The story of this Church begins with Mr. Francis Weerakoon who donates his Land and house to the Archbishop of Colombo Bishop Anthony Coudert in 1928. The responsibility of building up a Church was then handed over to Rev. Fr. L. M. V. Thomas the French missionary priest who was serving in the parish of Dalugama.

The building process would then go forward painstakingly amidst objections and hostilities from the neighboring residents. But support rendered by well-respected Mr. G. Wijekoon and a village council member by the name Mr. Freddy Samarasinghe would eventually help Fr. Thomas to make good progress. But still financial constraints would force Fr. Thomas to go back to France in order to raise funds. He would seek financial support from his wealthy sister and also would sell off his own inherited land and property back home, in order to find enough money to complete the beautiful structure.

Fr. Thomas finishes Building in 1930. Fr. Thomas proposes the Church be dedicated to St. Therese of the Child Jesus, who was canonized in May 17, 1925 by Pope Pius XI, just five year after the building of the Church near the 7th mile post, Kelaniya. Simultaneously Mr. Weerakoon who donated the land desires to dedicate the Church to Our Blessed Mother. Compromisingly Fr. Thomas would jointly dedicate the Church both to St. Therese of Child Jesus and to Mary our Blessed Mother. As a result the main feast will be celebrated in October honoring St. Therese and the 08th of December feast will be celebrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1930 the Church was consecrated by Bishop Mark Fernando.

Rev. Fr. Alphonso would finally complete all building by doing the plastering of the outside walls of the Church. According to Archbishop Oswald Gomis, Kelaniya St. Theresa’s Church can be considered among the very few of the very first Churches built in honor of St. Therese of Lisieux in the whole world.