Anonymous donor gives land to Santa Teresa church

Soon, churchgoers in Santa Teresa will no longer have to attend mass in a gymnasium. An anonymous donor gave land to St. John Paul II Parish to build a new church. It will be located on the corner of McNutt and Borderland roads.

“It’s very important to have a place to call home,” one parishioner said.

Soon parishioners will no longer worship inside the gym at a YMCA on Sundays.
An anonymous donor give 9.28 acres of land to build a new church.

“A true blessing and I praise God for such a blessing,” Fr. Enrique Lopez-Escalera of St. John Paul II Parish said.

The vacant lot will eventually be home to a multi-purpose room, a church and even a school.

“The house of God, the house of the people should be a masterpiece,” Lopez-Escalera said.

Lopez-Escalera says the multi-purpose room alone will cost roughly $800,000.
The church will rely on fundraising and donations for its construction.

“Father will start creating a building committee which as in the planning committee we’ll turn over all our ideas and strategies,” parishioner Susie Rendon said.

Parishioners say while they’re thankful for the gymnasium, they’re excited to finally have a house of worship to call their own.

“We need the land and the land has been given so we praise God,” Lopez-Escalera said.

The multi-purpose room is expected to be built within the next three years. They’ll then start construction on the church and a school. Parishioners say they’re also planning a groundbreaking ceremony in the future as well.