Florida’s Catholic heritage dates to the days of Spanish colonization. Our Diocese of Saint Augustine was the site of the first parish established within the present borders of the United States, on the grounds of the Shrine of Nombre de Dios, in St Augustine. Permanent missions were established in “La Florida” by the Jesuits, in 1566, who in turn were followed by the Franciscans in 1572. The transfer of sovereignty from Spain to England delivered a near-death blow to the spread of Catholicism in the Florida peninsula.
From the archives of the Diocese of St Augustine, which incidentally until 1968 encompassed the entire state of Florida, we learn that the first Catholic church in Flagler County was St Mary’s, Korona, built in 1915, to serve the needs of a group of Polish farmers who had settled in the area. St Stephen’s, in Bunnell, opened in 1957. In 1964, during the Second Vatican Council, Farther Antonio Leon was appointed “pastor” of Flagler County. While continuing to minister to the faithful of Korona and Bunnell, Father Leon began a new parish in Flagler Beach, under the title of Santa Maria del Mar.
ITT’s 1970 entrance into the community building and real estate market through its ICDC subsidiary opened a new chapter in the history of Flagler County and what is now Palm Coast. It also brought a steady flow of “northern” Catholics to the community. The land now known as Palm Coast was farmland, hunting forests and fishing lakes, before its development by ITT Community Development Cooperation. In early 1971-1972, a welcome center and model homes were built on the west side of the Intercoastal Waterway and that area was called “Country Club Cove”, and the new residents of newly built homes began arriving in Palm Coast, so named by its developer.
Father Leon was born in Cordova, Spain, and was ordained to the priesthood in Madrid in 1957 and later arrived in the United States in 1959. After graduate study at the Catholic University in Washington, DC, and some teaching and administrative work in St Petersburg, Florida, he was assigned Pastor of the Flagler parish. In 1970, Father Leon built Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church in Flagler Beach, Florida, when growth in the area became evident.
Father Leon, concerned about Mass attendance for the new people of Palm Coast, prevailed upon the developer for space, and the movie room in the Welcome Center, now the Model Center, on Club House Drive, was made available. On October 7, 1972, Father Leon celebrated Mass and therein history was made as the first worship to God was celebrated in this new community. Weekly Mass followed, and upon completion of a beautiful new yacht club, ITT graciously granted its use, a tremendous assist to the pilgrimage of this church, and that of other denominations, as needed. The Yacht Club also became the Social Center of the community, and its use allowed freely for the Catholic Women’s Guild activities which became one of the main sources of social and cultural entertainment, and fundraising which immediately was allocated for an eventual Catholic Church in Palm Coast.
In June 1974, Father Leon was appointed diocesan director of the Cursillo program and pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jacksonville. Rev. Thomas Cody was assigned to replace Father Leon for the Flagler parish. Father Cody was born December 2, 1943, in Waterford, Ireland. He was ordained a priest at St Mary’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1968 and came to the United States shortly after. He served as an associate pastor in Panama City, Florida, and in 1970 he was assigned as a full-time religion teacher and athletic coach at Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville for four years.
In 1976, Deacon Charles Karr and his wife Florence moved into Palm Coast and Bishop Tanner assigned him to assist Fr. Cody. Mrs. Karr assisted her husband, helped organize a choir, and often held rehearsals in her home. Later she also served as a Eucharistic Minister.
In April 1976, Bishop Tanner declared that two distinct parishes would be established out of the Flagler parish. Santa Maria del Mar of Flagler Beach, and St Mary’s of Korona and the cemetery would constitute one parish and St Stephen’s of Bunnell and the Palm Coast area the other. It was established that St Elizabeth Ann Seton, the newly canonized first American born saint would be the Patroness of the Palm Coast church. In June 1977, Rev. Roland Julian arrived in Flagler Beach and Rev. Tom Cody became the founding pastor in Palm Coast.
Monsignor Gildea, a retired priest from the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, a pioneer resident, was one of the many blessings enjoyed at Mother Seton parish. As was written of him, “he was a true light in the community, a combination of so many virtues, his proclamation of the Gospel, his deep faith and the joy of his concelebrations and more,” are lasting experiences.
Eager for a church in 1976, five acres of land on Old Kings Road was contracted for, with an option to buy five more, but prudent judgment about its choice, after an attempt to clear the ground, changed the plans. A year later, 10 acres of land on Belle Terre Parkway was purchased and groundbreaking ceremonies were held on September 3, 1978, with Bishop Tanner presiding at a beautiful Mass celebrated on the grounds.
The ceremony included the commissioning of 11 Eucharistic Ministers. Rev. Thomas Cody, Pastor, Msgr. Gildea, Rev. Roland Julian of Flagler Beach and Deacon Karr concelebrated. An additional acre of adjoining land was purchased later. Father Walter Bayer, retired priest living in Korona, joined the parish for many occasions and was host helpful, particularly his celebrating liturgies at St Stephen’s.
Construction went forward and on Mother’s Day, May 13, 1979, Bishop Tanner celebrated the first Mass in the new sanctuary. The dream of a Catholic church in Palm Coast had become a reality for all the parishioners whose hard work, dedication, patience and generosity of time, talent and treasure had made that day possible.
Since leaving the Santa Maria del Mar rectory, Father Cody had moved into a rented private home which served as both a residence and an office. Construction of a rectory on the north side of the parish property began in 1982 and was ready for occupancy in 1983. A storage building was also built on the grounds and later enlarged.
When Father Cody was named pastor of Resurrection Catholic Church in Jacksonville, in May 1985, Bishop John Snyder, who had succeeded Bishop Tanner in the Diocese of St Augustine, appointed Father Caesar Russo the second pastor of St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. As the community continued to grow, the number of Catholics also showed a steady increase and additional Masses had to be scheduled. The parish was blessed in getting help from Father Robert Mulligan, OSFS, a teacher and later principal of Father Lopez High School, in Daytona Beach and three retired priests living in Flagler County: Msgr. Leo Gildea, Father Walter Bayer and Father John Beatty.
Caesar Russo was born January 23, 1945, in Sicily. He began studying for the priesthood at age 11, having been born into a family of several priests. He came to the United States with his family in 1958 at the age of 13. He attended a Bronx, New York school run by friars, and concentrated on learning English. Upon graduation from St Francis Seminary High School in 1963, he entered the Franciscan Order. After various studies in graduated school he joined the St Augustine diocese, and was ordained a priest for this diocese. He came to Palm Coast on June 23, 1985.
Father Russo and the Parish Council soon faced the need for further expansion as Palm Coast’s construction boom continued unabated. A building planning committee was formed and decided to proceed in phases. Phase I began with the hiring of the architectural firm of Junck and Walker which designed the Activity/Education complex. Building began in 1991 and the center, consisting of an activity room, a library, a conference hall and eight classrooms, was blessed by Bishop Snyder on February 2, 1992. Phase II would be the erection of a new, larger and permanent house of worship.
In August 1991, Father Russo took leave from the diocese to complete his doctoral studies at Fordham University in New York City. Father Frederick Parke became the third pastor of Mother Seton. “Father Fred,” as he asked to be known, presided over the completion of the activity and educational buildings, which he had modified to include the much used and enjoyed covered Veranda. His attention then turned to the implementation of Phase II of the parish expansion plan, the building of a new and larger church.
Born in Binghamton, New York, he attended parochial schools there and has a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the University of Tennessee. He also attended the State University of New York for educational administration, was graduated from St Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, New York, and was ordained to the priesthood May 16, 1975. He served at three parishes in Syracuse, New York, where he administered a parish for three years.
Father Fred, immediately upon his arrival was faced with completing the unfinished construction of the activity and educational facility. On February 2, 1992, Bishop Snyder dedicated and blessed these new buildings and surroundings at an incredibly beautiful ceremony. A procession led by Bishop Snyder, followed by Father Fred and all the clergy of the parish, and visiting clergy, followed by the Introductory Rites of the Church. Parishioners, friends, and guests witness the opening of this God-given gift.
January 1992 marked the beginning of the 20th anniversary of folks moving into Palm Coast. On January 13th, Father Fred called a meeting of a new building planning committee: Ken Davidson, Lou Geneve, Dorothea Griffin, Rich Jersey, Bill Klinkenberg and Billie Richstatter. The directive was to hire an architect, participate in the selection of a builder and to participate in the design phase.
Architect Rick Swisher of Winter Park, well known for his experience in designing Catholic churches throughout Central Florida, drew up plans and the construction firm of Walker & Company was awarded the building contract. Plans for the new church were approved by the Diocesan Building Commission after some members expressed their surprise that Palm Coast needed the largest worshiping sanctuary in the Diocese of St Augustine.
On a rainy-turning-to-sunny January 4, 1993, on the feast of our patron St Elizabeth Ann Seton, over 800 parishioners gathered for a special liturgy of thanksgiving which was followed by the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Lord’s new home in our midst. All those present, from the day care preschoolers, school and PREP youngsters, youth ministry teens and parishioners of all ages signed a parchment scroll attesting to their faith and belief in Jesus Christ. This scroll and the large white cross carried in the groundbreaking procession were buried deep beneath the site of the altar of the new church.
The new church was not the only project in Father Fred’s building program. The rectory was given a facelift as well. More office and living space were added and the Outreach ministry was provided with an office and a large work room in the south end of the storage building.
The new church building was dedicated on January 22, 1994.