St. Therese of the Child Jesus at 2301 Fifth Street, Altoona, PA 16601-3863 US - Our Parish Church History

On January 10, 1927, the Most Rev. Bishop John J. McCort founded this parish, in the Fairview section of Altoona from part of the Cathedral and Saint Mark's parishes. Fr. Thomas W. Kelley, the first pastor, offered the first Mass in the parish on January 16, 1927 in a vacant store room at 1903 4th Street. There were 104 families in the parish at the time. The congregation moved to a large "tent church" for Mass from May until November 1927. The parish's first church was built in the Spanish Mission style. The first Mass was celebrated in the new stone church on Christmas 1927. For many years, this flat-roofed Mission style church was the center of spiritual life for the parishioners. It became necessary to replace the deteriorating flat roof with a cathedral-style roof of laminated wood arches and colored wood deck, and other necessary alterations to the church interior. The renovations were completed in the Summer of 1972. October 1, 1972, the parish's patronal feast, marked a public dedication. Originally, the church was intended to serve as an auditorium and school. The growth of the parish required the building of a separate modern school building in 1960. An all-purpose hall on 25th Avenue completed in 1968 bears the name of the parish's first pastor, Fr. Thomas W. Kelley. Msgr. Roy Kline was the second pastor until he was reassign on June 28, 1995. Msgr. Anthony B. Little was the third pastor from June 28, 1995 until July 24, 2002. Fr. D. Timothy Grimme has assumed the role of pastor on July 24, 2002 as the fourth pastor. St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish continues to work to be a parish based on the Way of Stewardship, the giving of one's Time, Talent and Treasure. Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish is a charter member of the Altoona Central Catholic School System. The school system encompasses Pre-School, Kindergarten through Eighth grades. The Pre-School and elementary grades are at the Wopsononock Street site; Middle school (fifthe through eighth grades) are at the Fourth Avenue site.

(Back)