About St. Therese of the Infant Jesus, Shrine of the Little Flower · Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Shrine of the Little Flower, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in the geographic center of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Built in 1954 during the Marian Year and dedicated on December 4, 1955 by Archbishop Edwin Vincent Byrne, the Shrine was constructed with an estimated cost of over $3 million at the time and houses rare relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux — including bone fragments embedded in the marble of the main altar, a bone fragment in a small gold reliquary venerated by the priest, and statues and stained glass crafted in France and the Italian Alps. The parish is one of only four shrines in the world dedicated to St. Thérèse of Lisieux ('The Little Flower'), and falls under the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Its vision statement, drawn from Jeremiah 29:7, calls parishioners to 'seek the well being of the city' that surrounds them.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of the Infant Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux, 'The Little Flower')
- Rector
- Fr. Vincent P. Chavez
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
The Shrine of the Little Flower offers a richly bilingual Catholic life — Sunday Mass in Spanish at 8:00 AM, English Masses at 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM (the noon Mass is identified as the Life Teen youth Mass), a Saturday Vigil at 4:00 PM, and weekday Masses most mornings. The parish welcomes new parishioners through an online registration form (available in both English and Spanish) and grounds its identity in Jeremiah 29:7, seeking the well-being of the surrounding city of Albuquerque. As one of only four shrines in the world dedicated to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, it offers a unique devotional home with rare relics, French stained glass, and Italian-crafted statuary — a destination for both parishioners and pilgrims.
Mass times at St. Therese of the Infant Jesus, Shrine of the Little Flower
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday: after 9:00 AM Mass until 12:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
About the Shrine of the Little Flower
The Shrine of the Little Flower, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Parish sits in Albuquerque's geographic center, where the community 'works and prays for the well-being of the city that surrounds and holds us.' Its vision statement is taken from Jeremiah 29:7 — 'Seek the well being of the city to which I have sent you. Pray for it to the Lord. For in seeking its well being, you shall find your own.' New parishioners are welcomed through an online registration form available in both English and Spanish, accessible via the parish Contact page.
- Vision Statement from Jeremiah 29:7
- Online English and Spanish parish registration
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
History of the Shrine
The Shrine was constructed during the Marian Year of 1954 and dedicated on December 4, 1955 by Archbishop Edwin Vincent Byrne of Santa Fe. From its earliest days it was designed to honor St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the French Carmelite and Doctor of the Church. One of the first priests was himself French, and he designed the stained glass and statuary that still define the Sanctuary — the stained glass was crafted in France and the statues were carved by craftsmen in the Italian Alps. The Shrine cost more than $3 million to build in 1954, a sum estimated by Fr. Vincent Chavez at roughly $18–30 million in modern construction costs. The Shrine was designated a Jubilee Church in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016) and again in the Holy Year 2025.
- Built 1954 (Marian Year)
- Dedicated December 4, 1955 by Archbishop Edwin Vincent Byrne
- Jubilee Church 2016 and 2025
- Construction cost over $3 million in 1954
Relics and Sacred Art
The Shrine is one of only four shrines in the world dedicated to St. Thérèse of Lisieux and contains rare relics of the saint. Bone fragments of St. Thérèse are placed in the marble beneath the statue of the Little Flower and in the marble of the main altar; a third bone fragment is kept in a small gold reliquary that the priest brings out for veneration. The Sanctuary also holds statues carved in the Italian Alps and stained glass made in France.
- Bone relic beneath statue of St. Thérèse
- Bone relic in marble of the main altar
- Gold reliquary with bone fragment used for veneration
- Italian-Alpine carved statues
- French-made stained glass
Mass and Liturgical Schedule
The Shrine offers a robust weekly schedule in both English and Spanish. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 4:00 PM, followed by three Sunday Masses: 8:00 AM in Spanish, 10:00 AM in English, and 12:00 PM in English as the Life Teen youth Mass. Weekday Masses are celebrated Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 AM, with a Communion Service on Mondays at 8:00 AM. A Tuesday evening Spanish Mass is listed at 7:00 PM by an aggregator site and should be confirmed with the parish office.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM (Spanish), 10:00 AM (English), 12:00 PM Life Teen
- Weekday 8:00 AM Mass Tuesday–Saturday
- Monday 8:00 AM Communion Service
- Tuesday 7:00 PM Spanish Mass (per aggregator listing)
Parish Staff
The Shrine is led by a small pastoral team serving the parish and its ministries. The parish office is staffed during weekday mornings.
- Fr. Vincent P. Chavez — Pastor
- Deacon Michael Wesley
- Raul Talavera — Director of Religious Education
- Leina Dinkel — Parish Secretary
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Religious Education is directed by Raul Talavera and is one of the Shrine's anchor ministries. Youth ministry is centered in the Life Teen program, which is integrated into parish worship through the Sunday 12:00 PM Life Teen youth Mass.
- Religious Education program (Director: Raul Talavera)
- Life Teen youth Mass every Sunday at 12:00 PM
Music and Liturgical Collaborations
The Shrine has hosted events with the Albuquerque All-City Women's Catholic Liturgical Choir, including a Lenten Penitential Prayer Concert: A Dedication to Our Lady of Sorrows, which featured the Stations of the Cross. These collaborations reflect the Shrine's role as a city-wide pilgrimage site.
- Host of All-City Women's Catholic Liturgical Choir events
- Stations of the Cross services hosted in Lent
Contact, Location, and Parish Registration
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Shrine by phone or email during weekday office hours. Online registration forms are available in both English and Spanish for those wishing to formally join the parish.
- Address: 300 Mildred Avenue NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107
- Phone: (505) 344-8050
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Easy access from I-25 or I-40, between Candelaria and Menual on Fourth Street