Church of the Little Flower was established in 1926 at the request of a small group of Catholics living the new community of Coral Gables. It was announced that the parish would be named in honor of St. Therese of Lisieux, France, a Carmelite Sister, as known as the “Little Flower,” who had been recently canonized at the Vatican. The 1920s was the era of the great depression, and resources were scarce. Fr. Thomas Comber, an Irish missionary priest was entrusted with the task of being the community’s founding pastor. Fr. Comber had a “dream church” in mind, and asked local architects to design it. They drew up plans for a glorious Spanish Renaissance style church, however cost was prohibitive, and a simpler plan had to be settled for. The first structure built for the new parish was the parish center and auditorium, which also served as a temporary church, known today as Comber Hall. The new church, which exists today, was built and later dedicated by Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley of St. Augustine on December 8, 1951, and has been the center of parish worship ever since. Over the years, Church of the Little Flower has become a staple in South Florida Catholicism. In addition to its current membership of being more than 3,200 households, people from all over the world are baptized and married here. In 1991, the school and church building were declared historical sites in the city of Coral Gables.
