The Church of St Thérèse, on the hill of Mount Merrion, is a prominent feature of the south Dublin skyline, visible from as far away as Dun Laoghaire pier, as well as being the centre of a vibrant parish.

The building was completed in 1956 and blessed and opened on a snowy Sunday in February of that year by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. It has served the parish community well over the years and its Jubilee was marked by a special Mass celebrated by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on 19 February 2006.

Inevitably, however, fifty years of constant use took its toll of mechanical and electrical equipment and services and the original underfloor heating system had come to the end of its reliable lifetime. In addition, the needs of the parish community had changed: improved facilities and access for all were needed; adaptation was desirable to cater for smaller numbers attending on a regular basis; and there was a strong desire to create a more intimate sense of community involvement in the liturgy than was possible with the existing sanctuary layout. It was decided, therefore, to combine the essential refurbishment work with a modification of the church layout.

The aims were:

- to create a space that encourages full, active and conscious participation of all, gathered around the table of the Lord;
- to make our Church a place which invites and welcomes us into an atmosphere conducive to both private prayer and the communal celebration of our liturgies;
- to create a layout which reflects the journey of our Christian lives - from the welcome of Baptism, the living of our life through participation in the Eucharist, to the final blessing by the waters of Baptism on our way to our eternal reward.

Consultation and planning for the church refurbishment took place over several months. Work began on site in May 2006 and was completed by the end of November at a cost of almost €2 million; a significant proportion of this cost was accounted for by the need to replace and update services and facilities which had been in use for fifty years:



• The underfloor heating system, installed in 1956, was completely replaced
• Lighting was improved and brought up to best modern standards
• The interior of the church was painted
• State-of-the-art alarm and security systems were installed.
• The original seating and kneelers were refurbished
• One of the confessionals was modified to make it suitable for use by wheelchair users
• A wheelchair lift was installed to make it possible for wheelchair users to access the Sanctuary area and the parish office and meeting room.
• A loop system was provided for the hard of hearing.



The modification of the layout of the Church results in an arrangement which is more suitable for liturgical needs:

• The area immediately inside the main entrance has been extended to provide a Welcoming/Gathering Area where we can greet one another on arrival and gather informally and for special occasions. The centrepiece of the area is the parish coat of arms, which combines arms used by the Fitzwilliams, the former owners of Mount Merrion (a shield covered with diamond-shaped figures coloured red and white) with the roses associated with St. Thérèse, white on red and red on white. The motto chosen to accompany the arms is In Corde Ecclesiae Amor – In the Heart of the Church, Love – reminding us of the mission of St. Thérèse and calling on us to follow her "Little Way".

• The Gathering Area leads to the Baptistry, with a new stone baptismal font, the Paschal Candle, the Ambry (holding the holy oils) and a special circle of seats for family members – a suitably intimate setting for welcoming new members to the parish community. The font invites us to an awareness of our baptismal vows as we bless ourselves in the living water of baptism which flows in the font, and move towards the sanctuary. In addition, by giving the font a place of prominence in the Church, we are reminded that twice in our Christian lives we are carried into the Church – for our Baptism and for our final journey to our heavenly home – both occasions are entries into a new life through the life-giving baptismal waters.

• The layout of the Sanctuary, where the central act of liturgy
– the Eucharist – takes place has been completely redesigned, uniting the old and the new in a manner which makes this space the focus and centrepiece of the church restoration. The principal elements of the Sanctuary are the Chair, marking the place of the presider; the Ambo, where the Word of God is proclaimed; and the Altar, centre of the Eucharistic banquet.

• Seating arrangements for the congregation have been modified so as to gather everyone, whether in the nave or in the transepts, closer together around the altar for a communal liturgical celebration.

• The organ and choir seating have been relocated so as to integrate them into the congregation.

• New lighting highlights the Cross and Tabernacle to remind us of God’s love and presence for us and that the Church is truly the House of God.

• The Chapel of St. Thérèse, which has been refurbished, has a mural by Sean Keating and houses the “Rose Book” which contains the names of many of those who supported the building of the Church fifty years ago and those who have supported the recent refurbishment.