Established in 1985 when founding pastor Edmond Prendergast began inviting families to join the newly-created “parish family,” Saint Bonaventure grew rapidly. The first Mass was celebrated at the Flamingo Elementary School with approximately 150 people attending a Saturday evening service and another 100 at a service on the following Sunday morning.
On June 17, 1971, Archbishop Coleman Carroll announced the establishment of five new parishes in the rapidly growing Diocese of Miami. One of these was the parish of St. Boniface in Pembroke Pines, a city of 10,000 households.
Established in 1968, Saint Catherine of Siena originally formed to serve mostly white collar families in Kendall but the parish quickly inserted itself into the broader community. Early Masses were celebrated in a local high school as parishioners planned for the construction of necessary buildings, including a church, a parish hall, classrooms for religious education, and a rectory. After six years of gathering at the high school, the parish dedicated a church in 1974.
Founded in 1995 with Father Michael J. Eivers as the first pastor, Saint Edward parish comprises the entire city of Pembroke Pines west of Interstate 75, one of the fastest growing areas of Florida. The parish celebrated its first Mass at a cinema with 50 worshipers in attendance, but within six months, outgrew the space.
Established in 1959 under the leadership of Father Michael Keller, St. Gregory the Great Parish celebrated its first Mass on August 15th in Peters Elementary School. A year later, three Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth opened a parish school with 143 students and three portable classrooms, donated by Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish. The parish dedicated a church in 1961 and later constructed a convent.
Saint John Bosco established in 1962 served Cuban refugees with Father Ibarra, a Spanish priest serving the parish from 1962 to 1963. Mass was fi rst celebrated in a garage before relocating to the Tivoli movie house in 1963. At the end of 1963, Archbishop Coleman Carroll gave second pastor, Father Emilio Vallina, keys to a defunct car warehouse, a building that would become their future church.
Saint John the Apostle Parish was established by Archbishop Joseph Hurley of St. Augustine in 1945 with Father Lawrence J. Flynn as its founding pastor. On January 22, 1950 the Most Reverend Thomas J. McDonough, Auxiliary Bishop of St. Augustine, celebrated a Pontifi cal Mass for the blessing and dedication of the school with a chapel-Auditorium, rectory and convent.
Father Peter Reilly, a young Irish priest, was appointed second pastor of St. John’s in 1952.
Founded in 2002 in Miramar, the parish, Blessed John XXIII, adopted its patron’s motto: “That All May Be One,” apt for a multi-cultural parish attracting Hispanic, Asian, Filipino, Haitian, and Anglo worshipers.
St. Katharine Drexel was established July 1, 2001 with Father Paul E. Edwards as administrator. That same month, he conducted introductory meetings about the new parish and gave his vision for its future. Over 200 people attended the meetings, which were conducted in English and Spanish.
When Bishop Coleman F. Carroll established St. Louis Parish on August 30, 1963, in burgeoning south Dade County, it reflected the hopes of Blessed John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council for Church renewal.
With its first pastor, Father Fred Wass, St. Louis pioneered a parish council, community news and creative liturgical environments to nourish faith.
5601 South Flamingo Road Southwest Ranches, FL 33330
Planted in 1984, the seeds for Saint Mark found fertile soil around the Southwest Ranches when 60 Catholics gathered to celebrate Mass at the Volunteer Fire House. As surrounding neighborhoods attracted more residents, Archbishop Edward McCarthy decided that an independent community would be formed and assigned Father William Hennessey to the new parish.
Named for the 20th century martyr murdered in the Nazi concentration camps, Saint Maximilian Kolbe was established in 1983. Parishioners first gathered in a tiny storefront in a strip mall. The interior was in a constant state of flux to accommodate the growing number of worshipers and simultaneous Masses were celebrated one inside and one outside in the enclosed parking area behind the store to serve them all.
