Saint Therese Celebrates 45 Years of Taking Care of Seniors
Saint Therese is celebrating its 45th anniversary in January. We are proud of our history of compassionate care for individuals, innovative growth and continued strength in pastoral care.

In 1964, Father Gordon Mycue and Jerry Choromanski created the vision for St. Therese Home, Inc., now known as Saint Therese. After Jerry’s experience with his own aging parents, he saw there was a need for Catholic senior care in the Twin Cities.

Soon a corporation and board of directors was established and Saint Therese received permission from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to establish a free-standing, non-profit nursing home. The founders wanted to create a different type of nursing home, less institutional than those with 8 – 16 bed wards often found in the 1960s. Double rooms, common spaces and pastoral care helped Saint Therese feel more like home  and helped residents maintain a sense of dignity.

Mary Zepp, first resident.

The name Saint Therese came from St. Therese of Lisieux, a Carmelite Nun who believed in doing small things with great love. She was the patron saint of the Choromanski family and the board agreed that it was a fit for the new organization.

On January 9, 1968, Saint Therese welcomed its first resident, Mary Zepp. Mary walked through the front doors of Saint Therese carrying her two suitcases, calling Saint Therese home for the next five years until her death.

Saint Therese began as a 200-bed skilled nursing facility in New Hope. Residents were cared for by Benedictine Sisters from the St. Paul Priory, who maintained residence on-site. It was the beginning of blessed journey in senior care.

Over the years, Saint Therese has grown as an organization. The New Hope community added more beds to the care center and then 220 senior apartments. Innovative thinking brought changes such as assisted living services, a memory care unit and palliative care.

Saint Therese now operates three separate communities, a home health care company offering care to individuals in their homes, as well as a rehab and therapy division that focuses on keeping seniors active and fit. Saint Therese continues to redefine what senior living is today.

“Beyond the building and landscape changes, Saint Therese has maintained its responsive spirit by exceeding the needs and expectations of the individuals and families we serve,” said Barb Rode, Saint Therese President & CEO. “Grounded in our Benedictine values, we have remained steadfast and resolute in our mission to serve and honor the older adults in our community through innovative programming and inspirational services.”