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History of St. Mary’s Church , Coomera


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 Church1890moved 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
scortechini-benedeto

Fr.Scortechni
Pastor of Logan Parish
1875-1884

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

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

 

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Weekly Readings

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Weekly Reflection

Doa Bunda Maria Indonesia
This week we celebrate Mary as Our Lady of Indonesia. Enclosed is a prayer to
Our Lady of Indonesia. Faith come to Indonesia through the early Portuguese
Christians and their deep celebration of their faith.
The Portuguese very early established churches in Malacca and the
“Spice Islands” – the Moluccas. Perhaps the most famous missionary
was not Portuguese, but Basque – St Francis Xavier.
With these first Christians came a deep devotion to Our Lady. But not long
after Xavier, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese and took their
territories in what is now Indonesia. They expelled the Catholic
missionaries and replaced them with Calvinists. Catholics struggles
under the Dutch and then the Muslim governments. Today there are over
eight million Catholics in Indonesia which makes it the second
largest Catholic community in East Asia and larger than Australia.
Faith in Indonesia has a particular flavour and expresses local culture. The
wonderful communities in Flores and the Moluccas have a different flavour
than Javanese Catholicism. Each is deeply faithful and expresses faith through
culture.

Prayer to Our Lady of Indonesia
Our Lady of Indonesia, God’s plan, and that of your Son Jesus Christ, have been
lovingly realised in and through you. Pray for us, the people
of Indonesia so that we may become good citizens of this land. Assist us in
reaching our life’s goals for a better future for our families.
Strengthen our faith, hope and love, so that we do not get carried away by the
lures of this world but stand firm in the teachings of your
Son Jesus. Transform us into witnesses for peace and justice, so that we may
attain the success and happiness promised by your son to those who believe in
Him.
Teach us to let go of all bitterness and divisions among us, so that
whoever joins our families and communities will experience the loving guidance
of the Holy Spirit. At the end of our lives bring us together again with you, in
communion with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God Bless you all

Parish Priest
Bryan J Pipins

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New Year 2024

31st December, New Year Eve Mass at 11pm followed by coffee,  tea and nibbles to welcome 2024. All are welcome.

1st January, Solemnity of the Mother of God, Mass at 7am.

Starting 1st January 2024 all daily masses will begin at 7am

Tuesday and Thursday:
    – 7 am: Mass
    – 7.30am to 8am : Silent Adoration

Wednesday and Friday:
    –  7am : Mass
     – 7.30am to 8am: Rosary.

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Lenten Progam

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HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 

SAINT MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

COOMERA

Ash Wednesday – Mass at 7pm

Stations of the Cross – Every Friday at 7pm

Mass Times :

                (NO 5 PM EVENING MASS ON EASTER SUDAY)

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Christmas Message from Archbishop Mark Coleridge

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