Homily by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at Mass for the 100th Anniversary of St. Theresa Catholic Parish, known as Church of the Little Flower, in Coral Gables. Oct. 3, 2026.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today, we gather with hearts full of praise as we celebrate a monumental milestone: the 100th anniversary of the Church of the Little Flower here in Coral Gables. For one century, this parish has stood as a sanctuary of grace and a spiritual home to generations of Catholics. We stand on the shoulders of giants—the pioneers who under the leadership of Msgr. Culmer broke ground on this holy site in 1924, and the Sisters of St. Joseph who built the school in 1925. We celebrate a century of faithful souls who loved this parish, built this community, and passed down the light of Christ to us.
It is perhaps providential that this centennial celebration falls on a Vigil of a Sunday where the scripture readings speak powerfully about a vineyard. In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah sings a love song of a vineyard dug, cleared, and planted by God. And in today’s Gospel from Matthew, Jesus tells the gripping Parable of the Vineyard and the Wicked Tenants.
A vineyard takes time. It takes patience. It takes decades to grow deep roots, it requires careful pruning and daily labor to produce rich, sweet wine. For 100 years, the Church of the Little Flower has been God’s chosen vineyard right here in the heart of Coral Gables. God cleared the ground, planted the seed of faith, and has meticulously tended to this community through every season of life—through hurricanes, economic depressions, wars, and cultural shifts.
But Jesus’ parable contains a sharp warning. The tenants in the story forgot that they were merely stewards. They began to think the vineyard belonged to them. They closed their hearts to the master’s servants and even rejected the master’s own son, trying to claim the inheritance for themselves.
And certainly, the history of this parish, like any history forged by fallen men and women, will have both its lights and it shadows. And so, we beg God’s forgiveness for those shadows, for our sins of commission and omission. But, at the same time, we cannot deny that, during these past 100 years, God’s grace has shone more brightly than any disgrace on our part. And so, as People of Faith, we look back on the past with humility but also with great gratitude.
As we listened to the words of the Scriptures today, we are all reminded of our duties and responsibilities, our calling, and our missions as God’s beloved people, as those whom He has chosen and called, to be His disciples, His followers, and trusted stewards. As you celebrate this centenary, you parishioners are called not only to remember the past but to live the present with renewed commitment so that in future years this vineyard that is Little Flower Parish will yield even greater fruitfulness.
We see a powerful symbol of this renewal and fruitfulness in this magnificent, brand-new pipe organ that has just been installed for this centennial year.
Think of how an organ works. It is composed of hundreds of different pipes—some large and deep, some tiny and sweet. Left alone, a pipe is silent. But when the breath of air passes through them, they are brought into brought into harmony by the master musician, they produce a symphony of praise that fills this entire sacred space.
This is exactly what St. Paul is talking about in our second reading when he tells us to focus on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure.” And this is exactly where the gospel meets the heart of your beloved patroness, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower.
Thérèse understood perfectly that she was a tiny, hidden flower in God’s vast garden—or perhaps, a single quiet pipe in His great organ. She knew she was not the owner of the vineyard; she was simply a servant called to bloom exactly where the Master planted her. Thérèse did not achieve holiness through grand, world-shaking deeds. She became a Doctor of the Church by discovering her “Little Way” – a path of doing ordinary, everyday things with extraordinary love.
Every time a volunteer catechized a child in your religious education program, every time a parishioner brought food to the poor, every time someone quietly knelt before this magnificent tabernacle to pray for a suffering neighbor—a choice fruit was harvested for the Kingdom of God. Like individual notes combining to make a glorious hymn on your new organ, the true beauty of your 100-year history is found in the spiritual bouquet of these holy, hidden sacrifices made by you and your fellow parishioners.
How can we feel anything less than gratitude in remembering the great priests and sisters who with great love for Jesus Christ and zeal for souls spent themselves in the service of this vineyard of the Lord which is Little Flower Parish. How could we not remember with gratitude members of the faithful who have worshipped in these pews over the years? I could cite their names – some you would recognize and others you might not. But I won’t name names because I fear I would inadvertently omit someone and I don’t want to slight anyone. (And, of course, I would hear about it tomorrow!) So, I would ask each one of you to add to your prayers in the silence of your hearts your own list of those you know, who, faithful to their baptism, contributed to the growth of this local parish.
As you step across the threshold into your second century as a parish family, renew your baptismal promises to be faithful, humble workers in Lord’s vineyard. Let your lives be like the pipes of our new organ—fully open to the breath of the Holy Spirit, perfectly tuned to the heart of Christ, and singing a symphony of justice, mercy, and love. May you build upon the foundation of the past 100 years, trusting that He who began this good work in Coral Gables will continue to bring it to an abundant harvest.
May the Little Flower continue to shower her roses of grace upon you and may the Lord of the Vineyard find your hearts rich with fruit for His Kingdom. Amen.