St. Thérèse, Little Flower Catholic Church sits on Ironwood Road in South Bend, Indiana, just south of Douglas Road and north of State Route 23, on a stretch of suburban roadway that, in 1937, was still a settlement of working families on the margins. From that beginning - two Holy Cross seminarians chasing a runaway horse and stumbling on a small community of Catholics living in poverty - the parish has grown into one of the busiest Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, with four Sunday Masses, daily Mass, near-continuous Eucharistic Adoration, a Montessori-style children's formation program, a food pantry that has operated since the 1990s, and a clear, written plan for making disciples.
A parish born from a runaway horse
The story of Little Flower is the story of a young seminarian who would become one of the most famous Catholic communicators of the twentieth century. In 1937, Patrick Peyton and Jack Haley, seminarians from Moreau Seminary, were sent to track down a horse that had run off from the seminary. They found it grazing in an area of South Bend known as the Morningside Addition, sometimes called Dog Patch. There they also discovered a small community of nominal Catholics living in difficult poverty. The two seminarians told their provincial, secured permission to help, and launched what the parish still calls its first capital campaign. Land at the corner of Willis and Warrick was donated by George and Mary Hepler, a chapel seating 125 was built in a month, and a Notre Dame student named Joseph Payne was given temporary care of the mission. Fr. Payne's temporary assignment lasted 35 years.
Under Fr. Payne the parish developed a reputation for vibrant liturgy, faith formation for every age, and outreach to those in need. The Christian Family Movement began with him, and laypeople were active in every part of parish life long before the Second Vatican Council. In 1950 the mission officially became St. Thérèse of Lisieux parish, soon known simply as Little Flower. By the mid-1950s the parish had grown from 48 to 366 families. Mrs. Hepler gave land on Ironwood Road, and the current church was built there and dedicated by Bishop Pursley in 1958.
A second capital campaign, The Promise of Little Flower, began in 1997. A chapel was added, a rectory was purchased on George and Bailey streets, and a parish center was built with a gymnasium, six multipurpose rooms, a wellness center, a youth center, a family activity area, and a kitchen. The old youth space behind Fr. Payne Hall, nicknamed the dungeon, was converted into an expanded food pantry and clothing center. On October 1, 2000, the parish feast of the Little Flower and a Jubilee Year, Bishop John D'Arcy joined the parish in dedicating the new buildings.
A third capital campaign, begun in 2018, paid for a sanctuary renovation and infrastructure work that finished in 2022. That same year, in 2018, the parish began a season of internal renewal in the life of the Holy Spirit, deepened its partnership with Amazing Parish, and articulated a written mission: St. Thérèse, Little Flower Parish exists to rescue people from the poverty of an identity outside of Jesus.
On September 7, 2025, the parish center was dedicated and named the Venerable Patrick Peyton Center, in the presence of the president of Holy Cross Family Ministries and the vice-postulator of Fr. Peyton's canonization cause, Fr. David Marcham. Parishioners also voted to name the parish center classrooms after saints connected to the parish's mission or to the local community: St. Lorenzo Ruiz, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. André Bessette, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. John Paul II, Blessed Solanus Casey, and Blessed Michael McGivney.
Mass, confession, and a chapel open nearly around the clock
Worship at Little Flower is in English, traditional in form, and offered frequently. The weekend schedule begins on Saturday afternoon with a 4:30 PM Vigil Mass. Sunday brings three Masses: 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM (celebrated with incense), and 8:00 PM. A daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 8:30 AM, and confession is heard on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9:00 to 9:30 AM, continuing past the half hour as long as anyone is waiting.
The most distinctive rhythm of the parish, however, is its Eucharistic Adoration schedule. The chapel is open from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM every day, and adoration is scheduled in two windows, Monday through Friday: 5:00 to 10:00 AM and 4:00 to 10:00 PM, with a Saturday morning hour from 8:30 to 9:30. Staff and parishioners alike speak of the parish's hope to build perpetual adoration, and an Adoration Under the Stars event has been held at the site of a future oratory to pray for that growth.
The building itself is straightforward to navigate. The main entrance is on the north side, off the upper parking lot, under an overhang that faces Douglas Road. Side entrances open from the north and west, and additional doors lead from the lower parking lot. A single restroom is at the back of the church near the main entrance, and a larger set of restrooms, including a changing station for babies and small children, is downstairs below the main worship space. Seating is open.
Children are welcome at every Mass, at every level of wiggliness. The parish's published guidance to parents is simple: relax, sit near the front, explain what is happening, sing the responses, and if you have to step out, come back. Non-Catholics are warmly invited to attend; anyone who does not wish to receive communion is welcome to come forward in the communion line and cross their arms over their chest to receive a blessing. There is no formal dress code: visitors are asked to dress as they are comfortable, knowing that some parishioners wear suits or dresses to Sunday Mass and others wear jeans.
The Game Plan: witness, proclaim, build, send
Little Flower organizes its ministry and formation around a four-part framework the parish calls The Game Plan. Each verb comes with its own list of programs and groups.
Witness is about building bridges and establishing relationships. The work happens at household nights, the Whatsoever You Do outreach program, the food pantry, Theology on Tap, the liturgical and music ministries, social events, funeral and homebound ministry, Filipino community events, marriage sponsor couples, the Knights of Columbus, and the Social Justice Commission.
Proclaim is about sharing the kerygma, the core Gospel message, and inviting a response. Programs under this banner include ALPHA, Metanoia, the Testimony Series, parish retreats, Welcome Retreats, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) under the name Being Catholic, the Healing Prayer Team, Encounter Weekends, a study of The Chosen series, children's religious education, the Leadership Summit, and the Welcome Team.
Build is about forming disciples for a lifelong relationship with Jesus. It includes OMEGA, household small groups, Blessed Brunches, Theology on Tap, OCIA, Bible studies, the men's prayer breakfast, the Scripture Prayer Meeting, and other small groups.
Send is about raising up apostles for mission. The parish offers a Leadership Summit, Discipleship Training, an Evangelization Crash Course, the Called and Gifted Workshop and Discernment, street teams, one-on-one discipleship, the Seven Sisters Apostolate, and the Encounter School of Ministry.
Households are one of the most visible expressions of this plan. Three named households meet regularly for a night of fellowship, formation, and prayer: the Rooted in Love Household, the House of Praise Household, and the Jireh Household. Newcomers are paired with welcome teams to help them find a place to belong.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children
Children's faith formation at Little Flower is built on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-influenced approach that uses hands-on materials to help children encounter Scripture and prayer. The program runs ages 3 through 12 in three levels, each meeting in a dedicated atrium in Fr. Payne Hall. Level I is for ages 3 to 6 and meets on Fridays from 10:00 AM to noon or Mondays from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Level II is for ages 6 to 9 and meets Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Level III is for ages 9 to 12 and also meets Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
First Communion preparation begins in the Level II atrium, with additional formation meetings in the spring leading up to a First Communion Retreat. Children over the age of 7 who have not yet received First Communion can begin at any time.
Middle and high school faith formation gathers grades 7 through 12 on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and within that community the sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion are prepared for. Confirmation preparation begins in seventh grade. A dedicated middle school ministry also meets on the second and fourth Saturdays at 4:30 PM at the Chapel of St. Thérèse, with activities, prayer, and time together for grades 6 through 8.
Parent formation is built into the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, with monthly gatherings on the second Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The parish sees parents as the primary educators of the faith and works to support them in that role.
Young adults, men, women, and seniors
Young adults in their 18s and 30s gather through Ablaze Mission, a community built around learning, prayer, Adoration, and small-group discussion followed by optional socializing. The group meets in St. Thérèse, Little Flower - Payne Hall. Sean Allen serves as a contact for the group, which operates under a broader Ablaze Mission network. Pope St. John Paul II's words to young people - to be taken over by the light of Christ and to make the Eucharist the heart of the day - are quoted as a touchstone.
Men's ministry at the parish includes the Knights of Columbus council, a men's prayer group called That Man Is You that meets on Sundays at 1:30 PM in Fr. Payne Hall, and an annual men's retreat. The retreat is described in a parishioner's own words as life changing: it gave him more spirituality than he had ever achieved on his own and a new family of brothers within Little Flower.
For women, a Young Moms' Book Club meets on Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. Thrive Nights, held on the third Thursday of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the church, are evenings of Scripture-based teaching, Eucharistic Adoration, and the opportunity for confession, offered to all women of the parish and the local community. A separate A Ministry for Women initiative is being developed to minister to women of all ages and states of life, with room for regular meetings, annual retreats, Adoration, praise and worship, testimonies, and Bible study.
Missionary Families of Christ, a community that describes itself as one family empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of God's love, meets on Sundays at 1:30 PM in Fr. Payne Hall. A Senior Group meets on the second Thursday of the month at 9:15 AM in Fr. Payne Hall, with a Mass or prayer service, a luncheon, games, a speaker, and conversation.
Outreach: food, utilities, and prison visits
Outreach is a long-standing mark of the parish. The Whatsoever You Do program, named for Matthew 25:31-46 and running since the 1990s, primarily helps parishioners and neighbors avoid utility disconnections; it does not help with deposits. A financial assistance application is available online, and the program receives hundreds of requests per month. When funding is exhausted, the parish refers applicants to the United Way 1-866-211-9966.
The parish food pantry, expanded and renovated in the late 1990s, is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Visitors are asked to bring a photo ID and a piece of official mail as proof of address. The pantry is accessible from the lower parking lot, and donations of non-perishable food are always welcome. Most-needed items include individual oatmeal packets, canned vegetables, macaroni and cheese, ravioli and SpaghettiOs with meat, cereal, and soup.
Prison Ministry visits men in prison, gives talks on the Word, helps men re-establish themselves in the community when they are released, and serves as mentors to the recently released. The group meets every other Thursday evening at 6:00 PM.
Parishioners also cook for the Center for the Homeless Casserole Program, take part in the Blood Pressure Screening ministry, and support the Social Justice Commission in its work on hunger, care for creation in the spirit of Laudato Si, racism, and faithful citizenship. The commission connects the parish to local partners including Faith in Indiana, the Women's Care Center, Unity Gardens, and the United Religious Community of St. Joseph County.
Becoming Catholic and the sacraments
For adults who want to become Catholic, the parish runs the Becoming Catholic process, also called Being Catholic and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Information sessions are held on Sundays, and staff are glad to walk interested adults through the steps. For those who would like to pray alongside the parish, the Online Prayer Intention Book accepts requests that are remembered at Mass.
The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are all celebrated at Little Flower. Infant baptism begins with an information meeting and an at-home program followed by an individual in-person presentation. Adult baptism takes place through the OCIA process. The Eucharist is at the center of parish life, with daily and Sunday Masses and a chapel of near-continuous Adoration. Penance is offered on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. Confirmation is prepared for within the middle and high school faith formation program and is typically received starting in seventh grade. Marriage preparation is offered for engaged couples. Holy Orders are discerned in conversation with the pastor, and the parish keeps a prayer list for priests and seminarians of the diocese. Anointing of the Sick is available, and home visits can be arranged for parishioners who would like to receive Holy Communion or Confession at home.
Parishioners also care for one another through the Bereavement ministry, which notifies the congregation when a fellow parishioner has died and offers condolences and prayers to family members, and through the Ministry to the Elderly and Homebound, which visits parishioners in senior living facilities or at home.
Music, liturgical arts, and the chapel of St. Thérèse
Music at Little Flower is supported by a choir that sings at Sunday Masses, Holy Day liturgies, and special moments throughout the year, with cantors leading sung worship and instrumentalists adding to the richness of the liturgy. A range of liturgical roles are filled by lay volunteers: altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, greeters, mass coordinators, and the Art and Environment team that sets the sanctuary for the seasons of the Church year. Linens, music, and the visual environment are all part of how the parish prepares for Mass.
Inside the church, the chapel of St. Thérèse is the heart of the parish's prayer life. It is open from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM, hosts scheduled Adoration, and provides a quieter space for Healing Hearts, the intercessory prayer team that gathers on the first Sunday of the month after the 11:30 AM Mass to pray for the needs of others.
What we believe
The parish describes the Church as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Its core teaching, drawn from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and presented in a short, six-step summary, runs like this: every person was created for friendship with God; we were created in His image and likeness to know, love, and serve Him; we were captured by sin and lost our relationship with God; God sent His only Son, Jesus, into the world; we are invited to accept His invitation to live in the Resurrection; and Jesus rescued us from sin and death by rising from the grave and repairing the brokenness. The Apostles' Creed is recited as a summary of the faith, and the parish quotes St. Thérèse of Lisieux, after whom it is named: I will be love, and then I will be all things.
Getting connected, becoming a member, and visiting
Anyone who lives in the area or is moving to the area is invited to register as a parishioner. Online registration is available, and paper forms are in the vestibule of the church and at the parish office. A new parishioner engagement ministry hosts quarterly brunches to help new members make connections, and a Connect form lets visitors tell the parish what they are looking for - becoming a parishioner, building community, becoming Catholic, returning to the Church after time away, or placing their gifts at the service of the parish.
For those who cannot attend in person, the parish recommends the televised Sunday Mass on WNDU 16 at 10:30 AM, and the daily Mass from EWTN at 8:00 AM, noon, and 7:00 PM. The parish also makes Catholic content available through Formed, and posts a regular flow of videos, including sermons, on its YouTube channel. Giving is available online through WeShare.
The parish office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and closed on Wednesday. The phone number is 574-272-7070, and the parish fax is 574-243-3434. The mailing address is 54191 N. Ironwood Rd., South Bend, IN 46635.
What it means to be a parishioner at Little Flower
The parish's own definition of membership is worth quoting at length. St. Thérèse, Little Flower parishioners are registered, active members of a vibrant and loving community who joyfully live and boldly proclaim the Gospel. They are responsive to the needs of the poor and the vulnerable and are committed to growing as disciples and apostles to transform the world. Parishioners worship consistently at the parish and invest their time, talent, and treasure there and in the local community. The word parish comes from the Greek paroikia, meaning sojourning in a foreign land - a reminder that this world is not our home, and that the parish is meant to help the People of God reach their final homeland.
That missionary identity is the inheritance of a runaway horse, a stubborn seminarian, a Hepler family who gave land twice, a pastor who stayed 35 years, a Little Flower saint who wanted to be love, and a parish that opens its chapel at five in the morning and closes it at ten at night, seven days a week.