St Mary's Parish Church Maryborough 1861-2011
S 25° 32.235 E 152° 42.219
56J E 470226 N 7175527
Written by Denis W. Martin, and published by Brisbane Archdiocesan Archives, this book was in time for the Sesquicentenary celebrations of St Mary's Catholic Church in Maryborough, Queensland.
Waymark Code: WMX6W7
Location: Queensland, Australia
Date Posted: 12/05/2017
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Being 104 pages long, this book gives a comprehensive review of the beginnings of the Maryborough Parish, and the building of the church(es).
It starts with a Preface by the then Archbishop of Brisbane, Most Rev. John Bathersby, and an introductory message by the Parish Priest, Fr Paul Kelly.
While Maryborough was first visited by Fr James Hanly from Brisbane in 1849, the town had only been established in 1847, on the then called Wide Bay River. And when the first Archbishop of Brisbane (Dunne) referred to Maryborough as "the town bearing the name of the Mother of God", he may not have realised that it had been renamed by Sir Charles Fitzroy (the Governor of New South Wales - which at that stage included 'todays' Queensland, and Victoria) after his wife - (
visit link) who died in December 1847 after being thrown from their carriage at Parramatta.
The first Parish Priest, Fr Paul Tissot arrived in 1861, and ministered til 1875, during which time the plans were drawn up to replace the first church with a new one, on which the current Church is based on. While the plan was described at that time as 'Early English', the Gothic-styled church's Foundation stone was laid on Thursday, July 29th, 1869.
The book then details the coming of further Parish Priests, and the contributions each of them made to the Church and Parish. This is up to the twelfth Parish Priest, Fr Paul Kelly. It also details other churches that had been built in the St Mary's Parish over the years.
If you would like to have a read of this delightful book, and can't find it elsewhere, please let me know. Maybe arrange a 'special' Geocaching Event and a CITO Event, and I will bring it along for you!
Visited the Church site: 7 April, 2015