St Teresa of Lisieux, Lexden

Introduction

The decision was taken to build a completely new church to the west of the presbytery, with plans drawn up by parishioner and architect J H Dabrowski, approved by the bishop, and the building contract awarded to Pudney's of Colne Engaine.

History

The first Clairmont Road site was purchased by Canon Clarke and completed in January 1937, with an inaugural Mass by Bishop Arthur Doubleday; this building is now the church hall. The stained-glass windows at the back of the church were designed by a monk of Prinknash Abbey and installed in the mid-1980s.

Music and liturgy

The Liturgy Committee, a team of parishioners, assists in the planning and execution of all the major liturgies throughout the year. A parish liturgical committee was set up to examine the changes fast emerging in the era following the Second Vatican Council. In 1976, the new church had no organ, only a keyboard.

Parish life

The St Vincent de Paul Society arranges pastoral visits to parishioners' homes. The parish runs a bereavement support group for those who have experienced bereavement.

The Our Common Home group meets monthly to consider how faith calls the parish to respond to Laudato Si'. The parish obtained the CAFOD LiveSimply Award in November 2023 and is accredited as a Fair Trade Parish. The St Teresa's SVP branch is twinned with three SVP conferences in India, supporting them through correspondence, mutual prayer and financial contributions. The Knights of Saint Joseph are a fraternal Catholic order based in Colchester, dedicated to serving their parish, clergy and community.

The parish's local primary school is St Teresa's and its local college is St Benedict's. The Parish Council provides support, guidance, advice and counsel to the Parish Priest and assists in managing the parish. The Social Committee exists to bring life and fun to the parish community and to engage people from all generations.

The Catenian Association is an international brotherhood of Catholic men who meet socially at least once a month at local branches or 'Circles'. The Legion of Mary is an international lay Catholic organization founded in 1921 by Frank Duff in Dublin, Ireland.

The parish has Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who take Holy Communion to the sick and housebound. The parish has Ministers of the Word responsible for reading the First and Second Scriptural readings and the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass.

Regular events

Monthly creation walks are organised by the Our Common Home group to explore the beauty of God's creation in the local area. The parish has a Repository, a volunteer position helping with the day to day running of the church.