History

Epiphany Church

The first Bulletin of the Church of Epiphany was published on May 18,1952.

The first Committees established in 1951 were:

  • Altar Linen Committee
  • Altar Decoration Committee
  • Serving Committee
  • Membership Committee
  • Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Committee
  • Publicity Committee

The first organizations established at Epiphany:

  • Ladies Guild of Epiphany in 1951
  • Holy Name Society in 1951
  • St. Vincent de Paul Society in 1952

In the Spring of 1953, a Home and School Committee was formed to prepare for the opening of Epiphany School in September 1953. The Committee registered 250 children in May 1953.

One of the first devotions to be started in the parish in the early 1950’s and one which still continues today, is the weekly Perpetual Novena in honor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

June 11, 1951…
Father Donald Dailey, the first Pastor of Epiphany initiates the first parish census and visitation of each Catholic family within the parish boundaries. Many volunteers assisted, and the census was completed in November 1951.
July 25, 1951…
The first parish social event is a card party sponsored by the Ladies Guild of Epiphany and held at the Italian-American Club, located at 2575 South Bayshore Drive. One hundred and seventy-seven people attended. They raised $223.00, and this was donated to the Chapel-Auditorium Building Fund.
September 1, 1951…
The first wedding in the newly constructed Chapel-Auditorium is held at 9:00 a.m., Saturday. The groom was John M. Gould, Miami, and the bride, Patricia A. Lummus from Rockdale, Florida.

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April 15, 1951...
Mass was first celebrated at Hi-Way Theatre. Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley and Father Donald Dailey, the first pastor, breaking ground for Epiphany's Church and Rectory.

September 7, 1951…
Children of parishioners start attending school at St. Theresa, Little Flower in Coral Gables.

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January 6, 1952...
Epiphany's first temporary church.

April 23, 1952…
The boys uniforms’ rental for confirmation is $2.25; and the girls' is $2.50.
October 6, 1952…
The first C.C.D. classes are held for forty-six children.
September 3, 1953…
School opens its doors for the first time in the newly constructed seven classrooms in the Epiphany Grade School.
September 8, 1953…
The first Mass is celebrated in the temporary Epiphany Convent located on Snapper Drive.
June 10, 1954…
A nursery for the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass was established.

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May, 1955...
Church of the Epiphany Proposed Building Plan for the second temporary church.

December 24, 1955
Christmas evening mass is the first Mass to be offered in the provisional Church.
January 29, 1956…
Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago, dedicates the provisional Church and the newly finished eight classroom school addition.
February 3, 1956…
Epiphany’s financial report shows that $8,982.99 was raised in 1955 as compared to $2,847.40 in 1953.
January 18, 1959…
An open house is held in the newly completed Convent on the parish property.
August 28, 1960…
School tuition is as follows:
  • $ 10.00 per month - one child
  • 13.00 per month - two children
  • 15.00 per month - three or more children
  • 15.00 per month - Kindergarten
March 26, 1961…
The Parish Library is officially opened.
September 3, 1961…
The appearance of the first items to be written in Spanish appears in the Bulletin on this date. The notice read….”El viernes 8 de septiembre a las 8:00 p.m. se celebrara en el Stadium de Miami, situado en la Avenida numero 2301 del N.W. una Misa dialogada en celebracion de la Festividad de Nuetra Senora de la Caridad, Patrona de Cuba.
April 3, 1962…
The confessionals at the rear of the Church on the “Epistle side” are now equipped with a hearing aid for those with impaired hearing.
October 11, 1962…
For the opening session of the Second Vatican Council, school is dismissed for the day.
December 16, 1962
Reverend John O’Dowd, pastor of the Church of Epiphany since May 1959 is elevated to the rank of Monsignor.
June 5, 1963…
A special Mass is held at Epiphany for the repose of the soul of Pope John XXIII
December 25, 1966
The Mass at Christmas is celebrated in English for the first time at Epiphany as a result of the Second Vatican Council.
January 4, 1967…
The new chimes (church bells) will ring daily at 8:00 a.m. to remind parishioners that Mass will start at 8:00 a.m. and will also ring at noon and at 6:00 p.m. for the Angelus.
December 1967…
Bingo begins at Epiphany to benefit Epiphany School.
May 4, 1970…
The first Saturday evening Mass is held at Epiphany at 7:30 p.m. to fulfill the obligation for Sunday Mass.
July 1, 1975…
Renovation of the provisional church starts and masses are celebrated in the Parish Center.
March 27, 1976…
The first official Mass is celebrated in the newly renovated provisional church.
November 2, 1976…
The official opening of the provisional church takes place with Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll presiding.
December 2, 1978…
Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy is the principal celebrant at Epiphany on the occasion of the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Epiphany School.
April 1980…
A Spanish language Mass is held on this day and every Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m.

Other firsts….

First Baptism
Catherine Ziems on Septmeber 1, 1951,
by Reveerend Donald E. Dailey
First Marriage
John M. Gould and Patricia A. Lummus on September 1,1951

First Recorded Communion Class

The following six children received their First Holy Communion on April 13, 1952: Beatrice Bata, Sharon Boke, Cathleen Brown, Judy Fleming, Francis Martin, and Carol Stroub

First Burial from Epiphany Church
Stanley J. Sroka, age 60… October 6, 1951

PASTORS

            Reverend Donald F. Dailey                             1951-1953

            Reverend Patrick O’Brien                                 1954-1957

            Monsignor John O’Dowd                                  1959-1982

            Monsignor Jude O’Doherty                              1982-2019

            Reverend José Alvarez                                     2019-Present

ASSOCIATE

            Reverend Edmund J. Haynes                        1951-1952

            Reverend Severino Scala                               1952-1954

            Reverend William F. McKeever                      1953-1954

            Reverend Thomas Reilly                                 1954-1955

            Reverend John Skehan                                   1954-1955

            Reverend William Holmes                               1955-1957

            Reverend A.O. McCann                                   1956-1957

            Reverend Martin Killian                                   1957

            Reverend Thomas J. Goggin                          1957

            Reverend Frank McCann                                1957-1959

            Reverend Patrick S. McDonnell                     1957-1959

            Reverend T. Noel Fogarty                               1959-1960

            Reverend Jeremiah A. Crowley                     1960

            Reverend Oscar W. Conlan                            1960-1961

            Reverend Salvador Profeta                            1961-1962

            Reverend Vincent J. Sheehy                          1961-1962

            Reverend Patrick Slevin                                  1961-1962

            Reverend Calixto Garcia-Rayneri                 1962-1964/1974

            Reverend John Mulcahy                                 1962-1963

            Reverend John Power                                     1963-1964

            Reverend Michael Hannon                             1964-1965

            Reverend Jose Biain                                        1964-1969

            Reverend Jude O’Doherty                               1965-1968

            Reverend John O’Leary                                   1967-1969

            Reverend D.J. Walsh                                        1969-1970

            Reverend Frank Guinan                                   1969-1972

            Reverend Gerald Morris                                   1970-1972

            Reverend Thomas Cleary                                1972-1973

            Reverend James Sprada                                  1972-1973

            Reverend George Bucko                                  1972-1976

            Reverend Trevor Smith                                     1974-1975

            Reverend Joseph Fishwick                              1975-1976

            Reverend Robert Palmer                                  1976-1977

            Reverend William Elbert                                   1976-1977/
                                                                                           1979-1981

            Reverend Brendan Dalton                               1976-1979

            Reverend Rogelio Esquivel                             1980-1982

            Reverend David Smith                                      1982-1985

            Reverend Daniel Trujillo, C.M.                        1982-1985

            Reverend Alfredo Cioffi                                     1985-1989

            Reverend Cesar Alejo                                       1989-1991

            Reverend Michael Carruthers                          1991-1993

            Reverend Armando Alonso                              1993

            Reverend Francisco Hernandez                     1994-1997

            Reverend Jan Malicki                                        1997

            Reverend Jesus Arias                                        1997-2001

            Reverend Jesus Alberto Bohorquez               2001-2004

            Reverend Ernest Biriruka                                   2004-2006

            Reverend Jorge Bello                                        2006 - 2007

            Reverend Rolando Cabrera                            2007 - 2011

            Reverend Cesar Peña                                      2011 - 2012

            Reverend Hector Perez                                    2013

            Reverend Luis Largaespada                            2012 - 2016

            Reverend Lazarus Govin                                  2016 - 2017

            Reverend Alexander Rivera                             2017 - 2020

            Fr. Ryan Saunders                                           2020 - 2022

            Fr. Ireneusz Ekiert                                           2022 - Present

SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

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Our first Sisters in 1953 arrived to serve our school. Mother Pacis was the first principal.

            Mother Maria Pacis                                      1953-1955

            Mother Marie Francoisc                              1955-1959

            Mother Mary Odila                                        1950-1964

            Mother Marie Lazare                                    1964-1970

            Sister Phillip Marie                                        1970-1973

            Sister M. Josephina                                      1973-1975

            Sister M. Vincentia                                        1975-1981

            Sister Michael Dolores Kraemer                1981-1982

            Sister Marie Laetitia Levis                           1982-1986

            Sister Sponsa Christi Frederick                  1986-1989

            Sister Marita Thomas Braas                        1989-1995

            Sister Mary Henrich                                       1995-2004

            Sister Margaret Fagan                                      2004-2018

            Ms. Ana Oliva                                               2018 to present