About St. Theresa of Avila · West Roxbury, Massachusetts
St. Theresa of Avila Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Boston located in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, at 2078 Centre Street. The parish traces its roots back to 1869 (officially becoming an independent parish in 1896 under Rev. Patrick F. Boyle) and celebrated its centennial in 1995 with the theme 'Saint Theresa Parish: Beginning our Second Century of Faith, Worship, and Service.' Today it operates in a collaborative partnership with St. John Chrysostom Parish (sharing staff, office, and bulletin) and is served by Pastor Rev. John Connolly along with parochial vicars and a full lay staff for religious education, music, youth ministry, and outreach.
- Established
- 1896
- Patron
- St. Theresa of Avila
- Rector
- Rev. John Connolly
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Theresa of Avila offers the full sacramental life of a Boston-area Catholic parish — weekday and Sunday Mass, Saturday Vigil, Reconciliation on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings, First Communion and Confirmation preparation, RCIA for adults, marriage preparation, and outreach to the homebound. The parish runs an active Religious Education program (Grades 1–10), a Youth Ministry program shared across the collaborative, a Music Ministry with children's, chorister, and adult parish choirs, and a Parish Outreach Program that assists elderly, infirm, and housebound parishioners. As a collaborative partner of St. John Chrysostom, St. Theresa gives parishioners the breadth of a larger community while retaining the warmth of a single neighborhood parish on Centre Street in West Roxbury.
Mass times at St. Theresa of Avila
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:30 – 7:00 PM (Saint Theresa of Avila Chapel)
About St. Theresa of Avila Parish
St. Theresa of Avila is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Boston serving the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston from its church at 2078 Centre Street. The parish community traces its roots to 1869 and was formally constituted as an independent parish on January 1, 1896. It is now in a collaborative partnership with St. John Chrysostom Parish, sharing an office, bulletin, and several staff members while continuing to celebrate its own Mass schedule in its own church building.
- Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Boston
- Located at 2078 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132
- Roots from 1869; independent parish since 1896
- In collaborative partnership with St. John Chrysostom Parish
- Centennial celebrated in 1995: 'Beginning our Second Century of Faith, Worship, and Service'
Parish History
The first Catholic community that would become St. Theresa of Avila dates to 1869, when a small wooden church was built on Baker Street in West Roxbury and dedicated on October 29, 1871. That first church burned down on December 15, 1874, and a replacement school-chapel was built on Spring Street and dedicated on October 17, 1875. The community was first attached to Dedham and then to Roslindale before becoming an independent parish on January 1, 1896, under Rev. Patrick F. Boyle. In 1995 the parish marked its centennial with the theme 'Beginning our Second Century of Faith, Worship, and Service,' a phrase the parish still uses to describe its identity. Archdiocesan sacramental registers preserve St. Theresa's baptisms from 1896 and marriages from 1896 onward.
- 1869 — community founded; first wooden church on Baker Street dedicated Oct. 29, 1871
- 1874 — first church destroyed by fire (Dec. 15)
- 1875 — school-chapel on Spring Street dedicated Oct. 17
- 1896 — independent parish established under founding pastor Rev. Patrick F. Boyle (Jan. 1)
- 1995 — centennial celebrated with theme 'Beginning our Second Century of Faith, Worship, and Service'
- Today — collaborative with St. John Chrysostom Parish, West Roxbury
Clergy & Staff
St. Theresa of Avila is led by Pastor Rev. John Connolly and is assisted by two parochial vicars. A full team of lay staff runs Religious Education, Music, Youth Ministry, Parish Outreach, and the parish office.
- Rev. John Connolly — Pastor
- Rev. Charles J. Higgins — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Richard S. Bradford — Parochial Vicar (also Pastor of St. Athanasius Parish, Anglican Use)
- Michael O'Brien — Business Manager
- Carol O'Brien — Parish Secretary (sacramental records, registration)
- Susan Abbott — RCIA & Adult Faith Formation (former Director of Religious Education and of the Archdiocesan Religious Education office)
- Rosetta Mark — Music Director and Director of Catholic Identity & Discipleship at St. Theresa School
- Brandon Santini — Director of Music Ministry (Eastman School, Rochester, NY); contact for weddings and funerals
- Julie Perri — (parish staff)
- Ellen Murphy — Grades 7–10 Coordinator of Religious Education (Confirmation program); Franciscan University of Steubenville alumna; former FOCUS missionary
- Rudy Flores — Coordinator of Youth Ministry (Grades 7–12, for St. Theresa, St. John and Holy Name); Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven sacraments, with the bulk of formal catechesis handled through the Religious Education program and RCIA. Couples are asked to contact a priest at least six months before a wedding so they can register for pre-cana. Adult Confirmation is handled through the RCIA process.
- Baptism — contact Parish Secretary Carol O'Brien for baptism forms
- First Penance & First Communion — two-year program in Grades 1–2
- Confirmation — two-year program beginning in Grade 9, completed end of Grade 10
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Mass as listed on the parish schedule
- Marriage — six months' notice; pre-cana required; appointment with a priest
- RCIA — for the unbaptized, those baptized in another faith, or baptized Catholics who did not receive Eucharist or Confirmation; meets weekly, beginning in the Fall
- Anointing of the Sick & care of the homebound — through the Parish Outreach Program
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
Faith formation at St. Theresa of Avila is organized in three coordinated tracks: a Grades 1–6 program that culminates in First Penance and First Communion, a Grades 7–10 program that culminates in Confirmation, and a parish-wide Youth Ministry program for high-school-age young people. RCIA handles adult initiation, and Adult Faith Formation offers topical evenings throughout the year.
- Grades 1–6 — Rosetta Reilly Mark, Coordinator; first Penance typically late fall/winter, First Communion typically early May
- Grades 7–10 Confirmation — Ellen Murphy, Coordinator ([email protected])
- Youth Ministry (Grades 7–12) — Rudy Flores, Coordinator for St. Theresa, St. John, and Holy Name
- Peer Ministry — Confirmed High School Juniors and Seniors; monthly meetings October–April
- RCIA & Adult Faith Formation — Susan Abbott ([email protected])
Liturgical Ministries
The parish invites parishioners of all ages to serve at the altar, in the sanctuary, and at the doors of the church. Training is provided for altar servers and extraordinary ministers, and ushers are recruited from among adults 18 and older.
- Altar Servers — boys and girls in Grade 4 and older; contact Cathy Carrigan
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — distribute Holy Communion at Mass and to the sick and homebound
- Lectors — proclaim the Word of God and announce the General Intercessions
- Sacristans — prepare the Church and Sanctuary for each liturgy; weekend shifts once a month
- Ushers — Ministers of Liturgical Hospitality, 18 and older
Music Ministry
Music at St. Theresa of Avila is directed by Music Director Brandon Santini (a graduate of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY), who oversees the parish choir, the children's choirs, and cantor training. The parish encourages sung participation from everyone in the pews.
- Children's Choir — students in Grades 2–4
- Choristers — students in Grades 5–9
- Parish Choir — high-school-age students and adults of all ages
- Cantor training — available for both adults and children
- Contact — Brandon Santini, [email protected] or 617-325-1300 x126 (also the contact for weddings and funerals)
Parish Outreach & Charity
The Parish Outreach Program coordinates the parish's corporal works of mercy by sending volunteers to assist elderly, infirm, and housebound parishioners with daily routines — both practical and spiritual. Volunteers bring Our Lord with them, in the parish's words, whenever they do something for someone in need.
- Assistance to elderly, infirm, and housebound parishioners
- Spiritual and practical support, including visits and connection to the sacraments
- Volunteer opportunities coordinated through the Parish Office (617-325-1300, [email protected])
Collaborative with St. John Chrysostom
St. Theresa of Avila shares a collaborative with St. John Chrysostom Parish, also in West Roxbury. The two parishes share a collaborative office (located at the St. John Chrysostom site, 4750 Washington St.), a combined bulletin, and a unified website navigation, while each continues to celebrate its own Mass schedule in its own church. The collaborative office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM and closed on Fridays. St. Theresa's own Mass schedule includes Saturday Vigil at 4:30 PM, Sundays at 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, and weekday Masses on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:30 AM.
- Partner parish: St. John Chrysostom, West Roxbury
- Collaborative Office: 4750 Washington St, West Roxbury, MA 02132 — Mon–Thu 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (closed Fridays)
- Shared phone: (617) 325-1300
- Shared email: [email protected]
- Combined weekly bulletin and shared website menu
Visit, Register & Get Involved
St. Theresa of Avila welcomes new parishioners, returning Catholics, and those exploring the Catholic faith. Registration can be done at the Parish Office (in the Rectory), by phone at 617-325-1300, or online via the parish website. The parish notes that envelopes or online giving through WeShare are the only ways contributions are tracked for tax purposes. Anyone interested in becoming Catholic or in adult faith formation is invited to contact RCIA Director Susan Abbott.
- New parishioners — register online, in person at the Rectory, or by phone
- Returning Catholics — welcomed back to the practice of the faith
- Becoming Catholic — contact Susan Abbott (RCIA) at [email protected]
- Online giving via WeShare
- Annual Catholic Appeal — supported by the parish
Contact & Directions
The church building itself is at 2078 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132. The collaborative Parish Office is housed at St. John's, 4750 Washington Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132, and is the right point of contact for most inquiries.
- Church address — 2078 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132
- Collaborative Parish Office — 4750 Washington St, West Roxbury, MA 02132
- Phone — (617) 325-1300
- Email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Monday–Thursday 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (closed Fridays)
- By MBTA bus — routes 35 or 36 to St Theresa Ave stop on Centre Street
- By commuter rail — Needham line to West Roxbury stop (≈5-minute walk)
- Accessibility — handicap accessible and air conditioned
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick F. Boyle1896 (founding pastor of independent parish)
Established St. Theresa of Avila as an independent parish on January 1, 1896.