HISTORY OF OUR PARISH
Important dates in our history:
July 1985 – Fr. George Byrne appointed pastor for St William of York
July 1999 – Fr. Nicholas Dempsey appointed pastor for St. Thérèse of Carmel
September 4, 2003 – the parish was dedicated to St. Thérèse of Carmel
July 1, 2017 – Fr. Chris Tozzi appointed pastor for St. Thérèse of Carmel
St. William of York Catholic Church (now called St. Thérèse of Carmel) is an urban community of faith located in the heart of coastal Carmel Valley. The parish of Saint William of York was established on September 1, 1985, to meet the needs of the families in Carmel Valley. Our parish was named in honor of Saint William FitzHerbert, Archbishop of York in England, a saint of the twelfth century who emulated the virtue of patience. Saint William of York died at York on June 8, 1154. He was canonized in 1226 or 1227 by Pope Honorius III.
The whole of Christianity can be summed up in three revolutionary words that can change the entire world or single a life: God is love. This is the unique foundation of our faith and is the very essence sets it apart. When Jesus was asked what was the most important commandment, he summed them up by saying that we should love God with our whole hearts, minds and souls, and that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. And when Jesus described the Last Judgment, it was not our action but the lack of love and compassion for others that would condemn us. Those of us who base our idea of living a good life on what we do not do will be hard pressed to justify our lives.
The history of St. Thérèse of Carmel reflects the growth of the Carmel Valley region, the character of growing North County, and the changing demographics and social changes on the Church as a whole.
Read further the interesting history of the Cemetery located on the south side of St. Thérèse of Carmel.