About Good Shepherd · Miami, Florida
Good Shepherd Catholic Parish is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish in West Kendall, Miami, Florida, belonging to the Archdiocese of Miami. Founded on July 21, 1977 by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll just five days before his death, it began with 340 families meeting at Boystown and McMillan Middle School before moving into its first permanent multi-purpose building in 1983. The parish grew steadily through the 1980s and 90s, dedicating its permanent church in 1995 and opening its parish school the same year. Today Good Shepherd is served by a pastor, parochial vicar, assisting priest, two deacons, and a lay staff, and offers seven Sunday Masses, daily Mass in two languages, a 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, religious education, a K-8 school, and more than twenty lay ministries and movements.
- Established
- 1977
- Patron
- Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd)
- Rector
- Rev. Jesus Arias
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Miami
Why belong here
Good Shepherd welcomes new parishioners into a vibrant, bilingual Catholic community that celebrates seven Sunday Masses and a daily Mass in both English and Spanish, plus a 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration Chapel open by weekly reservation. Families can grow together through CCD catechism, RCIA, a parish school (K-8), youth and young adult groups, and more than twenty ministries including St. Vincent de Paul, Respect Life, Council of Catholic Women, Men's Club, Misioneros de Jesús, and a music ministry. With a pastor whose 'doors are always open,' the parish invites anyone seeking spiritual formation, service, and a true sense of belonging to register and become part of the family.
Mass times at Good Shepherd
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (English/Spanish)
- Saturday 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM (English/Spanish)
- Also by appointment / También por cita
Adoration times
- 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — weekly Holy Hour by reservation (By Reservation Only / Solo con una reservación)
Our History
Good Shepherd was established on July 21, 1977 by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll, who asked the founding 340 families to choose the parish's name. Early Masses were celebrated at Boystown and then McMillan Middle School; the parish doubled in size by 1981 and built its first multi-purpose building in 1983. Pastors Thomas O'Dwyer and especially Michael J. Greer laid the financial and spiritual groundwork for a permanent church, designed by Elizabeth Plater-Zyberg and dedicated in 1995 by Archbishop John C. Favalora. The parish school followed, opening in phases in 2001 and 2006.
- Founded July 21, 1977
- First pastor: Father Charles Clements
- Ground broken for first building July 11, 1982; first Mass there February 1983
- Permanent church dedicated February 25, 1995
- School blessed February 17, 2001; second phase opened 2006
Our Pastor
Reverend Father Jesus Arias serves as the current pastor of Good Shepherd Catholic Parish. In his welcome message he describes Good Shepherd as 'a vibrant and dynamic bilingual parish, in a constant growing process' and invites newcomers to take advantage of the parish's catechism programs, youth groups, Catholic school, many ministries and movements, and its new perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. He keeps an open-door policy and can be reached through his secretary, Sue Rufin, at [email protected].
- Father Jesus Arias — Pastor
- Pastorate coordinated through Sue Rufin, Pastor's Secretary / Office Manager
Pastoral Team & Staff
The pastoral team includes the pastor, a parochial vicar, an assisting priest, and two permanent deacons, supported by a lay staff who keep the parish running day to day. Visitors and parishioners can contact staff by role: parish information and weddings through Lydia Navarro; baptisms, funerals, and parish hall coordination through Nery Felizola; religious education through Angelica Martinez; and business/finance through Lourdes Santamaria. Edward Martinez serves as Technical Coordinator and Sue Rufin is the pastor's secretary and office manager.
- Rev. Cesar Betancourt — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Willie Arias — Assisting Priest
- Deacon Guillermo Dutra
- Deacon Julio Zayas
- Sue Rufin — Parish Secretary / Office Manager ([email protected])
- Lourdes Santamaria — Business Manager ([email protected])
- Nery Felizola — Administrative Assistant & Parish Hall Coordinator ([email protected])
- Edward Martinez — Technical Coordinator ([email protected])
- Angelica Martinez — Administrator of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Lydia Navarro — Parish Information / Wedding Coordinator
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CCD / Catecismo)
The Good Shepherd Catechism Program serves students from first through twelfth grade as well as adults. Children in public school receive continuing catechesis each year up to Confirmation, with sacrament preparation classes for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation. Pre-Communion preparation is a two-year track beginning as early as 1st grade; Pre-Confirmation begins in 7th grade and continues for two years. Classes run September 2, 2025 through May 13, 2026, with most grade levels meeting Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday from 6:30–8:00 PM. Families must be registered parishioners to enroll.
- Grades 1–12 and adult faith formation
- Two-year First Communion and Confirmation tracks
- Office hours Mon–Thu 11:30 AM–5:00 PM
- Administrator: Angelica Martinez, (305) 385-0198, [email protected]
RCIA — Adult Initiation (Formación para Adultos)
The RCIA process welcomes new members into the Roman Catholic Church through Church teaching, prayer, reflection, Scripture study, and active participation in parish life. It is offered bilingually and coordinated by Angelica Martinez.
- Head: Angelica Martinez, [email protected]
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the liturgy as altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, ushers, hospitality ministers, and choir/music ministry. Both English and Spanish Masses are supported by bilingual teams of volunteers.
- Altar Servers (Monaguillos)
- Readers / Lectors (Lectores)
- Eucharistic Ministers (Ministros de la Eucaristía)
- Sacristans (Sacristanes)
- Ushers (Ujieres)
- Hospitality (Hospitalidad)
- Music Ministry (Ministerio de Música)
Faith & Evangelization Movements
A variety of lay movements serve the parish's spiritual and family life, including couples, family, and Hispanic pastoral evangelization schools; the Neocatechumenal Way; and an English-language School of Evangelization.
- Couples for Christ (Parejas para Cristo)
- Escuela de Evangelización para Familias
- Escuela de Evangelización para Pastoral Hispana
- Neocatechumenal Way (Camino Neocatumenal)
- School of Evangelization for English Ministry
Service, Charity & Outreach
The parish's service and support ministries focus on charity and accompaniment. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul visits the poor and needy in their homes. Respect Life (New Dawn) upholds the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. The Consolation & Mission group welcomes new parishioners, visits the sick, brings Communion, and refers families in need to social-assistance resources. Other groups include Misioneros de Jesús, Ministerio de los Enfermos ALF, the Hermandad del Señor de los Milagros, and Prevención, an addiction and codependency support ministry.
- St. Vincent de Paul — Saturdays 9:00 AM; Hibeth Escudero
- Respect Life / New Dawn — Dr. Mary Jo O'Sullivan
- Consolation & Mission — Beatriz Tamamotto
- Misioneros de Jesús — Mondays 8:00–10:00 PM; Patricia Garvich
- Ministerio de los Enfermos ALF — Jose L. Cruzet
- Hermandad del Señor de los Milagros — annual October feast with Mass and procession
- Prevención — alcohol, drug, and addiction prevention
- Restaurados en Cristo — recovery ministry
Family, Men, Women & Seniors
Parish life is enriched by organizations for men, women, and seniors. The Council of Catholic Women supports, empowers, and educates Catholic women in spirituality, leadership, and service, and carries the U.S. Bishops' messages to state legislators. The Men's Club promotes faith, fellowship, and service. Golden Age (Edad de Oro) is a recreation and fellowship group for retirees.
- Council of Catholic Women — Room 106, Tuesdays 8:00 PM; Dr. Mary Jo O'Sullivan
- Men's Club — 2nd Monday, 8:00 PM, Parish Hall; Henry Swartz
- Golden Age / Edad de Oro — Julio Prosopio
Hours, Location & Contact
Good Shepherd is located in West Kendall on the corner of Sunset Drive and SW 142nd Avenue. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed for lunch 12:30–1:30 PM, and closed on weekends. The main line is (305) 385-4320 and the fax is (305) 456-1341. A contact form on the website lets visitors direct their message to a specific staff role (Parish Information/Weddings, Baptism/Funeral/Parish Hall, Religious Education, Business Manager, etc.).
- Address: 14187 SW 72nd Street, Miami, FL 33183
- Phone: (305) 385-4320; Fax: (305) 456-1341
- Office: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (closed 12:30–1:30 PM); closed Sat/Sun
- Corner of Sunset Drive and SW 142nd Avenue, West Kendall
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Charles Clements1977 – c.1983
Founding pastor; appointed by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll
- Father Thomas O'DwyerJune 1983 – c.1987
Began fundraising for the permanent church
- Father Michael J. Greerlate 1987 –
Introduced the practice of stewardship; oversaw planning and construction of the permanent church, dedicated 1995