St Teresa’s Home celebrates 100 years of Hospitality in London

Residents, families, Sisters, staff and friends came together to mark a century of St Teresa’s Home, remembering the people who shaped its history and celebrating the community that continues their legacy today

On Saturday, 3 October, St Teresa’s Home celebrated a milestone reached only once in the life of an institution: its 100th anniversary.

The centenary brought together residents and their families, Sisters, staff, former colleagues and friends of St Teresa’s for a day of thanksgiving, memories and celebration. Many of those present have been part of the Home at different points in its history, making the occasion not only an anniversary, but also a reunion of the wider St Teresa’s community.

The celebration was honoured by the presence of Sr Idília María Carneiro, General Superior of the Sisters Hospitallers; Bishop James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster; and Cllr Janet Evans, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

A Mass of thanksgiving

The day began with the Centenary Thanksgiving Mass, celebrated by Bishop James Curry and accompanied by the Our Lady of Dolours Community Church Choir.

The chapel was at the heart of a celebration centred on gratitude. It was a moment to remember the Sisters who dedicated their lives to the Hospitaller mission in London, the residents who have called St Teresa’s home, the staff who have cared for them and the families and friends who have shared in its life.

Following the Mass, a centenary message from Sr Idília María Carneiro, General Superior of the Sisters Hospitallers, was shared with the community.

Her words looked back on a history made up not simply of dates and milestones, but of “people, lives, journeys, determination, paths we have shared”. She remembered the many Hospitaller Sisters who devoted their lives to the mission, as well as the co-workers and others who, through their dedication, humanity and courage, helped to build the history of St Teresa’s. She gave particular thanks for all those who have been cared for in the Home, describing them as the very reason for its acts of Hospitality and care. mensaje superiora

The message also looked ahead. Sr Idília spoke of reaching 100 years as an opportunity to embrace the present with responsibility and commitment and to continue responding to those who need care. Recalling the words of St Benedict Menni, she encouraged the community to continue “forward, forward, forward”, strong and courageous in the practice of Hospitaller charity. mensaje superiora

Sr Lourdes Sanz, Superior of the Delegation of England, then addressed those gathered, before the celebration moved on to recognise some of the people who have contributed to the life of St Teresa’s.

Recognising the people behind St Teresa’s

Still in the chapel, the Centenary Awards and Recognition Ceremony turned the focus to the people who, through their daily work, have helped shape St Teresa’s.

Members of staff were recognised for their years of service, from those celebrating three years at the Home to colleagues who have dedicated as many as 25 years to St Teresa’s.

Among them was Midi, a care assistant who has worked at St Teresa’s for 25 years, becoming part of the lives of generations of residents, families and colleagues.

The awards were a fitting part of the centenary. Behind 100 years of history are the people who have carried the mission forward every day through their work, commitment and care.

Following the awards, guests gathered for the unveiling of the Centenary Plaque, led jointly by Sr Idília María Carneiro, General Superior of the Sisters Hospitallers; Bishop James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster; and Cllr Janet Evans, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The plaque now stands as a permanent reminder of St Teresa’s first century and of the many residents, Sisters, staff and families who have been part of its story since 1926.

Time to celebrate together

After the formal moments of the morning, residents and guests came together for lunch and refreshments.

The atmosphere changed from ceremony to celebration, with time to talk, meet old friends, take photographs and share memories. For many, it was also an opportunity to reconnect with people they had known through St Teresa’s over the years.

A very special thank you must go to the St Teresa’s kitchen team, who did an exceptional job. The preparation required for an event of this size was considerable, and the food, presentation and service throughout the celebration were outstanding. Their work was one of the many examples of the care and attention that went into making the centenary such a special occasion.

Our thanks extend to the whole St Teresa’s team, the Sisters, volunteers and everyone involved in preparing and running the event. Months of work went into the centenary, much of it behind the scenes, and the day could not have happened without that collective effort.

A century of memories

The afternoon returned to the story that had brought everyone together.

Sr Isabel Cantón presented The Story of St Teresa’s, taking guests through the Home’s history and revisiting a journey that began with the first Sisters Hospitallers in London in 1926.

After a morning of celebration, the presentation offered a chance to look more closely at how St Teresa’s had reached this moment. Photographs and memories connected the Home of today with the Sisters, residents and staff of earlier generations and brought some of those hundred years back into the room.

For those who have known St Teresa’s at different moments in its history, it was also an opportunity to recognise familiar people, places and stories.

Hospitality beyond St Teresa’s

The centenary also made space for a cause very close to the Hospitaller mission.

Thanks to Sr Mary Ann Curimatmat, Bursar of the Delegation of England, a special Solidarity Corner was created to introduce guests to the work of the Sisters Hospitallers in Africa and raise funds for the projects being carried out there.

Throughout the celebration, guests were able to learn more about this work and make a donation. Their generosity raised a total of £352.72 for the Sisters Hospitallers’ projects in Africa.

It was a meaningful part of the anniversary: while celebrating a mission that has been present in London for a hundred years, the St Teresa’s community was also able to support the Hospitaller mission being carried forward elsewhere in the world today.

Thank you for being part of these 100 years

The centenary brought together many different generations of the St Teresa’s community, and our sincere thanks go to everyone who joined us and helped make the day so memorable.

We were particularly grateful to Sr Idília María Carneiro, Bishop James Curry and Cllr Janet Evans for joining us for such an important moment in the history of the Home.

Thank you also to the Sisters, staff and volunteers who worked so hard to prepare the celebration, to the kitchen team for their exceptional contribution, and to everyone who travelled, participated, shared memories or supported the event.

Most importantly, the centenary belonged to the residents, past and present, and to the many people who have made St Teresa’s their home over the last hundred years.

The photographs, names and faces may have changed since 1926, but the reason St Teresa’s exists has not: to welcome people, care for them and accompany them with dignity and compassion.

On 3 October, we had the privilege of celebrating the first hundred years of that story together.

Now, the next hundred begin.

St Teresa’s Home, 1926–2026. Celebrating 100 Years of Hospitality.

Honouring the Past. Caring for the Future.