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 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 |
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 |
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 |