PARISH HISTORY
Fr James Woodward
The first parish priest was Fr James Woodward who was with the parish for 22 years. Parishioners worked hard in the beginning. The church was built without a hall which made it hard to get functions going, so it meant bazaars and dances were held in St Theresa’s school hall, now Morrisons supermarket. Parishioners carried urns, teapots etc. down the Uxbridge Road! Four societies were born during this period: Guild of St Stephens, St Vincent de Paul, Women’s Guild, later to become the Catholic Womens League (CWL), and men’s organisation. There were many pilgrimages to Aylesford and Walsingham. Fr Woodward died in 1975.
Fr Lawrence Allan
Fr Lawrence Allan was the next priest. He was only with St Theresa’s for six years but in that time he did a lot. He turned the baptistry into a kitchen and pushed the doors out into the church, making the Parish Room. A folk group was formed, run by David Moran, with a lot of teenagers. They sang at 6.30 p.m. Mass on Sundays. They also painted the Parish Room. The choir was upstairs, led by Kath Howell, Organist Philomena Brothers. The CWL continued to flourish, 30 members ran bazaars, nearly new sales, cake sales, cleaning the church linen and the church.There were concerts, dances and parties held either at the rugby club, St.Theresa’s Hall or the Old Whittington.
Fr Leslie Cole
When Fr Allan died in 1981, Fr Leslie Cole took his place and he stayed for nine years. He was a great preacher and was very keen on ecumenism.In 1970 Terry Cryer started a Junior Group called St.Theresa’s Young Players, who performed pantos and musical plays. Also the Roundabout Players started in 1983 who gave concerts, cabaret, plays etc. with Mary Cahill, Vera Lake, Betty and Bernard Donovan, Pam Bertolotti and many more. That lasted 12 years. Fr Cole loved the shows and allowed the performers to dress in the church and use the Parish Room as the theatre. The CWL was still going strong and Eileen Stewart started CABS. (Come and be Sociable) on a Thursday afternoon. Fr Cole retired in 1990 and he died in 1997.
Fr Peter Lyons
Before Fr Peter Lyons came, there was a very charismatic priest called Fr Norton, who looked like a Rabbi and preached his homily amongst the congregation! He stayed six months and was sent to Palmers Green. Fr Lyons stayed from 1990 to 1994. He had been happily in his last parish for a long time and was in his last four years before his retirement when he was sent to St Theresa’s. He must have felt very lost. He retired in 1994 and died in January 1998.
Fr John Kearsey
When Fr John Kearsey came in 1994 he made many improvements. He moved the organ and choir downstairs. Painted the Sanctuary with the help of Eddie O’Brien, Jimmy Heslin, Tony Baker and Kieran Pollard. Removed the altar rails and made the church beautiful. Pam Bertolotti started the Rosary Group and the coffee morning on a Friday and Pauline Neighbour looked after the sacristy.The parishioners were very sad when Fr John became ill and were slightly in limbo not knowing what to do. Eddie O’Brien looked after him, as did Pauline Neighbour and Pam Bertolotti. He died in 2004.
Fr Richard Parsons
A new era began when Fr Richard Parsons came in 2004. Margaret Norrington was organist, and looked after the choir with Pat. David Wheeler and Dominic Rodrigues ran the Folk Group. At Your Word Lord was ran by Alice Cowan. This brought many people together spiritually and social life returned with the start of the Social Committee ran by Betty and Bernard Donovan, Terry Cryer, Pam Bertolotti and Bernie and Tom Small. Betty and Bernard have since left parish and the Social Committe has been disbanded after many years. Fr Richard brought many more babies into the church (where did he find them all!). Sadly the old stalwarts of the parish have died, Mary Cahill, Eddie O’Brien and Joe Moran, but new parishioners were coming.
Fr Antonio Pineda
Fr Richard retired in October 2023 and he was succeeded by Fr Antonio Pineda. In his first year, Fr Antonio reintroduced daily Mass, regular Adoration and Confessions. Very much focussed on communications, he relaunched and revamped the parish newsletter and he also launched a brand-new website. The Parish Pastoral Council was reformed and live streaming was installed.