OVER OUR 205 YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN MANY CHANGES

My home parish of St. Theresa of Avila, down in Meade County, holds a special place in my heart. Founded in 1818, it has been through lots of changes. The present brick church, opened in 1857, was preceded by two log cabin churches - the first on the banks of the Ohio River and the second one in the present "old cemetery." 

The wooden cross marks the spot where the second log cabin church stood in the "old cemetery." 

Ever since I started working on the present project of turning the old grade school in to a new Family Life Center, I have been finding old pictures I had never seen. I am sure many of the present parishioners have not seen them either. I am happy to share them and show some comparisons.  

ST. THERESA CHURCH INSIDE

Built 1855-1857 - Dedicated 1861 

As it appeared @1900

ST. THERESA CHURCH INSIDE

@1950

(This is how it looked at my First Communion in 1952)

ST. THERESA CHURCH INSIDE

@2020

(This is basically how it looked at my First Mass in 1970)

ST. THERESA CHURCH OUTSIDE

Pre-1900

ST. THERESA CHURCH OUTSIDE

Presently

(One of the major differences is the fact they lowered the windows, replaced 

the clear-glass with stain-glass windows and built a new bell tower in the late 1920s under Father Odendahl who came from Germany. 

Several pastors before him, Father Raoux from France, started the new parish in Payneville off of St. Theresa in 1872, built the "old rectory" at St. Theresa and secured the large stain-glass window over the main altar of St. Theresa in 1896.)