St. Patrick Catholic Church (Miami Beach, Florida)

St. Patrick Catholic Church was the first Catholic parish on Miami Beach. The church is located at 3716 Garden Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida. Monsignor John Vaughan is pastor.

History

Father William Barry was born in Ireland and ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Baltimore for the Diocese of St. Augustine in June 1910. He was a pastor at four Churches and in May 1926 transferred to Miami Beach to found St. Patrick Church. He remained pastor until 1966 prior to his death in 1967.

The first mass was celebrated in Miami Beach Gardens theater on 41st Street and Alton Road on Sunday, May 13th, 1926.

Carl G. Fisher, a non-Catholic, donated five polo stables to Father Barry for use as a church and school for St. Patrick Parish. On June 2, 1926, the first mass was held in a refurbished stable.

After the September 17, 1926 hurricane, Father Barry and a committee of parishioners chose a site of twelve lots between 39th and 40th streets for a new church, rectory, convent, school, recreation hall, and auditorium.

On February 22, 1928, the cornerstone for the church was laid. The church was dedicated on February 3, 1929. The seating capacity is 700.

In 1942, Miami Beach became host to an OCS Army base. Local hotels and motels were taken over by hundreds of thousands of servicemen. Father Barry allowed the army to use all parish facilities.

St. Patrick Catholic Church Pastors

• Rev. William Barry (1926-1966)
• Rev. Msgr. James J. Walsh (1966-1971)
• Rev. Rene H. Gracida (1971-1972)
• Rev. Joseph P. Cronin (1972-1981)
• Rev. James P. Murphy (1981-1996)
• Rev. Msgr. John Vaughan (1996-2012)
• Rev. Roberto Cidd (2012-Present)

External links

• St. Patrick Church Miami Beach website

Archdiocese of Miami Archbishops Coleman Carroll Edward Anthony McCarthy John Favalora Thomas Wenski Auxiliary Bishops Norbert Dorsey Felipe Estévez Gilberto Fernandez John Fitzpatrick René Gracida John Nevins John Noonan Agustin Roman Thomas Wenski Peter Baldacchino Churches Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Mary, Miami Parishes Church of the Little Flower, Coral Gables Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea, Key West St. Dominic Church, Miami Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Miami St. Patrick Catholic Church, Miami Beach Saint Edward Catholic Church, Pembroke Pines Education Higher Education Barry University St. Thomas University Seminary St. John Vianney College Seminary High Schools Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School, Miami Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School, Miami Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy High School, Southwest Ranches Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Miami Cardinal Gibbons High School, Fort Lauderdale Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Miami Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School, Hollywood Christopher Columbus High School, Miami-Dade County Immaculata-Lasalle High School, Miami Monsignor Edward Pace High School, Miami Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami St. Brendan High School, Miami St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fort Lauderdale Grade Schools St. Theresa School, Coral Gables Saint Mary's Cathedral School, Miami St. Patrick Catholic School, Miami Beach Priests Ambrose Battista De Paoli Fernando Isern Robert Nugent Lynch Miscellany Academy of the Assumption Catholic Health Services Florida Catholic Catholicism Portal

Coordinates: 25°48′41″N 80°08′06″W / 25.811483°N 80.13508°W / 25.811483; -80.13508