South Florida Catholic Mass Times & More!

Before the summer of 1948,
the few Catholic families
living in Marathon traveled the
two-lane Overseas Highway
50 miles to Key West to
attend Mass at St. Mary Star
of the Sea. The hazardous
round-trip included passage
over many bridges, including
the old Bahia Honda and
Seven Mile railroad bridges
(the latter affectionately
tagged "old shaky.")

On January 2, 1949 Father
Mairing celebrated Sunday
Mass at the home of Mr. &
Mrs. A.E. Woodburn for 15
pioneer parishioners.

Throughout 1949 and 1950,
the ever-faithful Father
Mairing would travel from Key
West to Marathon. He would
hear confessions in the
kitchen before Mass at the
homes of Louis Fenton and
Woodburns.

In June 1949, Louis Fenton
offered one of his stores to
accommodate the growing
Catholic community. The first
baptisms in the Fenton store
(still in existence) in July 1949
were: Charles Funk, Carol
Fenton and Joseph
Aldocosta. The Fenton store
continued to be used until the
beginning of Advent 1949,
when Mr. Brantner's "old
fishin' hole" theater (now
Kennedy Art & Framing
Gallery) was used.

The first Christmas Mass was
celebrated by Father Mairing
at 9:30 A.M. 1949.

By the Spring of 1950, with
the ever-increasing number of
worshippers, Mass was
celebrated at Mr. Struck's
lumber yard (now Scotty's.)
There the first Christmas Eve
Midnight Mass was
celebrated by the ever-loving
and faithful Father Mairing in
1950. Complete with a
nativity scene, a beautiful
clear night, lights and
Christmas trees, the small
choir and congregation
sang traditional carols,
ending with Silent Night.

In August 1950, since there
was no Catholic Church
between Key West and
Homestead, 150 miles to the
east, Louis Fenton, Charley
Toppino and A.E. Woodburn
presented Bishop Hurley of
St. Augustine a deed to the
land on the corner of 50th and
51st Streets, Gulf
(now Wendy's.)
Ground was broken in
September 1950. A small
group of professional and
amatuer builders, plumbers
and electricians donated their
time and expertise to build
the Church.

In December 1950, Bishop
Hurley rewarded these valiant
missionaries by naming the
Church "Mission of the Holy
Cross" and Father Mairing its
first shepherd. The first Holy
Mass in the Chapel was
celebrated on the first Sunday
in February, 1951. Father
Mairing and his associates
continued for four years to
serve the little Mission of the
Holy Cross.
By 1954, the Catholic
population outgrew the small
church. A building fund
was established for a church
and school.

Only God knows all the
sacrifices of the priests,
sisters and laity whose
dedicated labors for Christ
continue to this day.