St. Teresa of Avila Parish sits on South Trooper Road in Audubon, within West Norriton Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. A Roman Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the parish carries a short, three-part mission that has guided its life for years: "Love God. Love Your Neighbor. Make Disciples of Jesus." Father Jerry Wild has served as pastor since 2012, leading a parish that worships in its present church and supports a regional Catholic school on the same grounds.
From a Storeroom in Port Kennedy to Trooper Road
St. Teresa of Avila traces its roots to August 24, 1918, when fewer than twenty parishioners gathered for the first Mass in a vacant storeroom next to the old Garnett's Grocery in Port Kennedy. Father James J. Gildea, chaplain of the nearby Philadelphia Protectory for Boys (St. Gabriel Hall), had secured permission from Archbishop Prendergast to open the mission.
The congregation soon moved to a second-floor room of the Taylor Fibre Company factory at Betzwood, the site of America's first moving-picture industry. That twelve-by-fifteen-foot chapel barely held seventy-five people, while marriages and other services were still performed in the chaplain's quarters of the Protectory. Christian Brothers from the Protectory served as organist, choir, and altar boys, and the Protectory band played at parish gatherings.
In 1948, Father Charles D. Collum launched a capital campaign, and on November 12, 1951, ground was broken for the crypt on Trooper Road. Auxiliary Bishop Joseph McShea laid the cornerstone six months later. On Sunday, August 2, 1952, Father Collum celebrated the first Mass at the new site before more than four hundred and fifty people. Father Collum died in 1958 before the upper church could be completed; his remains rest beneath the cross-shaped monument in front of the crypt.
His successor, Father Raphael C. O'Brien, built the parish school and opened it in September 1960 with ninety-six students. Sunday Masses moved into the school hall when the church hall was added in 1965, with daily Masses said in a refurbished basement chapel. Father Thomas F. Walsh, pastor from 1974 to 1990, paid off the parish debt and saw the present church opened with its first Mass on August 27, 1983. Father Francis E. Kelly, a Norristown native, served from 1990 to 1998. Monsignor Andrew Golias was installed on December 19, 1998, the anniversary of his ordination, until Father Wild's assignment in 2012.
Mass Schedule and Reconciliation
The parish's regular liturgical schedule centers on the weekend. Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 4:15 PM, and Sunday Masses are offered at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Daily Mass is celebrated on Mondays at 10:00 AM and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:00 AM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard each Saturday from 3:00 to 3:30 PM in the Reconciliation Chapel, with private appointments available by calling the Parish Office.
Sacraments for Every Stage of Life
St. Teresa of Avila prepares children, adults, and families for the sacraments according to a steady rhythm. Parish children receive First Reconciliation in the spring of Level 2, First Holy Communion in the spring of Level 3, and Confirmation in the spring of Level 7. Baptisms are usually celebrated on the first and third Sundays of the month at noon.
Couples preparing for matrimony are asked to meet with Father Wild in person at least nine months before the wedding. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) welcomes adults seeking to enter the Church or to complete their initiation with Reconciliation, Eucharist, or Confirmation. Parishioners facing serious illness or surgery are encouraged to request the Anointing of the Sick, and families arrange Christian burial by having the funeral director contact the Parish Office.
PREP and Family Faith Formation
Saint Teresa of Avila PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) supports parents as the primary educators of their children's faith from Level 1 through Level 7. Classes include sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation, along with family service projects that introduce children to the joy of serving others. Opening Night is held each September, and parents are invited to catechetical blessings and milestone meetings throughout the PREP calendar.
Mother Teresa Regional Catholic School
Mother Teresa Regional Catholic School (MTC) is the parish's partner school, educating students from preschool through eighth grade in a Christ-centered environment. Faith is woven into every area of the curriculum through participation at Mass, liturgical events, daily prayer, sacramental preparation, and service projects. The school shapes students to be lifelong learners who exemplify respect, dignity, and compassion, and who graduate prepared to defend the fundamental doctrines of the Catholic Church and live a life of service to others.
Music Ministry
Music at weekend liturgies is coordinated by Robert and Adriana Prester. The parish's choral tradition reaches back to its earliest years, when Christian Brothers from the Protectory provided an organist, choir, and altar boys for Mass in the Betzwood mill room.
Stewardship and Giving
The parish uses Online Giving through OSV, allowing parishioners to view, manage, and update their giving accounts, schedule contributions for Sunday collections, Mass intentions, memorial flowers, and other parish needs. Debit and credit cards are accepted for these offerings. Online enrollment is available through the parish's giving page.
Safe Environment and Scam Awareness
All parish employees and volunteers who may have contact with children complete the Archdiocesan safe environment requirements coordinated by Gina MacDermott. The parish also reminds parishioners that Father Wild and the Parish Office will never text or email asking for help, gift cards, or money.
Becoming Part of the Parish
New parishioners are invited to register by completing the Parish Registration Form and returning it to the parish office or placing it in the collection basket at any Mass. The parish office at 1260 S. Trooper Road is open to answer questions and welcomes those who wish to make St. Teresa of Avila their spiritual home.