Therese Trojak
St. Therese of Lisieux
In 1988, a grotto was built next to the front door of the St. Patrick Catholic Parish in Phillips in honor of the parish’s 100th anniversary.
After a new Catholic parish in Phillips, St. Therese of Lisieux, was built, a liturgy was held on Dec. 18, 2004. Conversations about moving the grotto to the new church began while Fr. Gerald Hagen was still in Phillips; he has been at Holy Family Catholic Church in Woodruff since July 2019.
Fr. Lourdu Raju Madanu came to St. Therese on July 15, 2019, and he chose to pursue the plan to move the grotto.
The Heindl-Nimsgern Funeral & Cremation Services, now owners of the former St. Patrick building, donated the grotto to St. Therese of Lisieux.
The grotto was moved on Aug. 19 to its new south-facing location with some adjustments and electrical work. Fr. Lourdu blessed the grotto after the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Dec. 5.
The statue of the Blessed Mother in the grotto stood in the hallway of the former St. Gregory’s School aside the St. Patrick Parish.
