Gesu

Welcome to Gesù

Gesù Catholic Church — formally the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Parish — is the oldest Catholic parish in Miami and all of South Florida, founded in 1896 on land donated by Henry Flagler. Located at 118 NE 2nd Street in downtown Miami, the parish has been continuously served by Jesuits for more than 125 years and remains a National Register landmark offering daily Mass in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

History of Gesù Parish

Catholicism in Miami traces to Spanish Jesuit missionaries in 1567, but a continuous parish only began when William Wagner built a small chapel in 1875. That chapel burned in 1889/1892, and in 1896 the New Orleans Mission of the Society of Jesus sent Father Ambrose Fontan to organize the Holy Name of Jesus Parish on five lots given by Henry Flagler. A wood church went up in 1897, was replaced by the current building dedicated in 1925, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The parish restored for its centennial in 1996 and remains the 'Mother Church' of South Florida.

• 1567 – Jesuit missionaries arrive with Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
• 1872/1875 – First Catholic Mass in Miami and Wagner chapel built
• 1889/1892 – Wagner chapel destroyed by fire
• 1896 – Parish organized; first pastor Fr. Ambrose Fontan, S.J.
• 1897 – Wood church built on Flagler-donated land
• 1920 – Cornerstone of new church laid (Dec. 10)
• 1925 – Present church dedicated
• 1974 – Listed on U.S. National Register of Historic Places
• 1996 – Centennial restoration

Jesuit Heritage & Pastoral Leadership

Gesù has been staffed by the Society of Jesus since 1896. From 1896 until 2004 the parish was served by the New Orleans Province of the Jesuits; since 2004 it has been staffed by the Antilles Province. The current team includes Pastor Fr. Eduardo 'Eddy' Alvarez, S.J.; Vicars Fr. David Pantaleon, S.J. and Fr. Eduardo Tamayo, S.J.; Deacon William Bertot; and Pastor Emeritus Fr. Javier López, S.J.

• Fr. Eduardo 'Eddy' Alvarez, S.J. – Pastor
• Fr. David Pantaleon, S.J. – Vicar
• Fr. Eduardo Tamayo, S.J. – Vicar
• Fr. Javier López, S.J. – Pastor Emeritus
• Deacon William Bertot

Architecture & Art

The 1925 church is built on the original Flagler-donated site and is renowned for its polychromed crystal leaded stained-glass windows made in Germany, which depict scenes from the lives of Jesus and Mary, and for its Italian marble altars. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and was restored for its centennial in 1996.

• Style: Italian Romanesque/Renaissance-inspired
• Capacity: approximately 800–1,200 worshipers
• Stained glass: German polychromed crystal leaded
• Altars: Italian marble
• National Register listing: July 18, 1974

Gesù School (1904–1982)

The parish founded a school in 1904, originally staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, which educated generations of Miami's Catholic community until its closure in 1982. Alumni include singer-actor Desi Arnaz, 1951 Wimbledon tennis champion Doris Hart, and two-time Miami-Dade Mayor Steve Clark; at least nine alumni were ordained priests.

• Founded 1904
• Staffed by Sisters of St. Joseph
• Closed 1982
• Notable alumni: Desi Arnaz, Doris Hart, Steve Clark

Parish-Generated Institutions & Ministries

Gesù has been the seedbed of major South Florida Catholic and civic institutions. In 1909 it founded the Friendly Society Hospital under Father A.B. Friend (renamed Jackson Memorial Hospital in 1917). In the 1930s Depression it founded Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami. From 1959 to 1968 it ran Centro Hispano Católico, which handled over 450,000 cases of refugees from Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua. Its parish offices also coordinated Operation Pedro Pan, which airlifted some 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children to the United States. Today the parish continues its outreach through a daily senior lunch program (visited by Mother Teresa in 1974), a discount clothing market, and computer classes for seniors.

• Friendly Society Hospital (1909) → Jackson Memorial Hospital (1917)
• Catholic Charities (1930s)
• Centro Hispano Católico (1959–1968, 450,000+ cases)
• Operation Pedro Pan (≈14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors)
• Daily Senior Lunch Program (Mother Teresa visit, 1974)
• Discount flea market of donated clothing
• Senior computer classes

Multilingual & Downtown Mission

Daily Mass is celebrated in English, Spanish, and bilingual form, and Sunday Masses include English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole options. Gesù is one of only a handful of parishes in downtown Miami and traditionally serves office workers, downtown condo residents, and seniors drawn from across Miami-Dade County. It also convenes special anniversary Masses honoring airline employees, lawyers, doctors, police officers, firefighters, and labor unions, and is a member of the interfaith 'Faith in the City' coalition with ten downtown/Overtown churches and synagogues.

• English, Spanish, Haitian Creole liturgy
• Daily Mass for office workers
• Special annual Masses for airline employees, lawyers, doctors, police, fire fighters, labor unions
• Member of Faith in the City interfaith coalition

Visit & Contact

Gesù Catholic Church is located at 118 NE 2nd Street, Miami, FL 33132, in Downtown Miami, across the street from the campus of Miami Dade College and within walking distance of Metromover and Metrorail stations. Mass-goers and visitors are welcome throughout the week; the parish office may be reached at the email listed on the official website.

• Address: 118 NE 2nd Street, Miami, FL 33132
• Website: http://www.gesuchurch.org/
• Email: [email protected]
• Diocese: Archdiocese of Miami