Indigenous Timucuans. Mission located near Old Town-north end. During this time, the five Franciscan Missionaries lost their lives in martyrdom for the Faith. They have converted many to the Christian Faith. The Missionaries were clubbed to death for insisting that the converts adhere to the Sacrament of Marriage-one man, one woman. The tradition of the tribe was not this. Most understood and abided by the Christian teachings. Others created the uprising.
Yamassee Indians came after the Timucuans to the south end of the island-located on what is now the Amelia Island Plantation.
Santa Catalina Mission moves from st. Catherine's-75 miles north- to Santa Maria (Amelia Island)
Governor Oglethorpe renames our island Amelia, after the daughter of King George II.
Col. John Moore burns all missions from Carolina to St. Augustine.
Dr. Rev. Pedro Campo visited the island for 20 more years to administer to the Catholics living here.
Census of the Church shows 103 Roman Catholics on the island. Frs. Hassett and O'Reilly come to the Island to establish a church.
Yellow Bluff Plantation is built upon a land grant from the King of Spain by Don Domingo Fernandez (where our church and school sit today).
Old Town-two lots are designated as church lots, immediately opposite Fort San Carlos-no record of building.
Catholics on the island request a church and a resident priest-neither is granted.
The Mission in Fernandina is attended by Fr. Patrick Hackett. There is no record of a church building.
A small mission church is believed to have been constructed in Old Town, Fr. Edmund Abril was resident priest.
Leonilla Villalonga (buried in Villalonga park on the property) baptized by Fr. B. Madeore. "Miss Nilla" later donated the Altars in both the School chapel and the Church. Both are privileged and are said to contain a piece of the cross of Jesus. The marble is cut from the same quarry as the statue of David.
Yellow Bluff Plantation (except for the burial plot and the land where the church and school stands) is sold to David Yulee and the railroad company.
Florida was made a Vicariate Apostolic, Fernandina was attended once a month by a priest from either Jacksonville or St. Augustine. (An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries where a diocese has not yet been established. The hope is that the region will generate sufficient numbers of Catholics for the Church to create a diocese.)
A wooden church is erected due to the rapidly growing Catholic population. It is presume that it was on the exact spot where St. Michael's now. Bishop Augustin Verot travelled to France (his home) to teach English to the Sisters of St. Joseph and French priests to encourage them to return with him to Florida. Several served in Fernandina.
Fr. Henry Clavreul (one of Bishop Verot's recruits) came to care for the 2000 men at the military camp on Amelia Island. During the war, Union troops had broken into the church of Fernandina and stole the vestments and a sacred vessel. Brigadier-General Alfred H. Terry wrote Colonel R. Rich, Ninth Maine Volunteers, Headquarters, Fort Pulaski, Key West, and St. Augustine Florida, on August 2, 1862: "The Roman Catholic Bishop of Florida has complained to me that some time ago the Catholic Church at Fernandina was broken open and the vestments of teh priest and a valuable chalice were stolen. Such an act of sacrilege must be detected and punished...if necessary, open every knapsack in your command and examine every house in the city."
Catholic Church for African-American parishioners is built in Old Town.
First permanent pastor of the Catholic Church in Fernandina, Fr. Carolus Sartorio.
The Florida Vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of St. Augustine. Thus, Bishop Verot became the first Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine.
The Sisters of St. Joseph arrive from LePuy, France, through St. Augustine. They occupied a rental house on the Wilson Estate, corner of Broome and 8th.
Fr. Joannes Bertazzi builds the present church. He names it for Fray Miguel de Aunon, Franciscan Missionary martyred September 1597 by the Guale Indians. The church was later dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel on September 29, in honor of the martyr. It was the first brick building in Fernandina.
The Yellow Fever epidemic hits Fernandina.
First Parish rectory built.
St. Joseph Academy and Convent (now St. Michael Academy) is built by the sisters.
Church renovated, improved almost completely rebuilt.
St. Peter Claver Catholic Church is built in Old Town. It accommodates the 30 Black families who are parishioners.
Services were held for the Catholic Soldiers of the 69th New York and 8th Michigan regiments camped at Fernandina as part of the Spanish-American War effort.
St. Peter Claver Church built on corner of Calhoun and 3rd Streets. St. Peter Claver School was also built on Calhoun between 5th and 6th streets.
The church was remodeled again. A new bell tower was constructed of cast concrete and added to the front of St. Michael's Catholic Church. The bell, blessed on August 15, 1924, replaced an engine bell and was called the Raymond Bell in memory of Mr. W. H. Raymond who made the gift of the bell possible.
The stained glass memorial windows were installed, and the church was enlarged.
The grotto in the park is built by Frank Mayer.
The construction of a chapel in Callahan as Mission Church, Our Lady of Consolation.
The third floor of the convent was removed due to deterioration.
There are 270 families in the parish. The school has 130 pupils, with three sisters, and two lay teachers.
St. Joseph Academy closes its doors.
Church renovations for the Centennial Anniversary.
The house at 505 Broome Street is purchased for the rectory.
Old rectory is removed.
R.C.I.A. program start in St. Michael's. The bell tower and exterior of the church were restored and the stained glass windows repaired.
Renovations on parish hall-supports added to stabilize the building.
Renovation and restoration of the interior of the church is done.
Restoration of St. Michael Academy begins.
St. Peter Claver School building becomes the St. Michael Academy pre-school.
The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters arrive to administer and open St. Michael Academy to grades Kindergarten through Four.
Under Pastor, Rev. Mark Waters, the church increased from 320 families in the parish in 1994 to 1200 families registered in 2002.
The Spanish Mass was instituted by Father Jose Kallukalam to be had on Saturday evenings.
Father Jose Kallukalam accepted a design for the Coat of Arms for St. Michael Catholic Church in 2013.
Under the direction of Father Jose Kallukalam, the church was expanded to accommodate the growing parish. As of 2015, there were over 1500 families registered to the parish.
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