Bairnsdale, VIC - St Mary's Catholic
Year Built: 1936
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Saint: Mary
Address: 268 Main Street, Bairnsdale, Victoria, 3875
Architect: A.A. Fritsch
Traditional Owners: Gunaikurnai people
Last Updated: 15/11/2023
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History and Architecture:
The History of St Mary's Catholic parish started in 1861 when a reservation of an area from the Lands Department of Victoria was made on the corner of Pyke and Nicholson streets with a frontage to Main street. By 1869 a suitable wooden building had been erected and was valued at £169. A new brick church was built in 1883.
The current church was erected in two parts. The Sanctuary end was begun on 19 October 1913 , and the tower was completed n 1937.
Clergy:
This list may not contain every serving cleric, past or present, for this church.
Further submissions welcomed.
| Years | Name | Annotation | D.o.B | D.o.D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 - 1889 | Father Patrick O'Donohue | 1910 | ||
| 1883 - 1900 | Father D. B. Verlin | |||
| 1888 - 1888 | Father M. P. Curran | |||
| 1889 - 1891 | Father J. B. Collier | |||
| 1891 - 1892 | Father Maurice Hoyne | 1930 | ||
| 1891 - 1893 | Father J. Nolan | 1949 | ||
| 1892 - 1893 | Father P. J. McCormick | |||
| 1893 - 1898 | Father Martin Hayes | 1925 | ||
| 1898 - 1911 | Father T. H. Hurley | 1922 | ||
| 1900 - 1901 | Father M. Roche | |||
| 1891 - 1908 | Father J. Synott | |||
| 1907 - 1909 | Father Felix Gavin | 1974 | ||
| 1909 - 1954 | Father C. F. Cremin | 1954 | ||
| 1911 - 1913 | Father Daniel McMahon | 1951 | ||
| 1912 - 1913 | Father P. J. Sterling | 1939 | ||
| 1913 - 1916 | Father W. H. O'Connor | |||
| 1915 - 1916 | Father Richard Buckley | 1946 | ||
| 1916 - 1920 | Father James Fitzpatrick | 1960 | ||
| 1919 - 1925 | Father W. Ryan | |||
| 1925 - 1926 | Father J. E. O'Mara | |||
| 1927 - 1940 | Father J. O'Donnell | |||
| 1929 - 1935 | Father W. Walsh | |||
| 1935 - 1936 | Father C. Donavan | |||
| 1937 - 1938 | Father P. S. Crowe | |||
| 1940 - 1941 | Father W. Hannify | |||
| 1940 - 1942 | Father D. J. Dunne | |||
| 1942 - 1944 | Father John Raymond Cunningham | 1980 | ||
| 1942 - 1946 | Father W. McLoughlin | |||
| 1942 - 1945 | Father J. Kennedy | RAAF Chaplain | ||
| 1945 - 1947 | Father F. Ruth | |||
| 1946 - 1948 | Father E Hynes | 1996 | ||
| 1947 - 1951 | Father J. Ward | |||
| 1948 - 1949 | Father J. Daly | |||
| 1949 - 1953 | Father G. Todd | |||
| 1951 - 1955 | Father F. O'Regan | |||
| 1953 - 1967 | Father W. Walsh | |||
| 1955 - | Father J. Allman | |||
| 1955 - 1958 | Father R. Wilson | |||
| 1956 - 1957 | Father W. Shanahan | |||
| 1957 - 1965 | Father T. O'Connell | |||
| 1958 - 1961 | Father J. Coffey | |||
| 1961 - 1962 | Father P. Harris | |||
| 1962 - 1964 | Father J. Phelan | |||
| 1964 - 1966 | Father E Spiteri | |||
| 1965 - 1967 | Father J. Davine | |||
| 1967 - 1972 | Father P. S Crowe | |||
| 1968 - 1970 | Father G. Coffey | |||
| 1970 - | Father B. Martin | |||
| 1970 - 1972 | Father P. Kooloos | |||
| 1970 - 1974 | Father J. O'Kelly | |||
| 1974 - 1975 | Father P. Davine | |||
| 1974 - | Father T. Johnson | |||
| 1979 - | Father P. Slater | |||
| 1976 - | Father B. Mahoney | |||
| 1977 - 1979 | Father J. Ward | |||
| 1980 - 1982 | Father L Cusak | |||
| 1982 - | Father W. Shanahan | |||
| 1972 - 1974 | Father G. Todd | |||
| 1977 - 1980 | Father E Hynes | 1996 |
Organ:
No information currently available. Submissions welcomed.
Source:
1. St Mary's Church Bairnsdale one hundred years of faith 1883 - 1983. The Church that Grew. SLT 282. 9456 S22E