About Us

Our Mission Statement:

ST. THERESE IS A SPIRITUAL HOME
WHERE TOGETHER WE

WORSHIP WITH JOY
WORK FOR JUSTICE
GROW IN GOD'S LOVE

St. Therese Parish, founded in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood in 1926 and a part of the South Seattle Deanery, is a welcoming, diverse Catholic faith community that invites parishioners to know, love and serve God. Enthusiastic parishioner involvement, a strong commitment to social justice and a Catholic school tradition reflects a rich racial, ethnic, socio-economic and religious diversity. These traditions are nurtured by our Eucharistic celebrations in both contemporary and gospel music settings.

The Parish has been shaped for decades by its commitment to gospel music, social justice and the innovations of the Vatican II Council.  Since late 2017, the Social Justice Commission has moved to organize the building of a tiny house and to host anti-racism workshops.. St. Therese Catholic Academy continues to flourish under Principal Malcolm Nelson as arguably the most racially diverse school in the Archdiocese.

Become part of this vibrant faith community!

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans, 15:4

The parish has had a rich, diverse and, at times, divisive history. For many years, it was a large stable parish with as many as 700 families registered in the early 1960s. Dramatic change came to the parish in the mid-1960s and early 70s. It was a time of racial and political tension throughout the country, and it affected St. Therese in a unique and challenging way. Some racial disturbances and the fears they brought created a flight from both the neighborhood and St. Therese. Church records from the period show that the parish population fell by half during this time.

In the mid-1970s and into the 1980s, a measure of stability returned to the parish with Father Marlin Connole serving as pastor for 12 years. In the late ‘80s, during a time of change and growth in the parish, Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen, a visionary leader of the Seattle Archdiocese, appointed Pastoral Life Director Patty Repikoff, a lay minister with extensive pastoral experience, to provide leadership and pastoral care. Jesuit priests from nearby Seattle University and Archdiocesan priests celebrated Eucharist and provided other sacramental support. The parish supported a major renovation of the church in 1997-98.

Father Paul Magnano was appointed pastor in 1998, and also served as Vicar for Clergy for the Archdiocese. Under his leadership, the parish added staff and a fourth weekend Mass to meet the needs of more than 1,000 parish households. He was eventually assigned to the Vicar position fulltime and Father Jim Harbaugh, S.J., served as Priest Administrator/Pastor from 2003 to 2007 followed by Father Stephen Okumu as Priest Administrator from 2007 to 2012. Upon Father Okumu’s departure, Deacon Greg McNabb was appointed by the Archbishop to provide administrative leadership and pastoral care for two years. Deacon McNabb received sacramental assistance by Father Victor Olvida as Parochial Vicar. In 2014, Priest Administrator Father Maurice Mamba, an extern from the Kananga Diocese in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was appointed and was supported by Deacon McNabb as Pastoral Associate. In 2021, Father Woody McCallister was installed as Pastor of St. Therese and Immaculate Conception parishes.  In addition to his position as Hospital Chaplain in the Seattle Archdiocese, Deacon McNabb continues as Deacon at St. Therese.