Founded and incorporated in October, 1963 the Marian Center began its first school year in the Fall of 1964 with the goal of providing a quality education to students with developmental disabilities, at the highest individual level each was capable of achieving. Carroll, then the Bishop of Miami, asked The Sisters of St. Joseph Cottolengo to start a school specifically to serve this population. El
even Sisters traveled to Miami from Italy on October 21, 1963: Sisters Lucia, Consolata, Enrichetta, Giuseppina, Carla, Paola, Ada, Enrica, Maria, Giovanna and Giulana. Today there are four highly trained,qualified and experienced Sisters. Three have been here since 1963 (Sister Lucia, Sister Carla, Sister Paola) and Sister Lidia, who came from Italy in 1996. There is also a specialized and caring staff of professional teachers, aids, therapists, and support staff. In 1963 Bishop Carroll envisioned a school whose primary purpose was to serve those with developmental disabilities throughout the Diocese. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo was the congregation most renowned within Italy for its work with people with developmental disabilities. The Marian Center was the first endeavor to be operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph Cottolengo outside of Europe. The first classes at the Marian Center began in September 1964 and were held in the Convent, then the only building on the 50 acre property that had previously consisted of mountains of wild grass and trash. In March 1965 a new school building was dedicated on the grounds, in the summer of 1966 the swimming pool and adjacent locker-rooms were inaugurated, in 1968 the Multi-Purpose Building was dedicated, in 1971 the Cottage, and in 1979 the Workshop (now the Adult Day Training).
