St. Brendan School's legacy has stood test of time

By Linda Reeves - The Florida Catholic Palm Beach

Photography: Cristina Cabrera

MIAMI| St. Brendan School, the oldest Catholic school in the Westchester area of Miami, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year with numerous events and the announcement of several new additions to the school.

“We will be breaking ground on several new buildings,” said Maria Capote, school principal for the past 23 years. She said she is excited about the school’s milestone anniversary, as well as the upcoming construction that will enhance the school’s offerings to better serve the community, students and parents.

“We will be constructing a new pre-K learning center, a multimedia center and a gym. At the present time, we don’t have a gym and the pre-K students use the old convent on the grounds,” she said.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski visited St. Brendan School Sept. 3, 2025, to celebrate the school’s anniversary Mass. The entire student body attended the celebration, as well as faculty and staff.

The archbishop paid tribute to the school for its continuous operation and growth and strives during the last seven decades. He acknowledged the administration, thanked school leaders and faculty for their service and dedication, and closed with a blessing.

“It was a beautiful Mass,” said Samantha Fernandez-DeCastro, a kindergarten teacher and former school student from the 2012 graduating class, who has taught at the school for the past nine years.

“The archbishop thanked us for our service,” she said. “St. Brendan is special and it has teachers who care about their students. It has always been a place I was excited to go. It is a place that gives you that warm feeling like home.”

BREAKING GROUND

St. Brendan Parish was officially established April 22, 1954, in the then-Diocese of St. Augustine, which at that time encompassed the entire state of Florida. The Diocese of Miami was established four years later in 1958.

Msgr. Thomas O’Donovan, founding pastor of St. Brendan, led the parish school construction and broke ground Aug. 24, 1954, at the school’s current location on Southwest 32nd Street. Construction was completed by the next year, and four religious sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth arrived Aug. 27, 1955, from Chicago to staff the school along with two lay teachers. The convent was built to provide a home for the sisters.

School bells rang out Sept. 1, 1955, marking the initial registration day for the school that originally consisted of kindergarten through fourth grades. Bishop of St. Augustine, Joseph P. Hurley, dedicated and blessed the school on Oct. 30, 1955.

That first year, enrollment included 275 students, with additional children on a waiting list. Seeing a need, the parish school increased the number of classrooms and grades, expanding through sixth grade by 1957.

Decades later, 875 students in pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade now grace the halls of St. Brendan, which is a STREAM certified school integrating the disciplines of science, technology, religion, engineering, art and mathematics.

The school also features innovative programs such as the St. Thomas Aquinas Accelerated Language Arts Program and the Felix Varela Program for students with special needs.

“Students and classes have grown since I went to school at St. Brendan, but the school still feels like home,” said Fernandez-DeCastro. “What makes it so special is our community.”

A STRONG COMMUNITY

Today, 93 men and women make up the team of faculty members at St. Brendan. A total of 11 faculty members attended school at St. Brendan. Many faculty have sent or currently send their children to the school, a testimony of the school’s impact.

“I think St. Brendan has a strong legacy in the community that has stood the test of time,” said Capote. All three of her children are former students of the school.

Most importantly, at the heart of the school is its philosophy not only to enrich the academic and social development of its students, but to give students a solid foundation in Catholic faith and a love for the Church.

Mass is celebrated weekly, gathering the entire school as one in faith. With the guidance of St. Brendan’s current pastor, Father Miguel Sepúlveda and school principal Mrs. Capote, Msgr. O’Donovan’s legacy not only continues, it evolves and grows stronger even after 70 years.

“Our school’s 70th anniversary is a big deal,” said Robert Caminas, math teacher for seventh- and eighth-grade. He is a 1994 St. Brendan graduate, who left a career in law to teach at his beloved alma mater. He proudly wore the red, white and blue uniform at the school where his mother also worked for nearly 30 years.

“St. Brendan is a school with a community of people who care about one another,” he added. “It is truly like a home.”

FIND OUT MORE  

St. Brendan School is planning events throughout the year for its anniversary celebration, including a gala in October. For information about the school, parish or events call 305-221-2722 or visit www.stbrendanmiami.org.