National Shrine of St. Thérèse | |
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Location | 21425 Glacier Hwy Juneau, Alaska 99801 |
Country | United States |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
History | |
Status | National Shrine |
Founded | 1932 |
Founder(s) | Bishop
Crimont, S.J. Father LeVasseur, S.J. |
Consecrated | 1941 |
Administration | |
Archdiocese | Anchorage-Juneau |
Parish | St. Paul the Apostle |
Clergy | |
Priest(s) | Fr. Michael Galbraith |
Laity | |
Business manager | Joseph C. Sehnert |
The National Shrine of St. Thérèse overlooks the Lynn Canal in Juneau, Alaska, US. Situated on 46 acres, the site contains a stone chapel, crypt, labyrinth, columbarium, lodge, cabin, and retreat. [1]
In 1925, St. Thérèse of Lisieux was named the patroness of Alaska. In the 1930s, the Jesuit priest, Father William LeVasseur came up with the idea of a retreat center in her name. Bishop Joseph Raphael John Crimont provided support for its establishment, buying federal land. [2] Thousands of stones were used to construct the chapel and other structures, which were gathered by volunteers. [3] The first mass was held in 1941. [1] In 1945, Bishop Crimont died and was buried at the shrine's crypt. [4]
In 1953, Bishop Robert Dermot O'Flanagan started The League of the Little Flower to help make the shrine self-sufficient. [4] The shrine fell into disrepair and stopped holding retreats in the 1960s but underwent renovation under the leadership of Fr. James Manske from 1968 to 1969. [4] For financial reasons, the shrine was forced to close in 1985 but reopened the following year after 25 locals came together to save the shrine. [4]
In 1998, the columbarium was built and is open to all Christians who want their cremains placed at the shrine. [5] In 2000, a new cabin was built to commemorate the Great Jubilee, and in 2001, the Merciful Love Labyrinth was built. [4]
On October 1, 2016, Bishop Edward J. Burns announced that the Shrine of St. Thérèse had been raised to the status of national shrine. [6]
58°28′20″N 134°47′14″W / 58.47222°N 134.78722°W