Gesu Church (Miami, Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gesu Church
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 Location in Miami
Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Miami, Florida |
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| Architectural style | Mediterranean Revival Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000617 |
| Added to NRHP | July 18, 1974 |
The Gesu Church is a very old and important Roman Catholic church in Miami, Florida. You can find it at 118 Northeast 2nd Street. On July 18, 1974, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special historical site. The church was built in 1896 and is the oldest Catholic Church in Miami.
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A Look Inside Gesu Church
Gesu Church is super important because of its big role in Miami's religious history. It also shows how much the city has grown over time. The church building itself is a great example of religious architecture. It's known for its beautiful design and amazing craftsmanship.
Gesu is Miami's oldest Catholic parish, which is like a church community. It has helped people with their religious and humanitarian needs for more than 100 years! The growth of this church community really matches how the City of Miami itself grew.
Miami's very first Catholic Mass happened in 1872. A priest named Father Dufau held the service and confirmed the pioneer family of William J. Wagner. Mr. Wagner built a small wooden church on his land in 1875. This became Miami's first place of worship.
The Holy Name Parish, which is now Gesu, started in 1896. Father Ambrose Fontan, S.J., was its first pastor. A new church was built in 1897 on land given by Henry Flagler. As Miami's population and the Holy Name church grew, they needed a bigger building. So, a new cornerstone was placed on December 10, 1920, where the old church stood. The new, bigger church was finished and opened in 1925.
The Gesu Parish School
The Gesu Parish School opened in 1905. It started with six grades and 60 students. Its first name was The Academy of the Sisters of St. Joseph St. Catherine's Convent. It was also known as St. Catherine's Convent School and St. Catherine's Academy. The first high school class graduated in 1913 with four students. The Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Augustine, Florida, were the teachers.
A new, five-story school building was built in 1926. Its name changed to Gesu Parish School. It was located at 130 Northeast 2nd Street. The last high school class from Gesu graduated in 1953, with 40 students. The last eighth-grade class graduated in 1982, and then the school closed. The school building was taken down in 1984.
Today, Gesu Church is still one of the three main churches in downtown Miami. It was recently fixed up to look like it did originally. Since 2004, the church has been run by the Jesuits from the Antilles province. Before that, it was run by Jesuits from the New Orleans province. Father Eduardo "Eddy" Alvarez, S.J., is the current pastor. The church can hold 700 people, plus 150 more in the choir balcony.
Church Leadership
Here's a look at some of the people who have led Gesu Church over the years.
Current Pastor
Rev. Eduardo J. Alvarez, S.J. was born in 1945 in Cuba. He graduated from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in 1963. He earned a master's degree from St. Michael's College and another master's degree in education from Barry University. Before becoming the pastor at Gesu Church, he taught at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School and was its chaplain from 1975 to 2004.
First Sisters at the School
- Sister Euphemia
- Sister Aloysia
- Sister Raymond
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia Gesu (Miami) para niños
