March 1954
St. Charles is Established
St. Charles established as a parish on March 31, 1954
The first parish Masses were celebrated in the Edgewater High School Auditorium.
December 1954
New Women’s Club
On December 8, 1954, Mass was held in the Bishop Moore High School auditorium.
A Catholic Women’s Club was formed.
February 1955
St. Charles School
St. Charles School and Bishop Moore Catholic High School were dedicated by Archbishop Joseph Hurley on February 13, 1955. Construction began on a church, rectory, convent, and additional classrooms.
October 1957
Building the Provisional Church
The provisional church building and an addition to the school were completed. The first Mass in the new church was celebrated on October 6, 1957.
January 1958
Dedicating the Church Building
The church building was dedicated by Archbishop Hurley on January 26, 1958.
October 1959
Eucharistic Congress Site
Father Bartok was conferred with the honor of papal Chamberlain with the title of Very Reverend Monsignor by Pope John XXIII upon the recommendation of Archbishop Joseph Hurley.
St. Charles hosted the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress on October 25, the Feast of Christ the King.
February 1964
St. Joseph Sisters’ Convent Blessed
The two-story lakeside convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph who staff St. Charles School, Bishop Moore High School and Morning Star School was blessed on February 24 by Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley; he offered Mass for the Sisters in their chapel, following the ceremonies of blessing.
May 1968
New Diocese
In May it was announced that the Diocese of Orlando was being created, with William D. Borders as its first bishop and St. Charles to be the Cathedral church for the new diocese.
1974
Archbishop Appointed
Bishop William D. Borders was appointed Archbishop of Baltimore and Bishop Thomas J. Grady was named the second bishop for the Diocese of Orlando. He was installed at St. Charles Cathedral on December 16.
October 1976
Devastated by Fire
On October 1, St. Charles sustained the loss of the Cathedral church by fire, traced to faulty electrical wiring. Masses were held in the parish social hall while plans were made to build a new church.
October 1977
Ground Breaking
Also, in 1977 ground was broken for a new St. Charles church on October 2, 1977.
1979
Dedication & Celebration
Mass was celebrated in the new church on September 21, 1979. It was dedicated by Bishop Thomas Grady on November 4, 1979, the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo.
The parish also celebrated its 25th anniversary. The theme of the celebration was, “Down Memory Lane.”
1/1/2019
Sculpture Installation
A cedar wood sculpture of the risen Christ, 14 feet tall, was installed behind the altar of the church.
1990
School Expansion Project
The school broke ground on an expansion project.
1991
School is Blessed
The newly renovated school was blessed by Bishop Norbert Dorsey on September 1.
1997
Renovated & Rededicated
The church was renovated and rededicated by Bishop Norbert Dorsey on May 1. Plans for the renovation began in 1993 which included increasing the interior space, better lighting, installing stained glass designed by Sister Diane Couture SSJ, a new cement courtyard, new baptistry, new pews, and new flooring.
November 2004
50 Year Celebration
On November 7, the feast day of its patron, St. Charles Borromeo, parishioners gathered for the Mass celebrating 50 years of faith in the community. Jubilee events began in March when the parish marked its founding and burned the paid off loan note from its 1997 renovation. The parish and school experienced damage from Hurricane Frances.
2007
New Art
A new mural was painted on a building at the school.