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
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 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 Childcare 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
2023 Fr Mauro Conte appointed Parish Priest in June 2023
