San Antonio – The Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Thérèse

    The community of Discalced Carmelite Friars of San Antonio, Texas, staff our National Shrine of St. Thérèse. This shrine also functions as a parish, under the patronage of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Thérèse. The parish is popularly known as "Little Flower", and the church as "Little Flower Basilica."
    The friars of this community also serve as chaplains to the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of San Antonio, as well as to the local Secular Carmelites. They promote the spiritual teaching of St. Thérèse of Lisieux through their work at the Shrine and through The Apostolate of the Little Flower, a magazine published by the province under the direction of this community of friars. In addition, they oversee the successful Little Flower School (grades pre-K through 8th), located across the street from the Basilica, as well as spearheading a community beautification project.

History:
On March 30, 1926, Fathers Edward Soler, Cyril Corbato, and Jose Maria Sánchis
moved to Kentucky and Zarzamora Sts. in San Antonio. Fr. Edward offered the
first Mass in the makeshift chapel for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish on April 4, 1926. A wood frame church was built in the spring of 1927; this is now part of the school cafeteria. Groundbreaking for construction of the present basilica, designed by Charles L. Monnot of Oklahoma, was held on October 15, 1929. The cornerstone of the church “was solemnly blessed and laid” by Archbishop Arthur Drossaerts on that day. Fr. Edward contracted the Dennehy Construction Company to build the shrine. The bells were blessed by Archbishop Drossaerts, assisted by Fr. Edward, a month before the dedication of the church, which lasted from September 27th to October 12th, 1931.
Through the renovation efforts of Fr. John Magdalene Suenram, the shrine was listed on the national register of historic places in July 1998, and was raised by Pope John Paul II to the rank of a minor basilica in February 1999. School construction began June 1946 and was blessed September 30, 1947. In 1955, a college wing was added to the monastery for our students who, at that time, attended Assumption Seminary.

Community:
Fr. John M. Suenram, O.C.D., Superior and Pastor
Fr. Bonaventure Sauer, O.C.D., Parochial Vicar and Editor, Apostolate magazine
Fr. Marion Joseph Bui, O.C.D., Parochial Vicar
Fr. Augustine Kizzakhedam, O.C.D., Parochial Vicar
Fr. Mary Phillip Wurth, O.C.D.
Fr. Christopher Timoney, O.C.D.
Br. M. Charles Fickel, O.C.D.

Address:
P.O. Box 5820
San Antonio, TX 78201

or

906 Kentucky Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78201

Website:
www.littleflowerbasilica.org