A History of our Parish
see also:

A Tour of St Ignatius Church

 The 40th Anniversary of Holy Spirit Church, Auchenflower

A history of the Auchenflower site

60 years Celebration of the Opening of St Ignatius school building   

On the 31st July 2011, we celebrated 95 years of Jesuit Fathers in Toowong Parish. An open air mass was held on the Susan Palmer Field with the Parish's Extraordinary Ministers of the Word, the Eucharist and parish support bodies - Finance & Development, Property & Maintenance, Koinonia (Welcome & Care) etc.

On the 1st August 2010, we celebrated 80 years of St Ignatius Church, School and Hall. A special 'Ignatian Luncheon' was held in the parish hall in honour of the occassion and to also celebrate the 80th birthdays of three of our Jesuits and several parishioners and a Celebratory Menu was prepared for the day.

On the October 11th, 2009, we celebrated 40 years of Holy Spirit Church, Auchenflower, at the 8.30am Mass at Holy Spirit Church. The Community celebrated 40 years since the laying of the foundation stone of the Church (October 12 1969) and the Official Opening which took place two months later (December 15th 1969). A special morning tea was held after the Mass.

Click on the links below for more detailed information about the history of Holy Spirit Church at Auchenflower.

 The 40th Anniversary of Holy Spirit Church

A history of the Auchenflower site

 

In 2008 we celebrated     60 years Celebration of the Opening of St Ignatius school building   

Visit the    St Ignatius Anniversary Celebrations Page    to read what was planned for St Ignatius Parish in 2006.

In 2005, the Parish celebrated      The 75th anniversary of St Ignatius Church.      A series of articles of the history of the Parish.

Our Parish Historian (Percy Hanlon) has prepared the table shown below listing a brief timeline of the major milestones in the Parish.

1879	"First Mass celebrated in Toowong Area (Home of J. Keogh, Burns Road)."
1888	"9th March. Archbishop Dunne purchases land in Holland Street, Toowong."
1892	24th September. Foundation Stone of Catholic Church laid by Bishop Corbett of Sale.
1893	9th April. Blessing and Opening of Church of St. Michael and All Souls.
1902	22nd July. Sisters of Mercy purchase "Goldicott" for the Convent. Renamed "Mt. St. Mary's"
1902	2nd November. Foundation Block of new School Blessed by Archbishop Robert Dunne.
1903	19th January. Convent School & Sisters of Mercy Convent Blessed by Archbishop James Duhig DD
1916	30th July. Jesuit Fathers arrive. Parish established with Opening of Presbytery "Manresa", cnr. Holland Street and Kensington Terrace.
1926	24th February. Holy Family Indooroopilly Parish Formed.
1927	31st July. Church of Carmel of the Holy Spirit, Auchenflower - Carmelite Monastery, "Auchenflower House"
1929	16th June. Foundation Stone of new Church/School laid.
1930	18th May. St. Ignatius Church/School Blessed and Opened by Archbishop James Duhig DD
1933 -36	Depression - Relief Worker Programme. Work on Church surrounds.
1940	Clearance of land beside convent to develop school playing fields.
1946	16th June. St. Thomas Aquinas St. Lucia Parish formed.
1946	3rd November. Foundation Stone of new School laid by Archbishop James Duhig. D.D.
1948	18th July. Fr. William O'Keeffe School Building Blessed by Archbishop James Duhig. D.D.
1955	Present Presbytery "Manresa" purchased and extended. Dedicated to Memory of Fr. William Lockington SJ. "
1959	8th March. Pipe Organ installed in St. Ignatius. Dedicated in Memory of Fr. Leo Murphy, SJ, Assistant Priest 1943-1957. "
1964	Auchenflower site purchased from Carmelites.
1965	26th June. Carmelites move to Ormiston.
1966	31st July. Parish Golden Jubilee. Liturgy in Vernacular. Mass facing the people.
1969	12th October. Foundation Stone Holy Spirit Church Auchenflower laid.
1969	15th December. Holy Spirit Memorial Church Auchenflower Blessed and Opened by Archbishop P.M. O'Donnell DD
1974	School 'Parents and Friends' established.
1975	"Morrow" property behind School purchased.
1976	31st July. Parish Diamond Jubilee.
1983	17th March. Parish Pastoral Council formed.
1985	First School Lay Principal appointed.
1986	5th September. Sisters of Mercy and Lay Staff School Extension Blessed.
1990	18th May. Diamond Jubilee of St. Ignatius Church.
1991	26th July. Parish School Grade 7 Students moved into the "Morrow" House.
1991	26th July. Ignatian Year. 75 Years Parish.
1993	9th April. Centenary of Toowong Catholic Community. Parish Hall Kitchen facilities relocated.
1996	25th August. Sister Mary Leonard R.S.M. School Building Blessed (on site of old "Morrow" House) by Bishop Michael Putney DD
1997	3rd May. Parish Centre Development and Presbytery Upgrade Blessed by Bishop Michael Putney DD.
2000	21st May. 2 Classrooms School Block & Barbara Foster Art Centre & proposed Teachers' Amenities Space Blessed by Fr. Jim Kilbride SJ & Opened by Mrs. Mary Persley.
2002	19th May. Children's Liturgy Room at Holy Spirit Church Blessed, by Fr Chris Jenkins SJ, PP.
2002	25th August. Sisters of Mercy celebrate centenary of convent purchase.
2003	29th July. Centenary of Catholic Education in Toowong. Blessing of the sculpture 'Jesus and the little kid' followed by Lantern Mass, by Fr Chris Jenkins SJ, PP
2005	25th November. Blessing of extended 'Out of School Hours Care' area and Prep School facilities under Sr M. Leonard Building, by Fr Peter Quin SJ, PP
2007	16th November. Blessing of undercover recreation area, new school staff facilities and refurbished school administration area, by Fr Peter Quin SJ, PP
2009	Successful acquisition of school playing fields from Sisters of Mercy, by Fr Peter Quin SJ, PP.
2009	23rd March. Blessing of refurbished hall, undercover improvements, Mary and Child Reflection Area and Susan Palmer playing field, by Fr Peter Quin SJ, PP.
2010	31st October. Refurbishment of playing fields, installation of water tanks, building of outdoor education centre, refurbishment of 1986 School extension to form new Library and refurbishment of old library to classrooms.
2010	4th November. Official opening of St Ignatius Primary School's 'Manresa Enrichment Centre', Year 7 Learning Centre, Covered Outdoor Learning Centre and Susan Palmer Field by Senator Clare Moore.
2011	31st July. 95 years of Parish. 11am Open-air Mass on Susan Palmer field with Parish Extraordinary Ministers, and at 5pm Mass New Organ (Allen L121) funded by parishioners, blessed by Fr Peter Quin SJ, PP.

 

 

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