General News
24 November, 2022
St Mary’s church marks 150 years in Dunolly
In a commemoration of faith, St Mary’s parishioners will have a remarkable celebration awaiting them at the altar this Sunday — when they come together for the 150th anniversary of their church. Located in Dunolly, the foundation for the church...
In a commemoration of faith, St Mary’s parishioners will have a remarkable celebration awaiting them at the altar this Sunday — when they come together for the 150th anniversary of their church.
Located in Dunolly, the foundation for the church was laid on January 17, 1869. At the time, in a space within the wall, a copy of the Dunolly Express and the Advocate were placed alongside a scroll containing the names of the Queen, and the Governor of Victoria, among others.
Two years later, on September 17, 1871, the church welcomed its congregation for the first time — and hasn’t closed its doors since.
Now, after COVID cancelled plans last year, members are finally getting the opportunity to mark and honour the standing of their church for a century and a half.
“We’ve been looking forward to this day for nearly two years. We were going to have it early in 2021 so it’s almost two years. We’re just excited to have the chance to celebrate it now,” Father John Monaghan said.
“We’re really commemorating the faith of the people here. It’s as much about the community as it is about the building.
“So it’s probably a testament to the faith and dedication of those a 150 years ago, in raising the money and building this church. They could have built just a smaller timber church or something like that. But instead, they chose to build something like this, which has lasted for generations.”
While St Mary’s has stood the test of time, so have its parishioners, also spreading across generations.
“The church connects people with their ancestors. Sometimes, we have extra people coming here on a Sunday, because there is a particular anniversary of some event that took place in the church,” Fr Monaghan said.
“It might be to celebrate the 50th or even a 100th anniversary of their grandparents or great-grandparents’ wedding.”
This sense of connection within the community to the past makes the upcoming anniversary celebration even more significant according to Fr Monaghan.
“It’s such an achievement for us as a community. Obviously the centenary, a full 100 years, is very big for anything but then a 150 is even bigger in that sense — it shows that the people have kept the show on the road,” he said.
Back when the church celebrated its 100th anniversary, the congregation shared the same sense of achievement and community.
In the introduction to the book History of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Dunolly, complied in 1971, Father D. Hurley of Inglewood wrote about the impact the church had on its congregation.
“To St Mary’s [generations] have come in their joys and sorrows; to many it has been the pivot of their lives,” Fr Hurley said.
“[The church] would stand before them as a symbol of the primacy of ‘the things above,’ rather than those below, even if the latter were ‘streets lines with gold.’ Their gold is gone; their work and their sacrifices live on. St Mary’s is a memorial to their faith and vision.”
On Sunday, November 27, the church will celebrate the same faith and vision Fr Hurley spoke of — and the members are eager to share it with all.
Irrespective of whether you’re associated with St Mary’s, you’re welcome to join. Following mass at the church at 12 pm, attendees can make their way to Gordon Gardens for a bring-your-own lunch.