History of St. Mary’s Church , Coomera

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The first recorded coming together of Catholics in the Coomera River District was in April 1866. The church building was erected in 1890 at Upper Coomera. It was then extended and transferred to Oxenford in 1935, and moved to the present site at Upper Coomera in 2005.

 

St Mary’s became a separate parish in late 1997. St Mary’s Catholic Community is a growing vibrant parish catering for a diversity of age groups and ethnic backgrounds. Our two Mass centres are welcoming and community based..

Significant dates for the Catholic Church in the region

1860’s to early 1870’s —-Occasional pastoral Visits By Fr.Denis Fouhy.

 

1865	First Catholic Church in Logan Reserve district(near Woodridge)
1870’s	Mass at Binstead Homestead Coomera

1875 to 1884 Part of Logan Mission

Logan Mission covers from Stradbroke Island ,St Helena Island and Cleveland to NSW border , Beaudesert and to Boonah

 

1875	Fr.Benedict Scortechni,a botanist, buys Masonic Hall in Yatala and converts it to the first Catholic Church in the Beenleigh District, It was opened by Bishop Quinn. Churches >opened in Tallebudgera 1878,Southport 1882,and Nerang 1882. Visit the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria for a detailed biography of Fr.Scortechni
1875-1884	Fr.Scortechni visits the Coomera River on a 3 monthly circuit. Masses,baptisms funerals and weddings held at Siganto Home,Upper Coomera

Fr.Scortechni Pastor of Logan Parish 1875-1884

John & Elizabeth Siganto Collection:Local Studies Library,Gold Coast Council

1884-1891	Pastoral Care with Fr.Enright and Fr.O’Reilly
1884-1887	Fr.James Enright baptises in Coomera on his Circuit (he resides in Beaudesert)
1887-1891	Fr.Enright and his new assistant priest Fr.James O’Reilly baptise in Coomera on their circuits
1888	Fundraising for new Church on the Coomera well underway (25/2/88 The Southern Queensland Bulletin)
1890	New Church at Upper Coomera

1892-1980	Part Of New Southport Parish
1892	Logan Mission divided- Southport,a new parish including Upper Coomera Church and Beenleigh; Waterford part of Beaudesert Parish; Cleveland and Dunwich were attached to Brisbane
1935	Transfer of Upper Coomera Church to Oxenford

St. Mary’s Church being transported across Coomera Weir on the way from Upper Coomera to Oxenford , c1935 Collection: Local Studies Library, Gold Coast City Council

Saint Mary’s Church, Oxenford, circa 1935 Collection: Local Studies Library, Gold Coast City Council

1980-1993	Part of new Runaway Bay Parish
1980	St Mary’s Church reopened after local working bees (after having been closed for nine years)
1993	Bishop Cuskelly (November 10th) invites Vincential Priests to establish Oxenford Pastoral area. Vincentians agree on November 15th

RCIA begun locally
Church ramp constructed
Priest residence/office/meeting space rented in Helensvale (and later changed to rental at Oxenford until end of 1997)

1994-1997	Oxenford Pastoral Mission
1994	Fr Brian Spillane, Fr Bill Irwin, Sr Marie, Sr Fran Weekend masses increased from one to three Formation of mission leadership team ‘Vision’ Team Ministers Circle formed. Ecumenical Pastoral Group formed Care and Concern Group and Finance Group formed
1997

1997 to present	Oxenford becomes a separate parish (December 1997)
1997	Gerry Hefferan is appointed Parish Priest November
1998	Parish office/residence moves to Xanadu, Upper Coomera in January
1998	Parish twins with Soibada parish in East Timor
1999	Establishment of St Mary’s St Vincent de Paul conference
2000	Sr Moira begins as Pastoral Associate
2001	Local Covenant signed May 20th with St Mary’s Catholic Community Oxenford, Gold Coast North Anglican Church, Apostolic Church Australia, Uniting Church Coomera – Helensvale Linked Congregations Opening of Jubilee Primary School
2005	Church building moved to the present Upper Coomera site Opening of Assisi Catholic College
2006	Opening of St Mary’s Child Care Centre (run by Centacare)
2007	Fr Patrick Lim appointed administrator in November 2007
2008	Fr Adrian Sharp appointed Parish Priest
2010	Fr Antony Vadakara appointed Parish Priest in August 2010
2016	Fr John Echewodo appointed Parish Priest in June 2016