Parishioners, students, families and friends past and present are warmly invited to share in the centenary celebrations of the St Mary’s parish and school community in Merredin that will be held over the weekend Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August.
The occasion will be marked with a special centenary Mass at St Mary’s Church commencing at 10am on Sunday 2 August.
St Mary’s School will also be open to visitors from 3 to 5pm on Saturday 1 August and from 9 to 10am on Sunday 2 August.
Following Mass, a commemorative lunch will be held at the Merredin Bowling Club.
For catering and planning purposes, the RSVP is strictly set for Friday 3 July. Reservations can be made via hmgiles@bigpond.com or 0429 441 020.
A captivating history
The first Mass celebrated in Merredin was led by Fr Gerardo Castanares OSB in 1908 at Armstrong’s Boarding House in Barrack Street.
In July 1910, St Joseph’s Mission was established at Kellerberrin and Father John O’Reilly was appointed the first Missionary Rector.
He was succeeded by Fr Timothy O’Brien and subsequently Fr Hugh O’Reilly. It was during Fr Hugh O’Reilly’s time that the original church was built on the site now occupied by the CWA room in Coronation Street.
In 1926, Father John Fahey DSO authorised the relocation of the church from its Coronation Street site to its current South Avenue site. Soon after, Merredin was made a separate parish, and Fr Phillip Claver Smith was appointed Parish Priest.
Towards the end of 1926 a ‘lean to’ was built against the side of the Church to be used as a school, which had an initial enrolment of 52 students.
The School was officially blessed and opened on Sunday 6February 1927 by Archbishop Clune CSsR.
Father Phillip vacated the recently completed presbytery in favour of four Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and moved to a one-room building in the church grounds where he stayed until his transfer to Palmyra in 1937.