History of Saint Theresa
PARISH ORGANIZATIONS (in 1954)

HOLY NAME SOCIETY

The purpose of the Holy Name Society is promoting the spiritual welfare of the men of the parish by encouraging and assisting them in observing the practices of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

On November 12, 1942 St. Theresa's Holy Name Society as organized with Rev. Joseph Donnely as the Spiritual Director.

The society receives corporate Communion on the second Sunday of the month at the 8 AM Mass. Monthly meetings are held the Monday following Communion Sunday.

The Holy Name Society sponsors an annual retreat for all the men of the parish. It encourages distribution of Catholic literature and actively opposes the display and sale of immoral literature. Holy Hours are sponsored monthly and each October these loyal followers of Christ proclaim their faith by marching in the Holy Name Parade. The first Communion breakfast was held in 1944, and has continued each year since that time.

The present spiritual director is Father Riordan. The main alter in our new church is a gift of the Holy Name Society.

ROSARY SOCIETY

The charter for the Rosary Society was signed on March 10, 1940 with Rev. William Donnelly as the spiritual director.

The membership at the time of the charter was twenty-eight and present membership is three hundred twenty-four. There are twenty-seven of the charter members still in the society.

The Rosary Society receives Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month at the eight o'clock Mass, The monthly meeting is held on the following Monday night.

The annual Communion Supper is held in October following a Mass at six P.M. An official investiture service of new rosarians takes place and the night is climaxed with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

To promote the family Rosary recitation, six statues of Our Lady of Fatima are rotated weekly in the hones of the rosarians. Each member receives the statue for one week of each year.

This very active society performs many spiritual duties including monthly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, an evening of Recollection, an annual weekend Retreat, and the distribution of Fidelity Awards.

The social events are many. The November party is perhaps, the high light of its social calendar. This event has always been a financial success with proceeds donated to the library fund.

St. Theresa's School library was organized under the auspices of the Rosary Society in 1965 with a total of six hundred books. There are three thousand, two hundred books available to the students at the present time. The women who are responsible for the organization and maintenance of the library are all volunteers.

St. Theresa's Rosary Society is an official member of the Newark Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women and the National Council of Catholic Women.

The Blessed Mother's altar in the new church is a gift from the Rosary Society. The present spiritual director is Rev. Salvatore P. Citarella.

CHOIR

He who sings once - prays twice

The former Chapel Choir which is now St. Theresa's Choir was formed in 1942 under the guidance of Sister Alivia O.S.B., St. Michael's Cranford. Having no organist at the time, organists from the Church of the Assumption, Roselle Park, and two local residents offered their services. Our present organist has been with us since 1955.

Our first choir director served voluntarily from 1947-1961. Our present choir director has been with us since 1961. The church choir rehearses endlessly to provide the spiritual atmosphere for the various church functions and High Masses. The church organ and accessories plus draperies for the chapel have been generous donations of the choir.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

The Knights of Columbus in St. Theresa's parish has been a vital and energetic force or Catholic Action since its inception with the granting of a charter on April 8, 1956.

St. Theresa's Council #4186, under the spiritual guidance of our late pastor, Rev. Sylvester P. McVeigh, and with the cooperation and support of men from all walks of life, labored successfully in those early years to establish their Council firmly with the promotion and conduction of programs of activity which would attract others to join their ranks.

The accomplishment of these objectives were realized in a major way with the purchase of their present building and property located at 191 Market Street, on July 1, 1962. The Knights of today have vindicated the judgment of the pioneers who brought about the institution of the Council and who by their perseverance and devotion to the principles of Columbianism established it upon a firm foundation.

On February 24, 1966 the council changed its name to the Fr. Sylvester P. McVeigh Council #4186 in loving memory of its first chaplain.

During the past year a complete renovation program has been undertaken to greatly enlarge the facilities and improve the appearance of the clubhouse. They now look with confidence to the future to render an even larger service during the years that lie ahead than it has in the past to the community, the catholic people and Holy Mother Church.

CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF AMERICA

The Catholic Daughters of America have been in existence for more than sixty years. The organization has been blessed by the Holy Father and approved by religious leaders throughout the country. Courts can be found in every state in the Union.

It is a requirement of the organization that a member be an active Catholic. In order to foster spiritual activity among Its members, an annual Retreat is held, also an annual Communion Breakfast and the corporate reception of Holy Communion on the fifth Sunday of the month.

The members are informed of any legislature that advances the cause of Catholicism and they are encouraged to be active in civic affairs. Court St. Theresa 1781. Catholic Daughters of America was formed on April 20, 1958. There were fifty-eight charter members, twenty of whom are still active. Membership has increased to ninety-four at the present time.

Some of the activities of the C.D.A, include supplying clothing to needy children for First Holy Communion, furnishing new and used layettes and other usable clothing to poverty stricken areas in the United States, sending medicines to doctors in depressed areas overseas, and supporting many local charities. Each year Court St. Theresa donates a sizable sun to charity.

The Court has also generously donated the doors of the new church.

Court St. Theresa has been honored for its activities by the State Officers. One of its members has been appointed District Deputy by the State Grand Regent. The present spiritual director is Rev. Edward U. Ilennessey.

USHERS

The ushers assist where needed at all Masses on Sundays and Holydays. They devote their tine to handling the collection of your weekly contributions. Throughout the year they continue to give their Sunday mornings to God in His Church.

COMMENTATORS

The Vatican Council's decisions have created opportunities for the laymen as active participants in the work of the Church. The past two years have seen many manifestations of this in St, Theresa's parish. The work of the commentators helped enlighten the parishioners to the changes in the liturgy.

These men were trained by Father Hudack to be technically competent and knowledgeable assistants to the priest. Our commentators generously devoted much of their time helping the congregation pray aloud with the priest. They inspired confidence as they led us in singing our hymns. This group of men eased us through a transitional period in our church history. Theirs is a serious responsibility. We are truly grateful. The commentators are now under the direction of Father Riordan.

CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION

Catholic Youth Organization is better known to everyone as C.Y.O. There are many branches that are comprised under this one title. Fr. Weber is spiritual moderator of the C.Y.O.

The athletic activities are in both the junior and senior divisions, We have first rate grammar school basketaball and track teams. Our girls basketball team is placing high in competition. St. Theresa's Cheerleaders do a terrific job for the morale of our players. They too, enter into competition with other parishes in Union County.

St. Theresa's Teens have for many years been a great part of our youth program. The Teens now consist of 120 members made up of high school teenagers. This organization is open to and serve all the youth of Kenilworth. They have regular meetings twice a month where they discuss and plan their activities. There is a board of teen officers and chairmen for spiritual. social, athletic and cultural functions. Their greatest spiritual work is the "Communion Crusade". with reception of Holy Communion every day for one week, ending with a Communion Breakfast. They also attend Holy Hours at various times of the year. Athletics consist of bowling and basketball teams. Cultural activities include an oratory contest, C.Y.O. paper with its own editor and staff and a one-act play being readied for completion. Social activities are popular with all teens. They enjoy roller skating parties, swim parties, dances and holiday parties. In the summer they hold dances each week to give the youth a common meeting place under adult supervision. The C.Y.O. Teens are helping to form the future leaders of tomorrow, learning good Christian principals and what is expected of them as adults in this modern world. A pew in our new church was donated by St. Theresa's Teens.

CYO Parish Youth Council hears and confers with our youth regarding their plans. There is a general chairman to guide the youth in each area of activity. Every parent is welcome and encouraged to contribute to the fleeting. The main purpose of this board is not to decide what we want for our young people, but rather to guide them in planning their own activities and building good Christian leadership. When our young people see the interest of their parents they realize we are all working toward a common goal , "our youth".

Boy Scout Troop 83 has an approximate membership of 40 boys. This organization is dedicated to helping a boy grow morally and physically straight. These aims are achieved through camping, scouting skills and spiritual training.

Under the sponsorship of C.Y.O., girl scouting began at St. Theresa's soon after our school opened. The main purpose of girl scouting in a parish school is to spiritualize the basic national program. This is done by means of attendance at first Saturday Mass, investiture services, Holy Hour on Girl Scoot Sunday and performing worthwhile mission projects. The scouts have filled Christmas stockings for Mt. Carmel Guild, made holiday tray favors for the elderly, prepared layettes for the needy, repaired and made rosaries for the Maryknoll Sisters and sewed dresses for girls in the Appalachia area of Kentucky. They have a Mother-Daughter Communion Breakfast in May and end the year with a Court of Award program.

The Altar Boys are really representatives of the entire congregation, and first assistants to the priest.. With Father Weber as moderator, they are taught to serve Mass properly. When these boys are prepared to serve their first Mass they are issued a set of vestments and carrying case. Each boy is responsible for the care of his cassock and surplus. The senior division of altar boys is composed of high school boys. They serve Mass on Sundays and Holy Days. The junior division of altar boys is the grammar school group. These boys are responsible for the daily Masses.

Young Christian Students is a leadership training program of the C.Y.O., whose aim is to teach high school students to lead others by Christian ideals, Our Y.C.S. is combined with a Sodality program. Y.C.S. stresses community life or involvement with other people. Projects to he]p those in Appalachia, Newark or Elizabeth are rum by the federation. Service to our parish in the form of baby-sitting during Mass on Sundays, serving at Communion Breakfasts for other organizations and packing clothes for the Bishop's Relief Fund have been performed by our

Y.C.S. The Y.C.S. 'ers in the surrounding area meet for study days or weekend seminars to discuss problems and solutions on a larger scale. Fr, Citarella is moderator for the Y.C.S.

SENIOR CATHOLIC YOUTH CLUB

One age group that is usually most overlooked in parish organizations is the young adults - just out of high school -- too old for the C.Y.O. activities that formerly occupied much of their leisure time and too young to be interested in the activities of the adult parish organizations. To meet the needs of this age group, the Senior Catholic Youth Club was organized in October 1960. Its purpose is to afford a planned program of activities of a spiritual, cultural, athletic, social and social-action nature for single young adults. It offers the opportunity for young men and women of the parish to make new friends having a similar interest as themselves, and at the same time giving them a contact with the priests of the parish at a time of their lives when they face new problems and questions which often can be answered by their Catholic faith.

Among the activities sponsored by the Sr. Catholic Youth Club are monthly Communion Sundays, discussions on timely topics about their Faith as race relations, inter parish functions, winter and summer week ends in the Pocono Mts. for skiing, swimming. orphans parties and various other social cultural and athletic activities. In 1963 the members completed work on the C.Y.C. lounge - a place under Church auspices where they can meet during their leisure time. A pew in the new church was donated by the C.Y.C. Fr. Citarella is the spiritual advisor.

CONFRATERNITY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE

The deep concern for the religious instruction of public school students is evident in the growth or C.C.D. classes.

Sunday School classes began in 1939 at Harding School under the supervision of Rev. Joseph Donnelly. At that time there were four classes with fifteen children in each class.

In 1942 Father William Donnelly sent nuns to prepare the children for First Communion. The following year Confirmation classes began.

The Sunday School Classes now have an enrollment of 226 children. The 7th and 8th grade classes meet after school on Monday with an enrollment of 109. The High School of Religion classes have 283 students. This is the highest enrollment of students in Union County.

All classes are taught by highly qualified teachers. This indeed, a labor of love is under the direction of Rev. Allen H. Weber.

VOCATIONS

In recent years we have been truly blessed and extremely proud of the young men and women who are answering the call of the Divine Lord.

At present we have one young man studying for the priesthood and another to be a brother. Five young women are studying to be sisters.

The decision of these young people to dedicate their lives to Christ reveals a great deal about the spirituality at St. Theresa's Parish.

PARISH ADVISORY BOARD

The role of the layman as an active participant in the work of the church is increasing each day. The growth of our parish has placed demands upon the laymen who will be called upon to solve problems that are essentially laymen's problems.

The Advisory Board was organized by Father Hennessey and although it is still in its infancy we have benefitted greatly by its professional abilities. Financial debts are avoided due to the proper channeling of various problems. This organization contains skilled minds and hands capable of contributing diversified knowledge in the field of finances, maintenance and purchasing.

THE FATHER'S GUILD

The Father's Guild of St. Theresa's Parish was organized in 1965 on the suggestion of the late Father McVeigh. The primary purpose of the Guild is to unite the Men of the parish. The strength from this unity will provide the network for this organization to achieve many notable goals.

The Saturday Bingo was instituted by this group of men. The proceeds from the Bingo go to the Building Fund to pay for present construction and also continue to pay off debts.

A future aim is to convert the auditorium into a gymnasium. With the interest of the children of the parish paramount in the minds of these devoted men we are convinced that their ability which is boundless will enable them to achieve great success.

St. Theresa's Parish organizations help create a close knit parish with a community spirit - countless activities which benefit, at least indirectly, every parishioner. Each society and organization plays a distinctive part in building the ideals and promoting the aims of our parish.