About Our Church
St Teresa's
History
Our patroness is St Teresa of Lisieux (1875-1897). She was born Marie-Franςoise-Thérèse Martin in Alenςon, France on 2nd January 1873. Unfortunately her mother (Zélie Martin) died of breast cancer when Thérèse was only 4 years of age and her father, (Louis Martin) moved the family to Lisieux. She joined the Carmelite community in Lisieux at the age of 15-after urging even the Pope to allow her to enter so young! Thérèse herself died of tuberculosis at the age of 24. She was canonised in 1925, her feastday being 3rd October. Her remains are found at the Carmelite Convent in Lisieux. In 1997 Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church. Her parents were the first married couple to be canonised as a married couple at the same ceremony by Pope Francis on 18th October 2015. Their feastday is 12th July.
We hope you enjoy the site we have created and that you learn a little about our history and the foundation of the parish and how we continue with our best efforts to serve the Lord today.
Join us for any of our services-you will be very welcome.
PARISH PRIESTS
The years following each priests’ name are the years they served at St Teresa’s
Monsignor Francis Duffy 1958-1972
RIP 25th November 2000
Father John Walsh 1972-1982
RIP 24th November 2009
Canon Sam McGinness 1982-1985
RIP 9th February 2009
Canon Pat McSorley 1985-1997
Presently living in Troon in retirement helping out in the diocese where he can.
Canon John Walls 1997-2010
RIP 28th February 2010
Father Jim Hayes 2010-Present
ASSISTANT PRIESTS
Canon Denis Quinlan 1958-1972
RIP 21st July 2015
Father Tom McCann 1962-1972
RIP 8th April 2009
Father James McHugh 1959-1962
RIP
Canon Archibald Brown 1972-1975
Father William Murray 1975-1978
Father John Kinsler 1977-1979
Father Stanislaus Harbison 1974-1975
Father John Quinn 1978-1979
Father Michael Reddan S.D.S. 1979-1980
Father Charles Duffin
Monsignor Peter Magee 1982-1984
Father Douglas Hutchison 1985-1987
Father John McLean 1987-1989
Father George Thompson 1989-1993
RIP 23rd December 2016
Father Gerald Donnelly 1995-1997
Father Stephen Latham1997-1999
The years each of our priests served us would be a great help to our archive.
Please email any knowledge/corrections you may have to dumfries.stteresa@gallowaydiocese.org.uk
Thank you.
Church Architecture
The architect was John Sutherland. The interior is centred, as is right, on the altar of Creetown granite. There is an immense figure of Christ in majesty on the Cross over looking the large sanctuary area. The original wooden pulpit, shaped like the prow of a ship, reminding us of the barque of Peter, was replaced on 28th February 2011 on the first anniversary of the untimely death of of Canon John Walls, parish priest from 1997. It is modelled on the altar and has been constructed of Creetown granite in his memory. The large Sanctuary area is ideal for the celebration of today’s liturgy, although the Church was opened in 1958, before the liturgical adaptations of the Second Vatican Council, it was a very simple task to bring it in line with today’s way of celebrating the Eucharist.
The roofing of the church and the 101 foot spire were carried out with Westmoreland slates and the spire soars majestically in a very contemporary style over the town of Dumfries.
THE BAPTISTRY
The single window in the Baptistry (by William Wilson) shows Our Lord being baptised by St John the Baptist. The window is in the richly coloured conventional style of 13th Century French glass. The glowing red figure of Christ is set against the cool blues and greens of the background and stylised river in which there is a fish, an early Christian symbol.
ST JOSEPH’S WINDOW (WILLIAM WILSON)
The stained glass window outside the Baptistery represents St Joseph as a carpenter at his workbench.. Beside him, holding out his hands, suggesting the Cross, is the boy Jesus. Nails and pincers, tools of the carpenter’s trade, recall the Crucifixion.
THE MOSAIC IN THE CHAPEL OF OUR LADY (BY JOHN KINGSLEY COOK)
This represents Our Blessed Lady as she appeared in the Grotto at Masabielle in Lourdes. Below the figure on the right of the shrine is the miraculous spring which was revealed to St. Bernadette. The words “Que soy era Immaculada Councepciou” I am the Immaculate Conception, are the words spoken to Bernadette in the French patois of the locality in 1858, the year of the apparitions.
The mosaic is in enamel tesserae from Venice, together with green marbles from Sweden, pink and ivory from Italy, granite from Creetown, Caenstone from France, red sandstone from Locharbriggs, pebbles from the Solway shores and two pieces of grey stone from the actual grotto of Masabielle.
The mosaic is a modern example of a method of working “in situ” first practised in the 5th Century in Rome and probably unique in Scotland. Working with three assistants, it was carried out by the artist in three weeks.
THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
These are contained in a frieze of carved sycamore, extending 50 feet along the Church, and suspended from a mahogany beam. They are by Norman J. Forrest.
THE SHRINE OF ST TERESA
A life sized carved figure of St. Teresa turned slightly towards the light, and her promised “shower of roses” around her. Her empty hands symbolise her vow of poverty and her outstretched arms her “Little Way” of self-surrender. Again the sculptor was Norman J. Forrest.
