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Our Parish Story
Earliest History
These lands that the parish has were once the lands of the Bunurong People, part of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge their ancestors and commit ourselves to respectfully use this land that God has given us.
Parish History
Long before the suburb of Endeavour Hills was established, these lands were settled and developed by European farmers. These lands were used for grazing and milk production.
The people in this district were members of the Rural Parish of Dandenong and remained so from 1883-1979, although some people attended Mass at the newly established parishes at St Gerard’s North Dandenong (1956) and Holy Family Doveton (1962). In many ways, these four parishes have seen many of the people of Endeavour Hills come through their doors over the years. Changing parish boundaries doe not change parish allegiances all that quickly.
From 1976, a regular Mass was celebrated on a Sunday in the Endeavour Hills area by a priest from St Mary’s Dandenong. In January 1980, St Paul Apostle Parish was established, with Fr Frank Martin as the first parish priest. Frank had just retired as Director of Catholic Education. The first Parish Mass was celebrated in a temporary Church from February. The permanent church was opened in August 1983. Frank Martin continued his ministry here until 1986.
Some of our key moments have been:
- 1976: September 5: Weekly Sunday Mass celebrated in the Sub-division Office, now Joseph Banks Medical Centre.
- 1977: Sunday Mass celebrated in the Homestead, now Essex Park Community Centre.
- 1980-1986: Fr Frank Martin serves as parish priest.
- 1980: July 27: Bishop Kelly blesses the First Church, a portable building.
- 1981: January: St Paul Apostle South School began in January 1981. Arrival of Srs Joan Kennedy PBVM, Principal, and Sr Maria Lazarro PBVM to start our schools.
- 1981: First Parish Ball and Parish Fair held.
- 1983: August 14: the present Church and Hall were blessed and opened by Archbishop Frank Little.
- 1985: January: St Paul Apostle North School began.
- 1985: First public Way of the Cross
- Men’s Club started
- First Parish Wine Bottling
- Renew, RCIA & Liturgy Committee Began
- Sr Ann Halpin PBVM joins the Parish. She later started Wellsprings for Women at Dandenong.
- Children’s Liturgy of the Word starts
- 1987: Fr Gerry McKernan serves as parish priest
- 1990: April 29: Tenth Anniversary Mass with Archbishop Little
- 1992: Nov. 8: Parish Vision Statement launched
- 1998: Fr Gerry McKernan transfers to Holy Saviour Nth Glen Waverley as parish priest.
- 1998: January: Fr Terry Kean arrives to serve as parish administrator
- 1998: June 30: Fr Terry Kean transfers to Sacred Heart West St Kilda as parish priest.
- 1988: July 1: The Passionists assume pastoral responsibility for the parish. Fr John Pearce CP serves as parish priest, with Fr Tim O’Toole CP as assistant priest and Community Superior. Fr Ray Sanchez CP is a community members working as a school chaplain and leading Parish Missions.
- 1998: Men’s Club renovates the Annexe, removing small rooms to make it more usable for the community.
- 1998: Bernadette Doyle completes her term as pastoral associate and returns to teaching ministry.
- 1999-2001: Margaret Carmen works as pastoral associate
- 1999: July: Seniors Club begins.
- 1999: Women Wisdom & Wine began.
- 2000: Nov 30: Fr Tim O’Toole CP transfers to Templestowe. Fr Ray Sanchez CP transfers to Oxley, Qld.
- 2000: Dec 1: Fr Chris Monaghan CP arrives from Templestowe as Community Leader and Assistant Priest. He also teaches Scripture at YTU. Fr Brian Gleeson CP arrives from Glen Osmond SA. His ministry is teaching theology at YTU and parish supplies. Fr Dunstan Mellors CP arrives from Templestowe. He is retired and assists wit some Masses.
- 2001: February 3: Martin Place was dedicated and opened by members of the community as a place for gathering and contemplation following a Mass led by retired Archbishop Frank Little. This was done so at the time of the Parish 21st Birthday celebrations.
- 2002: Parish Centre renovated, creating more office space and meeting rooms.
- 2002: CanCare Cancer Support Group began
- 2002: Craft Group began
- 2002: November to December 2005, Rhonda O’Connor works as Pastoral Associate
- 2002: November to April 2006, Karen Rolfe works as Pastoral Associates.
- 2005: January 30: Parish 25th Anniversary celebrated without fanfare. Preparations under way to Vacate the Church for the refurbishment.
- 2005: February: YCS group started.
- 2005: March - October: The Church is closed for refurbishment, with Mass celebrated in the North School Gym.
- 2005: April: Fr Tim O’Toole arrives from Bourke NSW as assistant priest. Fr Chris takes on more teaching.
- 2005: Youth Music Group Started
- 2005: October 1: Return to Church with first mass led by retired Archbishop Frank Little.
- 2005: November 11: Memorial Garden Opened.
- 2006: April 10: Garden of Peace established.
- 2006: July 20: 25 years of Catholic Education celebrated at a combined schools Mass with Archbishop Denis Hart leading us.
St Paul Apostle, Our Patron Saint
Paul of Tarsus was a dedicated Jewish Missionary, who sought to re-unify the Nazarenes with the faithful of Israel. Following his own conversion experience, he then dedicated the remainder of his life to preaching the Gospel of Jesus. As a result, he founded Christian Communities all over Asia Minor. Like the other Apostles, he was martyred. We hold his feast day in late June each year, using the Mass of the Conversion of St Paul.
