Little Flower Catholic Parish - Hollywood

When South Florida’s first “boom” reached its peak in 1924, Father Michael Mullaly arrived in Hollywood to start a new mission, St. Anthony, for the growing Catholic population. He brought only a suitcase packed with his vestments, two candles, a wooden chalice, and a small silver statue of the newly canonized Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, popularly known as the Little Flower.

On Sundays, using an altar made from a converted packing case, he placed the St. Thérèse statue and celebrated Mass for parishioners who sat on plank benches. The pioneering mission soon became known as Little Flower.

Minnesota native Father Louis Buechler, who served the fledgling mission for more than three years, became its first pastor. Masses in 1925 were celebrated at the Ritz and Diane Theaters until the construction of a small church in 1927. Parishioners later replaced that church with the present Pierce Street structure in 1941 and opened a school in 1942.

The parish faithful have implemented evangelization and reconciliation programs, pre-marital preparation, youth and senior citizen activities, and Emmaus retreats.

We, the faithful of Little Flower Parish — Hollywood, Florida, as a Catholic community of faith called together by our Baptism and bound to one another through love, respond to the call of Christ Jesus by celebrating His presence in the Eucharist, proclaiming His Word, calling His people to ministry and affirming their gifts, and building His community by actively seeking out the needs of all people. We place prayer and justice at the heart of our mission so that peace and love may flourish.