St. Theresa Catholic Church Leeds AL
35094We found 6 more Roman Catholic churches near Leeds
Who we are
We're located in Leeds, Alabama and serving the eastern suburbs of Birmingham. We encourage you to check out our web site to learn more about our ministries, activities, and hospitality. We also hope that you will join us in worship at any of our convenient Masses. Bookmark our site and come back often!
We extend a warm welcome to all who attend our church. We hope that you will find our parish community a place where your life of faith will be nourished. We also hope that you will share your special gifts with the community. Your prayers, your presence, and your talents are most welcome. Please introduce yourself after Mass!
We extend a warm welcome to all who attend our church. We hope that you will find our parish community a place where your life of faith will be nourished. We also hope that you will share your special gifts with the community. Your prayers, your presence, and your talents are most welcome. Please introduce yourself after Mass!
Church Address
1394 Ashville Court
Leeds,
AL
35094
United States
Phone: 205-352-3741 Ext. 2
Fax: 205-702-4010
Download St. Theresa Catholic Church vCard with Mass Times
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Church Pastor
Rev. E. Gray Bean
Pastor
1394 Ashville Court
Leeds,
AL
35094
United States
Phone: 205-352-3741 Ext. 3
Fax: 205-702-4010
Download Pastor Rev. E. Gray Bean vCard with bio
Click here to contact Rev. E. Gray Bean
Denomination
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic churches in Leeds, AL
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Affiliations
Church Website
St. Theresa Catholic Church on Social Media
Leadership
Leader Name:
Rev. E. Gray Bean
Leader Position:
Pastor
Formal Title:
Leader Address:
Phone:
Fax:
205-702-4010
Leader Email:
Click here to contact Rev. E. Gray Bean
Leader Bio:
Born:
October 21st, 1967 - Anniston, AL
Grew up in Ragland, AL
Ordained:
2003 Cathedral of St. Paul, Birmingham, AL
Priestly Ministry:
2003 - 2004 St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, Hoover, AL
2005 - 2007 St. Patrick Catholic Church, Adamsville, AL
2005 - 2007 St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Wylam, AL
2008 - 2014 St. James Catholic Church, Gadsden, AL
2014 - present St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Leeds, AL
Marcus Grodi - Deep in Scripture podcast interview with Fr. Bean:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/4975818
Fr. Bean Conversion Story - Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPpzA7OGDFk%20
I am delighted to be among you at St. Theresa as your Pastor. It is with humility and reverence that I seek to follow in the footsteps of Fr. Jim Naughton who served so lovingly and faithfully over the years. I am also grateful to Bishop Baker for his support and confidence in allowing me to serve you.
So that you might know me better I thought perhaps I might write a few lines about my life thus far. I was born in Anniston, Alabama in 1967 of Earl and Janet Bean. My father passed away in 2007 and my mother still lives in Ragland. I have one younger sister, Kristie Thorne, who is married to J.T. and has three children: Hannah (25), Anna Grace (15), and Grayson (5). All but Hannah live in Terre Haute, Indiana. Hannah is married to Tyler Miller and lives in Pell City, Alabama.
I grew up in Ragland, Alabama and attended Ragland School for twelve years graduating from high school in 1986. I played baseball and excelled in music. I attended undergraduate school at Jacksonville State University on a music scholarship while supporting myself as a professional French horn player. I finished a B.A. in Music in 1990. From 1987 until 1993 I was Principal Horn of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. I also was a freelance musician in Birmingham, Chattanooga and Atlanta and attended the Eastern Music Festival and Tanglewood Institute.
In 1991 I entered graduate school at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School. I completed an M.A. in Religious Studies in 1993. For a year I studied at Oxford University in England and received a M.St. in Theology in 1994. It was my time at Beeson and Oxford that prompted my interest in church history and hence, the Catholic faith. Up until this time I had been an untroubled Baptist! I was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1992 but it proved to be short lived as I entered the Catholic Church during the 1996 Easter Vigil.
In 1998 I was accepted by Bishop David Foley as a Seminarian for the Diocese of Birmingham. I attended St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology receiving an M.A. in Church History in 2000 and the M.Div. in 2003. I was ordained a priest by Bishop Foley in 2003 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. I have served as a diocesan priest ever since.
My first assignment was as Parochial Vicar of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Hoover with teaching duties at John Carroll Catholic High School. After a year I became (simultaneously!) the administrator and later Pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Adamsville and parish priest of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Wylam all the while continuing to teach at John Carroll (I taught for four years).
From 2008 until 2014 I was Pastor of St. James Catholic Church in Gadsden (the only Catholic Church in Etowah County). St. James has a school and a large Hispanic community which definitely broadened my experience. During this time I gradually completed my Ph.D. in history at the University of Alabama.
I have traveled in Canada, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, India, Africa, Israel, Egypt, Mexico, and Peru. I love books and have a large library. I also collect classical music albums and have at present over 15,000 vinyl records and cd's in my collection. I paint as a hobby though I am mostly self-taught. The back end of the garage is now my new studio! I like to fish and love professional baseball (Go Yankees!!!!). I have a housecat named Fiona. She loves people and will be a staple in the office and rectory.
The BIG question: Alabama fan or Auburn fan? Even though I attended the University of Alabama I never make a stand in public! I root for both! I am really an Ole Miss fan since my Uncle John played football for them in the 1950's!
October 21st, 1967 - Anniston, AL
Grew up in Ragland, AL
Ordained:
2003 Cathedral of St. Paul, Birmingham, AL
Priestly Ministry:
2003 - 2004 St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, Hoover, AL
2005 - 2007 St. Patrick Catholic Church, Adamsville, AL
2005 - 2007 St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Wylam, AL
2008 - 2014 St. James Catholic Church, Gadsden, AL
2014 - present St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Leeds, AL
Marcus Grodi - Deep in Scripture podcast interview with Fr. Bean:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/4975818
Fr. Bean Conversion Story - Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPpzA7OGDFk%20
I am delighted to be among you at St. Theresa as your Pastor. It is with humility and reverence that I seek to follow in the footsteps of Fr. Jim Naughton who served so lovingly and faithfully over the years. I am also grateful to Bishop Baker for his support and confidence in allowing me to serve you.
So that you might know me better I thought perhaps I might write a few lines about my life thus far. I was born in Anniston, Alabama in 1967 of Earl and Janet Bean. My father passed away in 2007 and my mother still lives in Ragland. I have one younger sister, Kristie Thorne, who is married to J.T. and has three children: Hannah (25), Anna Grace (15), and Grayson (5). All but Hannah live in Terre Haute, Indiana. Hannah is married to Tyler Miller and lives in Pell City, Alabama.
I grew up in Ragland, Alabama and attended Ragland School for twelve years graduating from high school in 1986. I played baseball and excelled in music. I attended undergraduate school at Jacksonville State University on a music scholarship while supporting myself as a professional French horn player. I finished a B.A. in Music in 1990. From 1987 until 1993 I was Principal Horn of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. I also was a freelance musician in Birmingham, Chattanooga and Atlanta and attended the Eastern Music Festival and Tanglewood Institute.
In 1991 I entered graduate school at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School. I completed an M.A. in Religious Studies in 1993. For a year I studied at Oxford University in England and received a M.St. in Theology in 1994. It was my time at Beeson and Oxford that prompted my interest in church history and hence, the Catholic faith. Up until this time I had been an untroubled Baptist! I was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1992 but it proved to be short lived as I entered the Catholic Church during the 1996 Easter Vigil.
In 1998 I was accepted by Bishop David Foley as a Seminarian for the Diocese of Birmingham. I attended St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology receiving an M.A. in Church History in 2000 and the M.Div. in 2003. I was ordained a priest by Bishop Foley in 2003 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. I have served as a diocesan priest ever since.
My first assignment was as Parochial Vicar of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Hoover with teaching duties at John Carroll Catholic High School. After a year I became (simultaneously!) the administrator and later Pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Adamsville and parish priest of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Wylam all the while continuing to teach at John Carroll (I taught for four years).
From 2008 until 2014 I was Pastor of St. James Catholic Church in Gadsden (the only Catholic Church in Etowah County). St. James has a school and a large Hispanic community which definitely broadened my experience. During this time I gradually completed my Ph.D. in history at the University of Alabama.
I have traveled in Canada, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, India, Africa, Israel, Egypt, Mexico, and Peru. I love books and have a large library. I also collect classical music albums and have at present over 15,000 vinyl records and cd's in my collection. I paint as a hobby though I am mostly self-taught. The back end of the garage is now my new studio! I like to fish and love professional baseball (Go Yankees!!!!). I have a housecat named Fiona. She loves people and will be a staple in the office and rectory.
The BIG question: Alabama fan or Auburn fan? Even though I attended the University of Alabama I never make a stand in public! I root for both! I am really an Ole Miss fan since my Uncle John played football for them in the 1950's!
Rev. E. Gray Bean on Social Media:
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Leadership Photos
Rev. E. Gray Bean
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Administration
Admin Name:
Ms. Michele Shumate
Admin Position:
Parish Secretary
Admin Address:
8101 3rd Avenue
Leeds
Alabama
35094
Leeds
Alabama
35094
Phone:
Fax:
205-702-4010
Admin Email:
Click here to contact Ms. Michele Shumate
Mailing Address
l P.O. Box 525
Leeds, AL
35094
Leeds, AL
35094
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St. Theresa Catholic Church Mass Times
Service Schedule
Daily Mass:
Tuesday through Friday: 12:00 PM
Saturday: 4:00 PM
Confession:
Tuesday through Friday, 11:15 AM
Saturday, 3:30 PM
Sunday, 9:00 AM
Sunday Masses:
8:00 AM, 10:30 AM & 2:00 PM (Spanish language)
Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction
Every Wednesday from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Healing Service
First Friday of the month 12:00 PM Mass
Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Tuesday through Friday: 11:20 AM
Saturday and Sunday:
30 minutes prior to every Mass.
10:30 AM Wednesday
RCIA
Only Available September through April Sundays at 9:00 AM in the PLC Library.
St. Theresa Catholic Church mass times last updated on the 18th of May, 2025
Daily Mass:
Tuesday through Friday: 12:00 PM
Saturday: 4:00 PM
Confession:
Tuesday through Friday, 11:15 AM
Saturday, 3:30 PM
Sunday, 9:00 AM
Sunday Masses:
8:00 AM, 10:30 AM & 2:00 PM (Spanish language)
Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction
Every Wednesday from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Healing Service
First Friday of the month 12:00 PM Mass
Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Tuesday through Friday: 11:20 AM
Saturday and Sunday:
30 minutes prior to every Mass.
10:30 AM Wednesday
RCIA
Only Available September through April Sundays at 9:00 AM in the PLC Library.
St. Theresa Catholic Church mass times last updated on the 18th of May, 2025
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St. Theresa Catholic Church Leeds Photos
St. Theresa Catholic Church - Leeds, Alabama
The sanctuary
Stained glass windows
St. Theresa Catholic Church - Leeds, Alabama
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St. Theresa Catholic Church History
Between the years of 1933 – 1940 there were only four known Catholic families living in or near Leeds. Prior to this time a mission station was located at the Henry Ellen Mines, near Leeds. Upon formation of the North Alabama Mission Band in 1933, street preaching was initiated on the streets of Leeds. Catholics of the area attended Holy Rosary Church in Gate City, where Mass was offered bi-monthly. They also went to St. Barnabas in East Lake, on alternate Sundays.
In 1941, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Becker invited Father Giri to offer Mass in their home. The living room fashioned into a chapel with the dining room buffet serving as an altar. Confessions were heard in another room of the home. Sister Mary Alice taught the Catechism to the children under a pear tree in the back yard.
The congregation grew in number and the men of the mission rented space on the second floor of the Evans Department Store in downtown Leeds and converted it into a chapel. The congregation selected the St. Theresa of Lisieux as the patroness.
On June 21, 1947, when Rev. Joseph Adams became the first resident pastor of the Holy Infant of Prague, St. Theresa was attached as a mission. In March, 1950, Norah Ann Katz was the first infant to be Baptized in the chapel. James Dowling and Betty Smith were the first couple married there. There were about 30 Catholic families in Leeds at this time.
In 1951, Rev. James Gallagher was appointed pastor of Holy Infant of Prague and the missions. Due to new industries moving into the area, the number of Catholic families soon grew to about 60. The Extension Society donated funds, and a modern brick structure was erected at the current church location at a cost of $19,600 to seat 150 persons. Father Gallagher offered the first Mass there on July 27, 1952. On February 15, 1953, Bishop Toolen dedicated the church as St. Theresa of the Child Jesus.
In 1960, a parish house was constructed on the property as a residence for the priests; and in 1989, a bell tower was added to the church.
In 1987, a church hall was constructed; and was named Martin Hall in honor of the family of St. Theresa. The parents of St. Theresa were declared Venerable in 1994, and Beatified as a couple in 2008.
Catholic attendance at Mass had fallen off to the point where the Bishop was considering the closing St. Theresa. In 2000, Fr. Jim Naughton, a Salesian priest, was named Pastor with the intent to eventually wind down the church’s affairs. However, during the following ten year period, Mass attendance grew from less than 100 people to over 450: and PSR attendance grew from 12 to 88 students. Instead of closing the church, one additional weekend Mass had to be added to accommodate the influx of new parishioners. Soon thereafter, it was decided that the church building needed to be expanded and remodeled.
The expansion project was completed in 2011, with seating capacity increased over 80%. Other improvements include expanded and remodeled restrooms, new carpeting, seating, painting, sound system, HVAC, landscaping, and other needed improvements.
The area Hispanic community had also grown, and after several months of hosting a Tuesday evening Hispanic service, the first Sunday Hispanic Mass was celebrated on August 5, 2012. Continual outreach to the local Hispanic community offers the sacraments, pre-baptism and pre- matrimony preparation; and Hispanic cultural celebrations.
After the passing of Fr. Jim in 2013, Fr. Gray Bean was named Pastor of the church in 2014. Under the guidance and leadership of Fr. Bean, attendance over the next few years increased even more to about 475 families and over 1,000 parishioners.
In order to accommodate the spiritual, social, and educational needs of the growing Catholic community, a new Parish Life Center was constructed in 2017. The new Life Center contains a 5,000 sq. ft. Fellowship Hall with large Kitchen, Parish Offices, a new Pastor's Office, 10 classrooms, and a large Meeting Room/Library. The new facility was dedicated by Bishop Baker on March 4, 2017.
In 1941, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Becker invited Father Giri to offer Mass in their home. The living room fashioned into a chapel with the dining room buffet serving as an altar. Confessions were heard in another room of the home. Sister Mary Alice taught the Catechism to the children under a pear tree in the back yard.
The congregation grew in number and the men of the mission rented space on the second floor of the Evans Department Store in downtown Leeds and converted it into a chapel. The congregation selected the St. Theresa of Lisieux as the patroness.
In 1951, Rev. James Gallagher was appointed pastor of Holy Infant of Prague and the missions. Due to new industries moving into the area, the number of Catholic families soon grew to about 60. The Extension Society donated funds, and a modern brick structure was erected at the current church location at a cost of $19,600 to seat 150 persons. Father Gallagher offered the first Mass there on July 27, 1952. On February 15, 1953, Bishop Toolen dedicated the church as St. Theresa of the Child Jesus.
In 1960, a parish house was constructed on the property as a residence for the priests; and in 1989, a bell tower was added to the church.
In 1987, a church hall was constructed; and was named Martin Hall in honor of the family of St. Theresa. The parents of St. Theresa were declared Venerable in 1994, and Beatified as a couple in 2008.
The expansion project was completed in 2011, with seating capacity increased over 80%. Other improvements include expanded and remodeled restrooms, new carpeting, seating, painting, sound system, HVAC, landscaping, and other needed improvements.
The area Hispanic community had also grown, and after several months of hosting a Tuesday evening Hispanic service, the first Sunday Hispanic Mass was celebrated on August 5, 2012. Continual outreach to the local Hispanic community offers the sacraments, pre-baptism and pre- matrimony preparation; and Hispanic cultural celebrations.
After the passing of Fr. Jim in 2013, Fr. Gray Bean was named Pastor of the church in 2014. Under the guidance and leadership of Fr. Bean, attendance over the next few years increased even more to about 475 families and over 1,000 parishioners.
St. Theresa Catholic Church Historical Photos
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"Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness."Martin Luther
St. Theresa Catholic Church listing was last updated on the 18th of May, 2025
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