We are blessed by many wonderful parishioners and staff who make up our parish community. If you are not already a parishioner, we invite you to join us for the celebration of Mass and many other opportunities to live a life of holiness in service for the Glory of God.

St. Brendan Parish was formed from our Lady of Lourdes’ Parish, Daytona Beach, with very humble beginnings. In February of 1960, Msgr. Irvine Nugent, Pastor of our Lady of Lourdes, asked Mr. Matt Queenan of Ormond Beach to find a suitable place for Sunday Mass on the North Peninsula.  Within a week, the Ormond-By-The-Sea Beach Club, owned by Mr. and Mrs. William Kinsella, was offered for church use until a new church could be erected.  This building, which still exists, though now converted into a private home, housed all early religious and social functions for the new parish.  Two Sunday Masses were offered weekly at 7:30 AM and 9:30 AM in this “Mission” from February 1960  to June 1961, except for a short period when Mass was offered in the basement of the North Peninsula Zoning Board because of severe damage to the Beach Club by Hurricane Donna.

On January 15, 1961, groundbreaking ceremonies for the original church took place with the late Msgr. Mullally, Pastor of St. Paul’s Parish, Daytona Beach presiding.  On March 6, 1961, St. Brendan Parish was canonically established by the late Joseph P. Hurley, Archbishop of St. Augustine, and its boundaries determined.  The parish consists of that area bordered by East Granada Ave. on the south and the Volusia County line on the north between the Atlantic Ocean and the Halifax River. The first Mass was offered in the original church on June 18, 1961, and the official dedication and blessing took place on Sunday, October 15, 1961, with Archbishop Hurley presiding.

Msgr. Nugent was appointed to administer the parish, together with our Lady of Lourdes’ Parish, until November 1961, when the late Father Neil A. Sager was appointed the first permanent Pastor of St. Brendan.  Father Sager spearheaded the drive to build the school, convent, and rectory.  The school was completed in 1964 and until 1976 was staffed by the Dominican Sisters of the Order of Preachers.  Sr. Mary Noel, O.P., was the first principle.  The present rectory at 136 Banyan Dr. was completed in late 1964. The architect for the church was Mr. Joel Sayers of Greening and Sayers, Architects, Daytona Beach, who was also the architect for the new Social Hall and Parish Center.

In 1968, the Diocese of St. Augustine was divided and St. Brendan became part of the new Diocese of Orlando under Bishop William Borders. In 1969, Father Louis B. Dunleavy, was appointed Pastor of St. Brendan.

In 1975, Father Michael Flynn was appointed pastor of St. Brendan. Under Father Flynn’s guidance, St. Brendan completed its building program with the dedication of the Social Hall and the conversion of the Convent to a Media Center in 1975. In 1979, fire destroyed the Media Center and a new a Parish Center was dedicated in 1980.  In 1983, Father Flynn, preparing for the future, announced plans to build a new church.   In 1984, the foundation stone was laid.  During this decade of building, the parish was also blessed to celebrate the Silver Jubilees of Father Sean Shine (1977), Father Michael Flynn (1984), and Father Con Shine (1985).

After a long illness, in 1988 Father Michael Flynn died.  Bishop Norbert Dorsey assigned Father Anthony Silvestri, O.S.F.S. as the new Pastor.

Father Silvestri began a major renovation plan, known as Visions 2000, in 1992. This plan encompassed the total and complete renovation of St. Brendan School classrooms.  In addition, a Library, Media Center, and Computer Lab were constructed, as well as a state-of-the-art Science Center.  The Parish Center was refurbished providing space for Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Art, and Math classrooms, as well as two Conference Rooms, a Banquet Room and kitchen facilities to accommodate seating of approximately 100 people.  Along with the schools renovation, a Parish/School Administrative Building was constructed.

In 1995, Father John J. Ryan was appointed Pastor of St. Brendan Parish by Bishop Norbert Dorsey.  During his tenure at St. Brendan, Father Ryan had undertaken the renovation of the rectory, the refurbishing of the church, and made the parish more aware of our call to stewardship.

Upon Father Ryan’s retirement in 2011, Father Thomas Barrett was appointed Pastor of St. Brendan Parish by Bishop John Noonan.  Father Tom has undertaken several renovations and structural improvements throughout the parish. He oversaw the renovations of the rectory, as well as replaced several roofs and A/C systems on the property.  Father Tom also initiated the St. Vincent dePaul Society and the Hand Me Ups Thrift Store here at St. Brendan to assist people in need by providing food, shelter assistance, and assistance with various bills.  Currently, St. Brendan is a thriving parish welcoming all those who enter our doors to worship and serve our Lord.

If you cannot find what you are seeking on this website, please don’t hesitate to call the parish office at (386) 441-1505. Thank you for visiting this website.