About St. Augustine · Coral Gables, Florida
St. Augustine Church & Catholic Student Center is a Roman Catholic parish in Coral Gables, Florida, located at 1400 Miller Road directly across from the University of Miami. Founded on May 15, 1969, it grew out of a Catholic student ministry that Bishop Coleman F. Carroll began in 1959 as the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Student Center. Today it serves both a residential parish community and the students, faculty, and staff of the University of Miami through its UCatholic campus ministry. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Miami (East Dade Deanery) and offers Mass in English and Spanish, with a popular College Mass during the UM fall and spring semesters.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- St. Augustine of Hippo (Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Richard Vigoa
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Miami (East Dade Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Augustine is the parish and Catholic Student Center for the University of Miami, making it a natural spiritual home for students, faculty, and Coral Gables neighbors alike. Its weekend Mass schedule includes a vibrant College Mass on Sunday evenings during the fall and spring semesters, plus a daily 8:00 am live-streamed Mass. The parish pairs rich liturgical and devotional life (Eucharistic adoration in a 24-hour chapel, rosary makers, a Respect Life ministry, a Vocations Chalice ministry, and a music concert series) with hands-on service locally and abroad through St. Vincent de Paul, Habitat for Humanity, prison ministry, and overseas mission trips to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and beyond.
Mass times at St. Augustine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Wednesdays on UM Campus 11:00 am – 1:00 pm (not during summer)
- By appointment: call the Parish Office at 305-661-1648
Adoration times
- 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration Chapel available
Welcome & About St. Augustine Church
St. Augustine Church & Catholic Student Center is a Roman Catholic parish at 1400 Miller Road in Coral Gables, Florida, directly across from the University of Miami. The parish and student center share one campus, one pastor, and one mission: to be a home for both the local Coral Gables community and the thousands of Catholic students, faculty, and staff at UM. Visitors are invited to introduce themselves to the front office, register as parishioners, sign up for the parish app, and subscribe to email or text communications.
- Parish motto drawn from Psalm 96: 'Sing to the Lord a new song…announce his salvation day after day.'
- Sign up for the parish app, email, or text communications
- Parish Office: 305-661-1648
Our History
Catholic ministry at the University of Miami dates to 1949, when Msgr. William McKeever was appointed chaplain of the UM Newman Club. Bishop Coleman F. Carroll broke ground for the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Student Center in 1959; it became a territorial parish under the patronage of St. Augustine on May 15, 1969. Miami was elevated to an Archdiocese in 1968, and in 2010 Archbishop Thomas Wenski became its fourth Archbishop and gave renewed emphasis to college campus ministry.
- 1949 – Msgr. William McKeever begins Newman Club chaplaincy
- 1958 – Diocese of Miami created under Bishop Coleman F. Carroll
- 1959 – St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Student Center dedicated
- 1968 – Miami elevated to Archdiocese
- May 15, 1969 – Student Center becomes the parish of St. Augustine
- 2010 – Archbishop Thomas Wenski installed; new vision for campus ministry
Parish Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Richard Vigoa, alongside Parochial Vicar and UM Chaplain Fr. Adam Tokashiki and priest Fr. Alonso Yap. They are assisted by Deacons Andrew Scott Hernandez and Mario Beruvides. The lay staff includes the parish office manager, the pastor's admin assistant, the Director of Religious Education, the Director of the New Evangelization of Parish Life & Campus Ministry (Michelle Ducker Lopez), the Music Director (Jorge Emilio Pis Rodriguez), and the Campus Ministry Coordinator (Trish Vega). A FOCUS missionary team also serves on campus.
- Pastor: Fr. Richard Vigoa
- Fr. Alonso Yap
- Fr. Adam Tokashiki (UM Chaplain & Parochial Vicar)
- Deacon Andrew Scott Hernandez
- Deacon Mario Beruvides
- Maria Isabel Garcia, Parish Office Manager
- Solange Hernandez, Pastor's Admin Assistant
- Diana Rojas, Director of Religious Education
- Michelle Ducker Lopez, Director of the New Evangelization of Parish Life & Campus Ministry
- Jorge Emilio Pis Rodriguez, Music Director
- Trish Vega, Campus Ministry Coordinator
UCatholic Campus Ministry
UCatholic is the parish's outreach to the University of Miami and surrounding colleges, serving students, faculty, and grad students. It is staffed by the UM chaplain, the Director of the New Evangelization of Parish Life & Campus Ministry, a campus ministry coordinator, and a FOCUS missionary team. Activities include small groups, retreats, teaching series via social media, social events, and mission/service trips.
- Contact: Fr. Adam Tokashiki (UM Chaplain)
- Michelle Ducker Lopez (Director of Campus Ministry)
- Trish Vega (Campus Ministry Coordinator)
- Carter Adams (FOCUS Team Leader)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a Religious Education program for children to support parents and guardians in forming their children's Catholic identity, morality, and spirituality. Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation is offered, with the Youth Confirmation program a two-year formation for 7th graders and older.
- Director of Religious Education: Diana Rojas ([email protected])
- Two-year Youth Confirmation program (7th grade and up)
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion
- Family / parent formation resources
Becoming Catholic – RCIA / OCIA
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA / RCIA) welcomes inquirers who wish to become Catholic and adults missing one or more of the Sacraments of Initiation (First Communion, Confirmation). Classes begin the last Monday of August and run through the end of April, forming participants to receive the sacraments and live the Catholic faith joyfully for life.
- Classes begin the last Monday of August and run through April
- Contact: [email protected]
- Interest form available on the parish website
Sacramental Preparation
St. Augustine prepares the faithful for all seven sacraments, from infant Baptism through Holy Orders. Baptism Prep Classes are held once a month on Saturday from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm. Marriage preparation must begin at least six months in advance. The parish also facilitates the Anointing of the Sick for the seriously ill or hospitalized, and assists those discerning Holy Orders, religious life, or the Permanent Diaconate.
- Baptism for infants/children – Saturdays, monthly Prep Class
- First Communion – via Religious Education or RCIA
- Confirmation – two-year program (7th grade+), or RCIA for adults 18+
- Reconciliation – Saturdays & Wednesdays on UM campus
- Marriage – 6 months minimum preparation
- Anointing of the Sick – by request through the Parish Office
- Holy Orders / Vocations – Vocations Chalice prayer ministry
Liturgical & Music Ministry
The Liturgical Ministry recruits and trains Altar Servers, Lectors (Readers), and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, with training sessions held throughout the year. The Music Ministry welcomes anyone who wishes to participate in the sung liturgy and special church events; the Choir rehearses in the church at varying times to prepare for feasts and special occasions.
- Liturgical Ministry contact: Raul
- Music Ministry / Choir contact: Jorge (Jorge Emilio Pis Rodriguez, Music Director)
Volunteer & Service Ministries
Service is a defining mark of St. Augustine. The parish runs Respect Life / Pro-Life outreach, a Nursing Home / Elderly Ministry, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Prison Ministry, and Rosary Makers (who craft rosaries for the community). It also coordinates mission trips with Habitat for Humanity and overseas projects building homes, schools, and orphanages in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala, India, and Africa, while sending medical supplies throughout the Caribbean.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Respect Life / Pro-Life Ministry
- Nursing Home / Elderly Ministry
- Prison Ministry
- Rosary Makers (contact: Patricia McKay)
- Community Assistance (contact: Jim Sullivan)
Parish Life & Devotional Groups
Beyond service and liturgy, St. Augustine offers a constellation of parish-life groups and devotional series for men, women, couples, young adults, and graduate students. Programs include the Women's Emmaus Council of Catholic Women, Matrimonios en Victoria (marriage enrichment in Spanish), Walking Humbly with God, Eucharistic Cenacles, the Music Concert Series, Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy, and Prayer Formation and Movie series.
- Women's Emmaus Council of Catholic Women
- Matrimonios en Victoria
- Walking Humbly with God series
- Eucharistic Cenacles
- Music Concert Series
- Young Adults / Graduate Students
- Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy
- Prayer Formation Series
- Movie Series
Art, Architecture & Devotions
The church's distinctive cross-shaped spire faces the University of Miami and holds three bells; at its base are mosaics of St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica. Inside, prayerful angels guard the Tabernacle inscribed 'Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus.' A painting by local artist Christopher Mangiaracina depicts St. Augustine on a beach with his famous Latin quote on restless hearts, and a bust of the thorn-crowned Christ carved from a single piece of wood stands nearly two-and-a-half feet tall. An ornately framed cameo of Our Lady of Charity recalls the three 17th-century Cuban sailors who found her floating in the bay.
- Cross-shaped spire with three bells facing UM
- Mosaics of St. Augustine and St. Monica at spire base
- Trinity transom window above the exit
- Christopher Mangiaracina painting of St. Augustine
- Carved wooden thorn-crowned Christ bust
- Cameo of Our Lady of Charity
- St. Anthony statuette with the Christ Child
- St. Augustine tapestry in the office lobby
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. William McKeever1949 (Newman Club chaplain); pastor from 1969
First pastor and university chaplain; began celebrating the Eucharist on the UM campus and laid the foundation of faith rooted in Cardinal Newman's vision.
- Fr. Francis Lechiara
Served as pastor after Fr. McKeever.
- Fr. Ronald Pusak
Pastor.
- Fr. Arthur Dennison
Pastor.
- Fr. Terence Hogan
Pastor.
- Fr. Bernard Kirlin
Pastor.
- Fr. Tomás Marín
Pastor.
- Msgr. Michael G. Carruthers2010 – c.2023
Named pastor in August 2010; previously rector of St. John Vianney College Seminary (2005); ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Miami on May 11, 1991; served as priest-secretary to Archbishops McCarthy and Favalora; holds a degree in exceptional student education / autism specialization from FIU.
- Rev. Fr. Richard VigoaCurrent
Current pastor per the parish's staff page; previously served as one of the successive pastors named in the archdiocesan parish history.