Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to extend my congratulations to Father Dan, Archbishop Coleridge and all of St Brendan's Church of Moorooka in my electorate on their centenary celebrations held last Saturday. I should declare a conflict of interest: St Brendan's is actually my local church. It's only about 50 metres from my home. It's where my parents got married back in the 1950s, and it's also the church where my mother was buried and where my sons are becoming Catholics through the various ceremony. So St Brendan's will always have a special place in my family history.

Established in 1919 as part of the Annerley parish, St Brendan's provided the opportunity for Moorooka Catholics to attend a local church. Local historian Mary McMahon has edited a comprehensive history of the Moorooka Salisbury Parish, with many of the contributions coming from local and former parishioners—it's a good read. Joan McGrath, a long-term Moorooka resident and local legend, recalls how her grandfather James Freney was part of a committee that met at his home in Keats Street to discuss their plans to build a local church. Her uncle James Curley bought the land that St Brendan's stands on from a local farmer.

The centenary celebration on Saturday was a fine one. We sat down for a delicious high tea with Father Dan and Archbishop His Grace Mark Coleridge. Thank you St Brendan's for the leadership, faith and comfort you've provided to our local community. I wish you another successful 100 years. And I do have to mention that St Pius X Church, a part of the Moorooka Salisbury Parish, also had their 50th celebrations on Sunday—yesterday—so congratulations to St Pius X Church on your 50th anniversary celebrations. I look forward to being there for your centenary.