Saint Theresa Parish, North Reading, Massachusetts

Saint Theresa Parish, North Reading, Massachusetts

Pillars & Foundations documents an exploration of communities, as well as faith through religious institutions. My intent is to share experiences, and spread the positivity that I observe. The hope is to provide a window into these organizations allowing those who might not other wise venture in to appreciate these thoughtful, often intimate groups in our midst. Faith centers embody a drive to make a difference which they deliver upon, regardless if it is with one person looking for hope & community, or a recipient of their expansive charitable work.

Building & History

Saint Theresa has a rural setting in North Reading, a town that still boasts large tracts of forest in contrast to several of its more densely populated neighbors. The church is situated on a large, typically manicured lot, bordered by towering white pines and various oaks and maples struggling to hold on to the last of their vibrant fall colors which are more often blowing across the landscape in the breeze in early November. 

The structure has a decidedly mid-century modern file, with three staggered expanses of rectangular opaque glass framing the entrance at the base, and rising to form a contemporary bell tower. The church has clean architectural lines inside and out. It maintains a primarily modern feel, but has nods to traditional features such as a rose window above the altar, and some traditional stained glass scenes centrally laid in modern mosaics of colored panes, which accent the sides of the sanctuary. Lighter stain on the wooden ceiling contrasts with the darker graceful beams that support the roof above the nave. The beams stylistically cut through a ceiling above the side aisles of the church that obscure up-lighting on the sloped roof. It is simple, yet elegant, sleek yet warm, and certainly is unique, while still adhering to the architectural formula we might expect from a church of its era.

Saint Theresa's of North Reading, according to its cornerstone plaque, traces its organizational origins to 1945, where the structure I had the pleasure of visiting, was completed in 1960. With four weekend Masses, as well as additional daily masses the building is heavily used. The campus is actually a polling center for the citizens of North Reading during elections. While newer than many churches around, it still boasts an influential history on the community.

Saint Theresa of Lisieux

Often time we take for granted who the namesake actually is when we enter of a church. There is more than one Saint Theresa in Catholicism, however the parish webpage quotes St. Theresa of Lisieux, so I assume she is the person for which the church is named. Wikipedia states that St. Theresa of Lisieux is considered to be one of the most popular of modern saints. Saint Theresa was a nun in France during the late 1800s, who died at a young age of tuberculosis. It seems that one of the most memorable ideas of St. Theresa was that her personal quest for sanctity should, and could only be accomplished by many little deeds, not necessarily great heroic ones. This idea perhaps is what helped make her popular, as many people can relate to such possibilities. One other noteworthy characteristic of St. Theresa was her desire to pray for the forgiveness of those who a society would forsake, an example was an infamous murderer who killed his wife & family and ultimately faced the guillotine in France. Saint Theresa is also known for her autobiography, "The Story of a Soul."

The Mass

The pastor at St. Theresa, Bishop Mark O'Connell was unable to provide services due to some scheduling conflicts, however the bulletin contained a detailed letter to the parish, apologizing for absence, and outlining various ongoing parish activities.

The Mass was conducted by a guest, Father Paul whose substantial activity in Food for the Poor, Inc. framed a moving homily. Food For The Poor is an international charity that helps feed people in developing nations. Fr. Paul made note of their track record of having one of the lowest overhead costs of charities, so that most of your donation goes directly to the intended recipients. Fr. Paul was very humorous and personable, joking that while they weren't taking a second collection for the charity, things might "get ugly," if he didn't see parishioners leaving with the brochure and donation envelopes in hand as they passed by him to exit Mass. 

Daily readings were Deuteronomy 6:2-6, Hebrews 7:23-28, and Mark 12:38-44. The passages from Mark were perhaps the most directly applicable to the call to give to strangers in need. 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

In tying into these readings Fr. Paul recounted a story of a mission that he went on to Jamaica. He shared a story of a young college bound student giving a small child his sunglasses. This child had just lost both of his parents, and he himself was HIV positive, and recently moved to a home for such children. The boy told the young man that he often wanted to cry, and was ashamed that others would see him. The young man, who had spent time cheering the boy up, told him to wear the glasses when he needed strength. 

Outreach

If the homily isn't indicative of the dedication the parish has towards servicing others, plenty of other charitable associations are listed on the website. St Theresa Parish has affiliations with Alcoholics Anonymous, Knights of Columbus, and Christian Community Service. St. Theresa Parish works with the Boy Scouts, and currently a project is ongoing to create a picnic/meeting location behind the rectory. There is a youth ministry which is actively planning a Youth Mission trip to West Virginia. Various other church ministries are active, engaging in a range of activities from church upkeep, to meetings dedicated towards the prevention of child abuse.

Conclusion

St. Theresa clearly gives back generously both to the parishioners, but also to the immediate and greater communities in which it resides.

Text and photographs by George Parks

Sources are embedded in links