The journey of the church in Airoli started from a one-room flat to a row house- terrace to a makeshift arrangement in the Prem Daan of Missionaries of Charity to where it stands today.  The vibrant Airoli, that we see now, was a small hamlet town & was only restricted to Airoli Gaon. There was no church here. Until the year 1990, Catholics from Airoli went to Thane or Ghansoli for attending holy mass and other ecclesiastical services.

 

At that time Sisters of Charity of Mother Theresa had a temporary residence in Kalwa and Fathers from St John the Baptist church, Thane used to visit there for mass. Under their guidance and the active participation of some of the local Catholics, the faithful of Airoli were mobilized under the roof, called the Catholic Association of Airoli and their first general body meeting was held on 25th November 1990. They took up various initiatives such as Catechism class for children, celebrating holy mass every Saturday, etc. The Fathers from St. John the Baptist Church, Thane readily agreed to say mass in Airoli on Saturdays and Late Mr. Sylvester Louis took up the responsibility of ferrying them to and fro. 

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Hence the journey of the Church in Airoli commenced at a company-provided accommodation of Sylvester Louis at Siemens Colony. Later when the number of families attending mass increased, the place for mass was shifted to the Row House Terrace of Mrs. Shirley Pimenta, Sector-03. 

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In the year 1992 Prem Daan of Missionaries of Charity of Mother Theresa was founded in Sector 18, Airoli. Henceforth church was shifted there and Airoli was made the sub centre of Our Lady of Forsaken Church, Ghansoli. Fr. Baptist Pereira, the Priest Incharge conducted the census of Catholics of Airoli. 

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In June 1993, Fr. Francis Martis was appointed the Priest Incharge of Ghansoli Church. He envisaged the idea of building a church in Airoli itself. 

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In June 1998, a zealous and industrious priest Fr. Sunder Albuquerque was appointed as the Priest Incharge. He undertook the herculean task of setting up an independent parish. A new spark emerged among the people with Fr. Sunder at the helm of the project and soon the distant dream began to take shape. With the relentless efforts of Fr. Sunder and some of the parishioners, CIDCO allotted a plot in Sector 10, Airoli for the church. 

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Many initiatives were undertaken to raise funds for the construction of the church including  selling of food items like chanas and sugar beads during the annual Bandra Fair event.  Our people also approached other churches for donations and set up stalls there selling food items and religious articles to raise the needed capital. 

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Fr. Sunder through the consent of His Eminence, Ivan Cardinal Dias laid the foundation stone of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church on April 8, 2001. 

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The construction of the church building was carried out under the supervision of Mr. Francis Anthony and many other parishioners like Mr. Claudie Lewis, Mr. Proctor John, Mr. Julius Rego, Late. Mrs. Meera Colaco, Late Mr. Hilary Periera, Mr. Arun Colaco, and many others rendered their services in their respective fields assisting Fr. Sunder to make the dream a reality. 

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Finally, it was the day all waiting for. The church building was inaugurated on 26th May 2002 by his Eminence, Ivan Cardinal Dias, Archbishop of Bombay.

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The next project that Fr. Sunder took up was coordinating with the CIDCO officials for a plot for a cemetery and it was allotted to Christian sects around the area in Sector 18 opposite Premdaan. 

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Eight Parish Priests and one Asst Parish Priest have rendered their services at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church Airoli.  Fr. Sunder Albuquerque, Fr. Christopher Periera, Fr. Xavier D’Souza, Fr. Richard, Fr. Ajit Bandekar, Fr. Francis Martis, Fr. Joe D’Mello and now Fr. Samuel Ribeiro.

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The Church has grown from a small parish of less than 25 families to more than 400 families now.  The church continues to grow each year. The church has a persevering Parish Pastoral Council, enterprising Finance Committee, devoted Sunday School Catechists and Pre-Baptism Catechists, faithful Liturgical Cell, devout Eucharistic Ministers, aspiring Youth Cell, diligent Usher’s Cell, electrifying Women’s Cell, peppy Choirs, and zestful Senior Citizens, to name a few.  The parish thrives on the liveliness of the children, the vitality of the youth, and the determination and spiritedness of the noble grown-ups and seniors. This is only possible due to the dynamic and enduring priests and laity who helped build the vibrant parish of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus.