Mary Immaculate Church

Stage Number: MBSH.02.02.32

Group: Southern

Local Study Area: Fairfield-Annerley

Epoch: Early 20th Century

Street Address: 42 Ferndale Street

Latitude & Longitude: -27.51698333,153.03008889

Time Link: 1932

Map Link: 1934

Image Time Point: 1934

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Information

The Mary Immaculate Catholic Church opened in July 1914. The wooden alter was made by John Mahony. The current brick Church was constructed and opened in 1932. A marble high altar was completed in 1941. The church and adjacent primary school were designed by J. P. Donoghue. Father James Gallagher was appointed the first resident priest. The curate Father Timothy Molony was appointed in 1918. The old wooden church building was removed and was situated where the Marymac Centre stands. ‘Roman Catholicism’, as it was more commonly termed in this era, continued to be largest of the Christian denominations worldwide, but Catholic congregations in Australia perceived themselves as a persecuted sizable minority in a Protestant country. Large sections of Protestant denominations did actively discriminate against Catholic citizens, in a sectarian age which only ended in the mid-1960s (positive reception of the World Council of Churches to Vatican II reforms). In these earlier epochs, Catholicism represented to the majority Protestant population, at best, a misled version of Christianity, and at worse a demonic conspiracy against the true Christian faith. Catholic congregations transversed that same analysis, placing large importance on apostolic succession and tradition. Catholic congregations faired somewhat better in Queensland society where they were the second largest religion for most of the twenieth century and finally surpassed the number of Anglicans in the state by the end of the century. The larger number of Catholics among the working class also meant that Catholics had more favour during the long period of Queensland Labor Governments in the first half of the century.

Citations

Brian Matthews. Mary Immaculate Parish”, in The Annals of Annerley. Proceedings of the Annerley Conference, 17 July 1994, Edited by John Kerr. Royal Historical Society of Queensland, 1997. pp. 41-44; Mary Immaculate Catholic Church. Brisbane City Council Heritage Register.

Image Citations

Mary Immaculate Church being constructed on Ipswich Road in Annerley. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. 406588.

Map References

QSA. QSA Series ID 2058 Moreton District Maps – A Series. 4 miles to the inch. Moreton District. 4miles to the inch. Survey Office, Brisbane.. 634883