St. Brendan Parish was founded on June 4, 1964 at the request of then-Archbishop, Edward Hoban.  It was formed from the three neighboring parishes of St. Angela Merici of Fairview Park, St. Bernadette of Westlake and St. Richard of North Olmsted.  The parish's first pastor, Father John R. Kenny, a native of County Leitrim, Ireland, has been an associate at St. Angela's since 1960.  Approximately 600 families formed the basis of the new parish.

The parish was named after St. Brendan of Ireland.  He was the founder of a monastic community at Clonfert about 559AD. A spiritual leader, St. Brendan is also known for several sea voyages, one of which may have brought him to the shores of North America some 900 years before Christopher Columbus.  As a consequence, he became known as St. Brendan the Navigator.  His feast day is celebrated on May 16.

Sunday Mass was originally offered in the automobile service department of Barrett Brothers Motors, formerly located at 23905 Lorain Rd. in North Olmsted.  Parishioners were required to set up "church" each and every weekend, which included the relocation of over 100 automobiles.  Construction began on a church/school complex five months after the founding of the parish and was completed about ten months later.  The last mass at "St. Barrett's," as it was affectionately known, was held on July 25, 1965.

The first Mass in the newly built facility was held on August 1, 1965 in what is now the school gymnasium.  It was designed to seat approximately 1200.  Fr. Kenny believed very strongly in education and the need for a community school before the construction of a separate church building.  Bishop Clarence Issenmann officially dedicated the parish buildings on August 29, 1965.

A Westlife newspaper article described the St. Brendan church and school as "...new, fresh and different.  It is situated in a picture book suburbia setting on a street surrounded by stately colonials, garden-type apartments and up-to-date condominium complexes."

St. Brendan School opened its doors for the first time on September 7, 1965.  Principal Sister Mary Paula and her staff of eight lay teachers and four sisters of the order of St. Joseph, welcomed 502 students in grades one through six.  The same Westlife article described the 12 classroom school building as "...fresh and handsome and designed for growth."  And grow it did!  Grade seven was added the following year.  1967 saw the addition of the eighth grade with a total enrollment of 693 students being taught by 16 full-time teachers.  1967 also saw the beginning of the Parish School of Religion (PSR), then known as CCD.  The Holy Family Program, which exists to assist young parishioners in the preparation for the sacrament of the Eucharist, began in 1969.

While the parish had a monthly publication from the outset to keep its members informed, the current "News from the Pews" church bulletin did not come into existence until 1970.

The "Christ Renews His Parish" program was undertaken for the first time in 1975.  This program was a yearly feature for both men and women of the parish into the 1990s.  The weekend program was a culmination of a year's work and prayer and association of a "team" which gave witness to various topics.  Many lasting friendships have grown from these "weekends" as well as the renewal of faith of the participants.

In the spring of 1983, an ad hoc committee of 25 randomly selected parishioners began studying the feasibility of completing a long-range plan for the St. Brendan Community.  The group presented its findings to Parish Council who then established a building committee and the "New Beginning Drive."

In 1984, Fr. Kenny retired after two decades of leading the parish.  Fr. Murray was selected to succeed him after 11 years as an associate pastor at the parish.  In honor of Fr. Kenny, the City of North Olmsted renamed Reed Lane to Kenny Lane. Fr. Kenny passed away on March 11, 1985 after a lengthy illness.

After a successful fund drive, groundbreaking for a new church took place on September 22, 1985 with Bishop A. James Quinn presiding.  Sister Victoria McQuaid was given the honor of laying the cornerstone for the new church on May 31 1987 and in June of that year the first Mass was said.  The official dedication did not occur until December 12th with Bishop Anthony Pilla as principal celebrant.  Meanwhile, the former church located within the school was fully renovated into the gymnasium it was meant to be.  It was ready for the opening of the school year in the fall of 1987.  Kindergarten was begun as well.

St. Brendan Parish has always been aware of the needs of people outside of our own community of faith.  In 1993, the parish sponsored a refugee family from Vietnam who came to live in the United States.  In 1995, the three parishes of North Olmsted (St. Brendan, St. Richard and St. Clarence) joined together to build a Habitat for Humanity House on East 88th Street in Cleveland.  1998 marked the arrival of another refugee family that had been entrusted to the care of St. Brendan Community, this time it was a Bosnian family.  The Office of Refugee Services committed to bringing 40 of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan to Cleveland in 2001.  St. Brendan Parish has again stepped in to help with the resettlement of these young men.