About St. Therese of Lisieux · Montauk, New York
The Church of St. Therese of Lisieux is the Roman Catholic parish serving Montauk, the easternmost village on Long Island, New York. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Rockville Centre and ministers to a year-round community as well as a large seasonal population drawn to the Hamptons' most easterly point. Under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Liam McDonald, the parish offers daily and weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a Kerygma-based RCIA program, a nursery school, religious education, youth ministry, music ministry, and a Hispanic prayer group. The parish church building is open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. for prayer and visits.
- Established
- 1930
- Patron
- St. Therese of Lisieux (The Little Flower)
- Rector
- Fr. Liam McDonald
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockville Centre
Why belong here
St. Therese of Lisieux is the only Catholic parish in Montauk, and it makes the full sacramental life accessible on the easternmost tip of Long Island, with daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, four weekend Masses including a Spanish Mass, weekday and Saturday Confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration every weekday morning plus Tuesday evenings. The parish actively forms disciples through its Kerygma-based RCIA, a religious education program, a youth ministry, and a nursery school; it also feeds the wider community through an Outreach office. For anyone living in or visiting Montauk — or any Spanish-speaking Catholic drawn to the area — it is the spiritual home where devotion to the Little Flower meets the rhythms of village life.
Mass times at St. Therese of Lisieux
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday through Friday: Following the 8:30 AM Mass
- Saturday: 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday through Friday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Tuesday Night Lights: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration with candle lighting, prayer for the village, and 1-on-1 prayer ministry)
History of St. Therese of Lisieux
Catholic faith in Montauk reaches back to the 1760s, when French Acadian and Cape Breton families — including the fisherman Francis Martin — first settled at the tip of Long Island. By the 1920s a robust French-Canadian immigrant community (Pitts, McDonald, Grimes, Joyce families among them) pressed for a permanent church. With land donated by Carl Fisher, the walls of the new church went up in 1929–1930 and were completed and dedicated in 1935 by Bishop Molloy as the Church of the Little Flower. Full parish status was conferred in 1950, and after the original structure was found unsafe, Bishop William Murphy dedicated a new replacement church for the community.
- Catholic presence in Montauk since the 1760s
- Original church built 1929–1930 on land donated by Carl Fisher
- Designed by the firm McKenna and Irving
- Dedicated in 1935 by Bishop Molloy as 'Church of the Little Flower'
- Full parish status granted in 1950
- New church dedicated by Bishop William Murphy after the original was declared structurally unsafe
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Therese of Lisieux offers a full Kerygma-based faith formation program, including preparation for the Sacraments and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Louise Carman serves as the Director of Religious Education. The parish publishes its own RCIA and catechesis booklet as a free resource, walking inquirers through Faith & Revelation, the Sacraments, the Commandments, the Saints and Mary, and the Last Things.
- Kerygma-based RCIA program
- Sacramental preparation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony)
- Religious Education for children
- RCIA booklet covering 20 lessons available as a free parish resource
Nursery School
The parish operates a Nursery School, with Maureen Kingston as its director. Contact is via [email protected] or 631-668-2200.
- Director: Maureen Kingston
- Email: [email protected]
Youth Ministry
A dedicated Youth Minister, Magdalena Sanchez Lazo, leads programming for the parish's young people.
- Youth Minister: Magdalena Sanchez Lazo
- Email: [email protected]
Music Ministry
Music for the parish liturgies is directed by Kyle McCann.
- Music Director: Kyle McCann
- Email: [email protected]
Parish Outreach
St. Therese runs a Parish Outreach office to serve those in need within the Montauk community. The Outreach line is a separate phone number from the front desk.
- Outreach Phone: 631-668-1381
Sacraments Celebrated at St. Therese
As a full parish of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, St. Therese celebrates all seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Matrimony, and Holy Orders. The parish's Kerygma catechesis materials explain each sacrament in depth.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist
- Confession
- Anointing of the Sick
- Matrimony
- Holy Orders
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Liam McDonald, supported by a lay staff team handling religious education, music, youth ministry, the nursery school, parish business, and outreach.
- Pastor: Fr. Liam McDonald ([email protected])
- Director of Religious Education: Louise Carman
- Business Manager: Janine Marmeno
- Music Director: Kyle McCann
- Youth Minister: Magdalena Sanchez Lazo
- Nursery School Director: Maureen Kingston
Contact & Visit
The Parish Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The church itself is open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for prayer and visits.
- Address: 67 South Essex Street, PO Box 5027, Montauk, NY 11954
- Front Desk: 631-668-2200
- Religious Education: 631-668-2460
- Outreach: 631-668-1381
- General Email: [email protected]
- Parish Center Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 noon
- Church open daily 6:30 AM – 9:00 PM