The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Activities and Schedule

For a current schedule, please visit http://www.catholic-doc.org/stt/.

There are a wide variety of activities offered at St. Theresa's:

- CCD: Catholic education for grade kindergarten through eighth.
- RCIA: Classes that prepare adults to convert to Catholicism.
- Baptism Classes: These classes prepare parents and godparents to their responsibility for seeing to the education of the child to be baptized.
- Confirmation Classes: Educational sessions that prepare members to become confirmed.
- CYM: The youth group of St. Theresa’s. They put Christian practices to work by running fundraisers that benefit the parish.
- Afternoon and Evening Bible Studies: These meetings help members to talk about and decipher biblical texts.
- Depression Support Group: This support group helps parishioners deal with their emotional needs.
- Parish Council: The board that discusses parish financial affairs.
- Knights of Columbus: They act as escorts for church events, while also raising money for the church through fundraisers.
- Women’s Guild: They combine friendship, fun, and prayer for their members, while extending support to meaningful parish projects.
- Octoberfest: An annual celebration at St. Theresa’s that provides entertainment for the parishioners, while raising money for the church.

History

Saint Theresa’s was originally founded because of an overcrowding in the first Catholic Church in the area, St. John’s. St. John’s did not have enough available land to expand their church. As a result, members broke away to form a second Catholic Church.

Saint Theresa’s is located in the rural part of Summerville, South Carolina. The grounds contain the church, the activities building, the rectory, and two fishponds. The church itself is modeled after Spanish missionary churches. The front facade is composed out of pink stucco, while the roof is constructed out of adobe-like roof tiles. The structure is a one-story building with cathedral ceilings. Inside the church is a front vestibule, where members are greeted every Sunday by the pastor and deacons. The sanctuary itself is composed of a front nave, which contains the sacred oils and baptismal fount. Walking through the majestic four columns into the central aisle of the church, one can see the grandeur of the altar. The altar area contains candles, celebratory vestments, and chairs. Located directly behind the altar is a mosaic of Jesus on the cross, donated by the family of the late pastor Father Schiller. Throughout the church are Stations of the Cross that are used as prayer stations during Lent.

Food

St. Theresa’s parishioners come together to prepare food for pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners, the annual pig roast, Octoberfest, first communion receptions, confirmation breakfasts, and receptions after a death in the family.

Links

Food and Meaning Making in St. Theresa's Community
Recreating Sacred Origins through Celebratory Meals
Catholic Commensality and Women's Control Over the Cookbook
Recipes from St. Theresa's

Research by:

Joy Ann Lane 12/9/2002