2800 RAMON ROAD
PALM SPRINGS
This stunning sanctuary is the work of architect William F. Cody. Erected in 1968 and eloquently described by ”Explorer’s Guide” as ”a modernist contemplation of a Gothic cathedral,” the church is a marvel, featuring sloping walls that cinematically curve upward toward a soaring wood-beamed ceiling. Cody, who crafted everything from the structure’s stained glass windows to the baptismal font, was recognized by the Golden Palms Award Committee for his design, which garnered quite a celebrity following, with everyone from Bob and Dolores Hope to Loretta Young attending mass on the modernist premises. Sonny Bono’s funeral was even hosted at St. Theresa’s following his untimely death in 1998, as was Cody’s in 1978, just a decade after the church’s completion.