About St. Henry · Pompano Beach, Florida
St. Henry Catholic Parish is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic community in southern Pompano Beach, Florida, belonging to the Archdiocese of Miami and located on a six-acre site at the corner of South Andrews Avenue and McNab Road. Founded on May 16, 1969, by Irish-born Father Brendan Grogan, the parish famously held its earliest Masses at Northeast High School and at Pompano Park harness racetrack before converting three warehouses into a chapel and hall. Its 460-seat church, built alongside the Cypress Creek Canal, was dedicated by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll on December 14, 1974, and remains the spiritual home of a diverse, family-oriented congregation led since 2025 by Fr. Francisco "Paco" Hernandez following the retirement of longtime pastor Fr. Francis Akwue, C.S.Sp.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- Saint Henry (11th-century German-born king and Holy Roman Emperor)
- Rector
- Fr. Francisco "Paco" Hernandez
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Miami (Northwest Broward Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Henry is a warm, bilingual (English/Spanish) parish with deep roots in southern Pompano Beach — a community that built its own church with parishioner labor and interest-free loans, and that still gathers around weekday devotions, First Thursday and First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, the Legion of Mary, CCD religious education, RCIA, an active choir, and outreach to the sick, hospitalized, homebound and those in nursing homes and jails. Generous benefactors fund annual scholarships for high-school and college students, and three Sunday Masses plus a Spanish Vigil and daily Masses make it easy to plug into a parish family that explicitly describes itself as 'Spirit, Love, and Togetherness.'
Mass times at St. Henry
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Weekdays — by appointment
- Saturday — 30 minutes before each Mass
- Sunday — 7:30 AM (English)
- Sunday — 9:30 AM (English)
- Sunday — 11:00 AM (English)
- Sunday — 1:00 PM (Spanish)
- First Thursday of the month — 8:00 PM (Bilingual, during Adoration)
Adoration times
- First Thursday of the month — 8:00 PM (with Bilingual Confession)
- First Friday of the month — Exposition after 8:00 AM Mass, Act of Reparation after 8:00 AM Mass, Adoration continuing until noon
Parish History
St. Henry Parish was established on May 16, 1969, on a six-acre plot at the northeast corner of McNab Road and Andrews Avenue in Pompano Beach — land the Archdiocese of Miami had earlier purchased on the advice of Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll. Irish-born Father Brendan Grogan arrived in June 1969 and improvised places of worship wherever he could find them: Northeast High School in Oakland Park and, famously, Pompano Park, a local harness racetrack. He eventually rented three warehouses on 53rd Street, where parishioners converted two into a parish hall and the third into a chapel. After an October 1972 building fund campaign led by some 100 men and women, the parish broke ground on March 10, 1974 for a 460-seat church alongside the Cypress Creek Canal. Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll dedicated the completed church on Saturday, December 14, 1974. The parish held its first First Communion in 1975, its first on-site carnival in 1978, and grew steadily through the decades. The 50th anniversary was opened on January 12, 2019 with a liturgy concelebrated by Miami Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado and closed with a jubilee gala in January 2020.
- May 16, 1969 — Parish established; six-acre plot at McNab Rd. & Andrews Ave. selected
- June 1969 — Fr. Brendan Grogan named founding pastor; Masses begin at warehouse, Northeast High School and Pompano Park harness racetrack
- October 1972 — Building fund campaign launched
- March 10, 1974 — Groundbreaking for 460-seat church and rectory
- December 14, 1974 — Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll dedicates the church
- 1975 — First First Communion Mass; first Confirmation with Bishop Nevins
- 1978 — First on-site St. Henry Carnival (Pontiac Firebird raffle)
- November 28, 1983 — Parish Hall dedicated by Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy
- January 12, 2019 — 50th anniversary opening liturgy
- January 2020 — Jubilee gala closes the 50th anniversary celebration
Meet the Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Fr. Francisco "Paco" Hernandez, who was welcomed to the parish in late 2025 after a Mass of Farewell for his predecessor. Fr. Lazaro Garcia serves as Priest in Residence, and Fr. Francis Akwue, C.S.Sp., who led the parish for 27 years, remains connected in retirement. The parish office is staffed by receptionist Nori Lugo and secretary Samantha Burda (Sammy).
- Fr. Francisco "Paco" Hernandez — Pastor
- Fr. Lazaro Garcia — Priest in Residence
- Fr. Francis Akwue, C.S.Sp. — Pastor (Retired, 1998–2025); born Feb 14, 1938 in Ogidi, Nigeria; came to USA in 1990
- Nori Lugo — Receptionist
- Samantha Burda (Sammy) — Secretary
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM; Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Henry's Hideaway and the Parish Hall
One of the most unusual features of any Catholic parish in the United States, Henry's Hideaway was a state-licensed tavern operated out of the rear of the Parish Hall beginning in autumn 1984. It began when a former restaurateur donated a bar and kitchen equipment; Msgr. James Reynolds had the bar rebuilt and installed and the state of Florida licensed it as a private social club, with parishioners paying a $5 annual membership fee and $1.25 per drink. The club drew national attention when NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw interviewed Monsignor Reynolds and Time magazine profiled the concept. Msgr. Reynolds defended it as "a wholesome meeting place outside of commercial bars" — "holy water on the rocks" — though it met with mixed reviews in the archdiocesan newspaper The Voice. The Parish Hall itself, built largely by parishioners from the building trades, was dedicated on November 28, 1983 by Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy.
- Parish Hall dedicated November 28, 1983 by Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy
- Funded by interest-free parishioner loans of $500, $750 and $1,000, repaid within three years
- Architect: Franz Schropa; construction staffed by parishioners from the building, plumbing and electrical trades
- Henry's Hideaway began operating as a private social club in autumn 1984
- Featured in Time magazine and on NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw
The 2014–2015 Renovation and 'New Face' of the Church
Until 2015, St. Henry Church famously had no front entrance — worshippers came and went through doors on the north and south sides of the building. A four-year fundraising effort led by Fr. Francis Akwue produced a new front façade on Andrews Avenue, a covered drop-off and new cry rooms for families with young children. Ground was broken in March 2014 and construction was completed in just eleven months; Archbishop Thomas Wenski dedicated and blessed the renovated church on December 20, 2015. During construction, parishioners, founders and staff signed stones that were cast into the new foundation as a permanent record of the people who built the church.
- Four years of fundraising preceded groundbreaking
- Groundbreaking: March 2014
- Construction completed in 11 months
- Dedication: December 20, 2015 by Archbishop Thomas Wenski
- Added a covered drop-off, a proper front entrance, and cry rooms
- Parishioners and founders signed stones cast into the new foundation
Faith Formation, Ministries and Outreach
St. Henry's parish ministries span formation, liturgy, prayer and service. Religious education (CCD), RCIA, the choir, lectors, altar servers, ushers, and the Prayer Group form the worship and formation backbone, while the Women's Guild, Men's Club, Knights of Columbus and Henry's Hideaway keep the social life humming. Outreach extends to the sick, the hospitalized, the homebound, and those in nursing homes and jails, and three parish benefactors fund annual scholarships for deserving high-school and college students (suspended for the 2026 school year, to be relaunched in 2027).
- CCD / Faith Formation (Religious Education for children)
- RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
- Choir & Music Ministry
- Legion of Mary
- Prayer Group
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Ushers
- Women's Guild and Men's Club
- Knights of Columbus
- Outreach to sick, hospitalized, homebound, nursing-home and jailbound parishioners
- Annual scholarships for high-school and college students
- Volunteer opportunities: altar servers, lectors, ushers, CCD assistants, office help
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments of Christian initiation, celebrates marriage, accompanies families in the baptism of their children, and visits the sick. Baptisms are offered Monday through Saturday in English, Spanish or Bilingual and are open even to families not registered in the parish; simply call or visit the parish office.
- Baptism — Monday through Saturday (excluding Sundays), in English, Spanish or Bilingual; contact the parish office
- First Communion and First Reconciliation — through CCD
- Confirmation
- Matrimony — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — including outreach to hospitalized, homebound, nursing-home and jailbound parishioners
- Funerals and Memorial Masses
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Brendan Grogan1969–1980
Irish-born founding pastor; previously associate at St. Clement, Wilton Manors. Held first Masses at Northeast High School and Pompano Park harness racetrack; converted three warehouses into chapel and hall; led the 1972 building fund that produced the 1974 church dedicated by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll.
- Fr. James Reynolds (later Monsignor Reynolds)1980–2005
Built the rectory, church office and Parish Hall (dedicated 1983 by Archbishop McCarthy). Oversaw creation of Henry's Hideaway, the state-licensed parish tavern that drew national attention from NBC Nightly News and Time magazine in 1984.
- Fr. Francis Akwue, C.S.Sp.2005–2025
Holy Ghost Father; born in Ogidi, Nigeria. Led the four-year fundraising campaign and 2014–2015 construction of a new front façade, covered drop-off and cry rooms; church blessed by Archbishop Thomas Wenski on December 20, 2015. Bid farewell December 21, 2025 after 27 years.
- Fr. Francisco "Paco" Hernandez2025–present
Cuban-Rican (born in San Juan, Puerto Rico); previously at Sts. Peter and Paul in Miami, St. Mary Star of the Sea (first Hispanic pastor there, 2002) and St. Raymond Catholic Church.