St. Theresa Celebrates Its Legacy In Final Masses

St. Theresa Parish celebrated seven decades of service during Masses on June 18 and 19. The parish will merge with Good Shepherd Parish on July 1 to form the new Good Shepherd Parish.

Father Zach Etienne, pastor of St. Theresa and Good Shepherd, pointed to the day’s Gospel reading (Luke 9: 18-24) as he spoke to those who filled the church to capacity for the 8 a.m. Mass on June 19. That reading includes the story of Jesus asking the disciples, “Who do you think I am?”

“The heart of today’s Gospel message is, who are you saying Christ is?” Father Etienne asked. “Your actions and the great work you have accomplished over the years shows what God has been to the St. Theresa community.

“As we move forward, use the gifts God has provided to go out and change the world,” Father Etienne added. “Let’s show who we believe (God) is through our witness.”

Father Ted Tempel, retired priest of the Diocese of Evansville who served as pastor of St. Theresa from 1979 to 1993 – when he became pastor of Good Shepherd Parish – celebrated Mass at 4:30 p.m. on June 18. A dinner followed.

During both weekend Masses, the offertory procession included parishioners placing (in front of the altar) a number of items that served as symbols of the gifts God has provided to St. Theresa since the parish’s founding in 1947. They included a Bible and veil, musical instruments (representing the parish’s dynamic music ministry), Boy Scout awards and items from St. Theresa School, a yard sign from the parish’s annual summer social and several other items.