with a second section of 8th grade. The school serves roughly 400 students today in Pre-K through 8th grade on the parish campus, received full Texas Catholic Conference accreditation in 1993, launched the Little Flower Catholic Academy (PK-3) in 2019, and was awarded the National Blue Ribbon in 2023.
- 1986 – School opens with 38 PK–1st grade students under Msgr. McCabe
- 1993 – Accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department
- 2013 – Intermediate and middle school students move into Elmer Hall
- 2019 – Little Flower Catholic Academy established (PK-3)
- 2023 – Awarded National Blue Ribbon
- Admissions contact: [email protected] / (512) 451-7105
- School Year Office Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–3:45 PM
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Theresa offers a full catechetical program for children, youth, and adults. Elementary Catechesis meets Sunday mornings 10:25–11:30 AM in Elmer Hall classrooms for Kindergarten through 8th grade, with special events throughout the year and a Family Retreat for First Communion candidates. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Level 2) serves 3- to 6-year-olds. For adults, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is open enrollment, meeting on the Second Sunday of the month after the 11 AM Mass in Elmer Hall.
- Elementary Catechesis — Sun 10:25–11:30 AM, K–8th, Elmer Hall
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Level 2 (ages 3–6)
- OCIA — 2nd Sunday of the month, 12:30–2:30 PM, Elmer Hall
- OCIA Adapted for Children ages 7+
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation preparation
- Family Retreat for First Communion candidates
Youth Ministry and Confirmation
St. Theresa's youth ministry invites all high-school-age teens — from any parish or school — to share life, grow in faith, and seek Jesus through community. Saturday Night Live! meets twice a month for traditional youth-group nights, while Sports & Summit gathers once a month for fellowship, a shared meal, and an encounter with Eucharistic Adoration. High School Confirmation is offered to eligible 9th through 12th graders.
- Saturday Night Live! (SNL) — 2x/month, open to all high school youth (14–18)
- Sports & Summit — 1x/month, all ages; meal, fellowship, Eucharistic Adoration
- High School Confirmation for grades 9–12
Outreach and Social Ministry
Outreach is at the heart of St. Theresa's identity as a community that reaches out in love. The parish runs two Mobile Loaves & Fishes truck teams at the St. Louis Food Pantry on the 3rd and 4th Saturdays of the month at lunchtime, while the Early Bird Taco Ministry has delivered about 200 breakfast tacos every Friday morning to two Austin homeless shelters since the 1990s. St. Vincent de Paul teams make home visits for food, rent, diapers, and utility aid; Food for Our Neighbors collects non-perishables for St. Louis Food Pantry; and Helping Our Neighbors (HON) cares for people experiencing homelessness in Northwest Austin.
- Mobile Loaves & Fishes — 3rd & 4th Saturdays at lunchtime, St. Louis Food Pantry
- Early Bird Taco Ministry — ~200 tacos every Friday morning to two shelters (since 1990s)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — home visits and emergency aid
- Food for Our Neighbors — weekly/seasonal collections to St. Louis Food Pantry
- Helping Our Neighbors (HON) — Northwest Austin homeless outreach
- Respect Life / Pro-Life — 40 Days for Life, Walk for Life, Texas Alliance for Life
- Creation Care — composting, gardening, recycling
- Nursing Home Visits — Communion Services at Brookdale Northwest Hills, Longhorn Village, Juniper Village at Spicewood Summit
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
St. Theresa prepares parishioners for the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and the Anointing of the Sick. Families typically begin with a call to the parish office, after which they are connected to the appropriate ministry leader or to OCIA for adults needing Baptism, Communion, or Confirmation. The Anointing of the Sick can be requested by contacting the parish office.
- Baptism — scheduled through the Parish Secretary / Sacrament Coordinator
- First Communion — typically 2nd grade with parish Family Retreat
- Confirmation — High School for 9th–12th graders
- Marriage — call the parish office to begin preparation
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Music and Liturgy
St. Theresa's music and liturgy teams are led by H. Morris Stevens, Jr., Ph.D. (Director of Music Ministry) and J.D. McQueen II, M.Div. (Director of Liturgy and Associate Director of Music / Organist). The 9:00 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel, with a worship aid published online to help the faithful follow along.
- Music Ministry under Dr. H. Morris Stevens, Jr.
- Liturgy & Organist — J.D. McQueen II, M.Div.
- Sunday 9:00 AM Mass livestreamed on YouTube
- Online Worship Aid available each week
Parish Identity and Mission
St. Theresa describes itself as a vibrant and welcoming Catholic community in Northwest Austin that is 'grounded in scripture, growing in the Spirit, and reaching out in love.' Following the example of their patroness St. Theresa of Lisieux, parishioners are committed to making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and, together in ministry for Him, advancing the Kingdom of God. Founding pastor Msgr. Elmer summed up the call succinctly: 'I wanted to make saints out of everybody in this parish. You are a special people of God.'
- Welcoming Northwest Austin Catholic community
- Grounded in Scripture, growing in the Spirit, reaching out in love
- Making disciples of Jesus Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God
Getting Involved and Joining the Parish
Newcomers are warmly invited to register as parishioners and connect with a ministry that fits their gifts. The parish welcomes 'all who are on a faith journey,' and the staff can help match interests — from OCIA and youth ministry to outreach teams like Mobile Loaves & Fishes or St. Vincent de Paul. To register, fill out the online form on st-theresa.org/join or contact Geneva Moore at [email protected].
- Online parish registration form at st-theresa.org/join
- Contact Geneva Moore — [email protected]
- Parish office phone: 512-451-5121
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Charles Elmer1968–1972
Founding pastor; led Mass in borrowed schools and a barber shop before the church was built.
- Msgr. Edward Matocha1972–1974
- Msgr. Richard E. McCabe1975–1987
Directed the planning that led to St. Theresa Catholic School.
- Msgr. Edward Jordan1987–1999
Shepherded the parish through explosive growth and the completion of the gym.
- Rev. Gregory A. Romanski1999–2004
Led the parish through the 2000 sanctuary fire and reconstruction.
- Rev. Rakshaganathan Selvaraj (Raj)2004–2005
Served as Parish Administrator.
- Msgr. Bill Brooks2005–2014
- Rev. Charles L. (Larry) Covington2014–present
Played the organ at the first Mass in 1971 as a 14-year-old; native of College Station, Texas; Saint Meinrad School of Theology (1985).