Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Therese Church
Also known as: National Shrine of the Little Flower
Why it's listed
Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Therese Church, known as the National Shrine of the Little Flower, and its adjoining Carmelite monastery occupy a half city block on San Antonio's west side. Completed in 1931, both buildings are clad in gray Bedford, Indiana limestone over steel and concrete frames. The cruciform church rises to a 118-foot campanile and a large octagonal dome, mixing Mediterranean and Spanish motifs with Classical detailing in a regional Beaux Arts manner. Inside, carved Carrara marble altars, mosaics, a large wooden statuary group made in Valencia, Spain, wrought iron gates, and stained glass use the rose, symbol of St. Therese, as a recurring theme. The Discalced Carmelites came to the city at the invitation of Bishop Drossaerts to serve the largely Mexican west side, and Father Raymond Gomez envisioned a national shrine to the saint. Both buildings still serve their original religious uses and retain a high degree of architectural integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the shrine as a regional, eclectic Beaux Arts church built by the Discalced Carmelites to honor St. Therese of Lisieux. It grew from the Carmelites' ministry to San Antonio's Mexican and Hispanic west side community. It also has notable interior artistry, including marble altars, mosaics, carved statuary, wrought iron gates and stained glass. The buildings retain a high degree of integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98000843, listed July 9, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 906 Kentucky, San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | July 9, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000843 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Charles Lester Monnot (architect, per drawings); Louis Rodriguez (altar designs, sculptor); Theo Voss (ironwork) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Beaux Arts |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings continue in their original religious uses; the Shrine is in good condition and the monastery in fair condition, with foundation stress from hydrostatic pressure. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 29.44609, -98.52536 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98000843.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4867415
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.