History of St. Therese School

From its beginning until the present, St. Therese School has been blessed with pastors who supported Catholic education and dedicated Sisters of Charity and lay teachers who staffed our school. We have been blessed with enthusiastic, capable laity who made many sacrifices and devoted much time and energy in volunteer service. We gratefully acknowledge our pastors: Rev. Joseph D. Hagan (1925-1947), Rev. Joseph A. Nee (1947-1977), Rev. Donald L. Voelker (1977-1978), Rev. Joseph P. Newell (1978-1989), Rev. Hugh J. Lang (1989-2006), Rev.James Young (2006 - present), teachers, principals , staff, Mother’s Club, VIP, Athletic Association, School Advisory Council, Parish Council, and all parish organizations.

For fifty years St. Therese School has been distinguished for its academic excellence and for its total education, which includes growth in religious awareness and an appreciation of morals and values. Through daily prayer and religion classes, students are formed in faith development by learning the spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux and her "little way." They expand the understanding of their call by God to serve others, and to live the gospel values and spread the kingdom. They are helped to see the image of God in others and to recognize that they demonstrate love for God in their respect and love for others as well as for themselves. In the years to come, we are committed to nurturing this environment for children’s natural love for learning and living. We continue to prepare them to live their dreams, and to reach their potential in a world much more complex and very different from fifty years ago.

October 3, 1925 - Bishop Hugh C. Boyle created The Parish of St. Therese of Lisieux naming Father Joseph D. Hagan as the first pastor. One hundred twenty families formed the nucleus of this new parish.

October 18, 1925 -Father Hagan celebrated the first Mass at the old Homestead Park Municipal Building, presently the site of the Munhall Volunteer Fire Company No. 4 at Main and East Eugene Streets. Soon after this, property was purchased at a lot bordered by East Virginia Avenue, Main Street and Superior Street, now the site of the Savolskis-Wasik-Glenn Funeral Home. The parish residence was set up at an existing house and construction on the church building was begun almost immediately.

January 25, 1926 -The wooden frame church, built in five weeks, had a seating capacity of 300. It was completed and consecrated by Bishop Boyle.

October 18, 1925 -The first of many church committees was chosen.

Crash of 1929 - The hopes for a speedy expansion program, which included a permanent church and a parochial school, were seriously affected by the Great Depression. People thought not of parish growth, but merely of parish survival. When the mills began to boom with wartime orders, the parish began to plan again for its renewed growth.

March, 1938 - St. Therese welcomed Father John Cavanaugh, the first curate, who remained until

December, 1945 - when Father William Lavelle succeeded him.

March 20, 1947 - Father Joseph A. Nee was appointed pastor following the death of Father Hagan on February 16, 1947.

July 13, 1951 - The 12 acre property located on Main Street, just three blocks north of the old frame church, was purchased to accommodate the ever-growing parish.

July 26, 1953 - Ground was broken to construct a school.

November 15, 1953 - Father Joseph Lonergan, the Dean of the district, laid the cornerstone.

August 21, 1954 - Bishop Dearden blessed the new school and officiated at a Pontifical High Mass, the first Mass celebrated in the basement of the new school building. The ground floor of the three-floor building served as a temporary church with a seating capacity of 702. The upper two floors had six classrooms on each floor.September 7, 1954 St. Therese School, staffed by six Mother Seton Sisters of Charity of Greensburg, PA. and one lay teacher, opened its doors to 237 students in grades one to four with plans to add a grade each year until there were eight grades.

January 3, 1956 - Construction of the convent began on September 15, 1954 and it was dedicated in January.

March 23, 1958 - Ground was broken for the new church and the cornerstone was laid on July 31, 1960.

August 23, 1960 - The first Mass was celebrated, the altar consecrated on March 27, 1961, and the new St. Therese Church was dedicated on June 18, 1961.

August, 1962 - Ground was broken for the Activities Building which houses the cafeteria and gymnasium. It was dedicated in August 1963.

September, 1990 - The Little Flower Preschool began a program for four-year old children and a program for three-year olds in September 1991.

April 9, 1994 - Fortieth Anniversary Mass of the school was celebrated at 6:00 followed by a dinner-dance at St. John Cathedral Center

September 7, 2004 - The school students had a celebration on the actural day the school first opened.

September 12, 2004 - A commemoration was planned for alumni, parents, teachers, friends, and parishioners beginning with the Eucharistic Liturgy at 2:00 on Sunday, September 12, 2004 followed by dinner.

St. Therese School's 50th anniversary honored the past and proceeded with a renewed commitment to the future.