When the story is told, then everyone is interested and it gives a new impetus to the spiritual life of the Parish.
uman nature being what it is, and perhaps partly also through no fault of their own, parishioners, Sunday by Sunday, enter their Parish Church without giving any thought to its beginnings, the efforts and struggles of Priest and people of a generation now gone, how the Parish started, who were the, pioneers, what were the small beginnings, how the present edifice was built, and many other questions. Yet it is a fact that the Church was not always there and there was a time when the very few Catholics in the area had to travel quite a distance to fulfil their Sunday obligation of Holy Mass.
When the story is told, then everyone is interested and it gives a new impetus to the spiritual life of the Parish.
Although the present Church of St. Therese was built in 1938, the Catholic beginnings in this area of Edenvale can be traced further back. As early as 1904 in the time of Father de Lacy, O.M.I., a property was acquired by the Church authorities. It was Horwood’s Farm at the lower end of the present Horwood Street. In the time of Bishop Cox, O.M.I. (1912-1924) this was regretfully sold.
The Nazareth Sisters chose this area of Edenvale as a suitable holiday home in the country, yet within easy reach of the community in Yeoville. Their small cottage was situated in the present Hurlyvale, and as far as can be gauged, somewhere near the present St. John’s Road and nearby shopping centre. Here, for the benefit of the Sisters. Father E. Roux, O.M.I., then at Yeoville, was the first to celebrate Mass. It is on record that the late Bishop O’Leary, O.M.I. also often said Mass for the Sisters and Denis Dalton, now Father D. Dalton, Oblate Provincial, was his server. It was in 1921 that Mr. Richard Hurly and his brother, Mr. Henry Hurly, acquired the farm in the area that now bears their name, Hurlyvale, and it as in the old farm house that the Nazareth Sisters, and later the Sisters of Mercy , spent their holidays.
For some months prior to the opening of the Church Mass was said at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Lee, who lived at 95, 14th Avenue, Edenvale.
Under the leadership of Father A. J. Delport, O.M.I., the parishioners of St. Anne’s, Belgravia, began to collect funds for a Church in honour of St. Therese to be built at Malvern. When a decade later the Church was actually built by Father T. Pierce, he wished it to be called the Church of the Blessed Sacrament. It is just twenty five years since the Paulist Fathers took charge of this Parish, on 6th November. 1938.
In order not to disappoint the parishioners of Belgravia, Bishop O’Leary gave the patronage of St. Therese to Edenvale. The eve of her feast, 2nd October, 1938, coincided with the Sunday and was fixed for the blessing and opening ceremony of the new Church.
The foundation stone had been blessed by the Bishop and laid by the two Hurly brothers on 12th June. The builder of the Church and later the presbytery, was Mr. George Busschau, a member of one of the earliest families on the Witwatersrand.
Assisting the Bishop at the opening ceremony were Fathers E. Varrie and T. Kelly, and many friends and devotees of St. Therese were present. The writer of this article little thought when being present that day, he would be in charge of the Parish a quarter of a century later.
Father George Standing was appointed the first Parish Priest.
Parish Hall Built in 1952 and demolished to make room for the new church
Although the present Church of St. Therese was built in 1938, the Catholic beginnings in this area of Edenvale can be traced further back. As early as 1904 in the time of Father de Lacy, O.M.I., a property was acquired by the Church authorities. It was Horwood’s Farm at the lower end of the present Horwood Street. In the time of Bishop Cox, O.M.I. (1912-1924) this was regretfully sold.
The Nazareth Sisters chose this area of Edenvale as a suitable holiday home in the country, yet within easy reach of the community in Yeoville. Their small cottage was situated in the present Hurlyvale, and as far as can be gauged, somewhere near the present St. John’s Road and nearby shopping centre. Here, for the benefit of the Sisters. Father E. Roux, O.M.I., then at Yeoville, was the first to celebrate Mass. It is on record that the late Bishop O’Leary, O.M.I. also often said Mass for the Sisters and Denis Dalton, now Father D. Dalton, Oblate Provincial, was his server. It was in 1921 that Mr. Richard Hurly and his brother, Mr. Henry Hurly, acquired the farm in the area that now bears their name, Hurlyvale, and it as in the old farm house that the Nazareth Sisters, and later the Sisters of Mercy , spent their holidays.
For some months prior to the opening of the Church Mass was said at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Lee, who lived at 95, 14th Avenue, Edenvale.
Under the leadership of Father A. J. Delport, O.M.I., the parishioners of St. Anne’s, Belgravia, began to collect funds for a Church in honour of St. Therese to be built at Malvern. When a decade later the Church was actually built by Father T. Pierce, he wished it to be called the Church of the Blessed Sacrament. It is just twenty five years since the Paulist Fathers took charge of this Parish, on 6th November. 1938.
In order not to disappoint the parishioners of Belgravia, Bishop O’Leary gave the patronage of St. Therese to Edenvale. The eve of her feast, 2nd October, 1938, coincided with the Sunday and was fixed for the blessing and opening ceremony of the new Church.
The foundation stone had been blessed by the Bishop and laid by the two Hurly brothers on 12th June. The builder of the Church and later the presbytery, was Mr. George Busschau, a member of one of the earliest families on the Witwatersrand.
Assisting the Bishop at the opening ceremony were Fathers E. Varrie and T. Kelly, and many friends and devotees of St. Therese were present. The writer of this article little thought when being present that day, he would be in charge of the Parish a quarter of a century later.
Father George Standing was appointed the first Parish Priest.
Parish Hall Built in 1952 and demolished to make room for the new church
Such were the beginnings
of our Parish of St. Therese.
Priests of St. Thérèse Edenvale
| Fr. G Standing | 1938-1942 |
| Fr. T Bresnan O.M.I | 1942-1946 |
| Fr. J Buckley O.M.I | 1946-1948 |
| Fr. P Theobalo O.M.I | 1948-1950 |
| Fr. A Cappoen O.M.I | 1950-1954 |
| Fr. W Lambe | 1954-1956 |
| Fr. P Abell O.M.I | 1956-1963 |
| Fr. J Brady O.M.I | 1963-1972 |
| Fr. T O’Dea O.M.I | 1972-1978 |
| Fr. B Connolly O.M.I | 1976-1982 |
| Fr. J Towell O.M.I | 1978-1988 |
| Fr. E Hickey O.M.I | 1982-1987 |
| Rev. H Handgraaf (Deacon) | 1985-2018 |
| Fr. T Barry O.M.I | 1987-2006 |
| Fr. J Leathem O.M.I | 1988-2020 |