HISTORY
St Macartan
St. Macartan was born in the 4th century and died in 506 as bishop of Clogher, and is thought to be buried there. Popular tradition holds that he was converted to Christianity by his mentor St. Patrick from common Druidic practices and beliefs. Macartan whose name may mean 'son of Art' or son of the 'Rowen Tree,' helped Patrick who was considerably older to help spread Christianity westwards from Strangford Lough towards the western seaboard.
The story goes that as word reached the Kingdom of Airghealla, the region that is Clogher Diocese today, King Eochaidh, pronounced 'Uckoo', sent his son, Prince Cairbre to warn Patrick and Macartan not to enter his kingdom or attempt to introduce Christianity to his subjects. Just before Cairbre rode off with his troops his mother gave him an apple to enjoy on his journey. On meeting the two Christian missionaries Cairbre rather than offering murderous threats on behalf of his father asked for baptism instead. On the occasion of Cairbre's introduction of Patrick and Macartan to his royal father the King wielded a sword at Patrick. Macartan touched and froze the King's shoulder causing him to drop the deadly weapon. At this magical intervention King Eochaidh, though declining baptism, permitted Patrick and his disciple to continue the mission through his Kingdom. Patrick ordained Macartan as bishop of Clogher in 454, the village in Tyrone, after which the diocese is named.
St. Macartan is called in the Irish language the 'Trean Fhear', the 'Strong Man' from which the North Monaghan popular surname 'Treanor' derives. Patrick was at times so weak and aged that Macartan carried him on his back through rivers, fields and forests.
Prayer
Macartan, at the dawn of Christianity in Ireland
your faithfulness in supporting St. Patrick
enabled the good news of the Gospel
to be told in our land.
May the Word of God be reborn in us.
May we in our time promote
collaboration among the people of God,
and lend a hand to those in our families,
and parish communities that may be in need.
May the Spirit of God,
sustain and strengthen us in our friendships with one another
on our journey towards the light,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Welcome to St Macartan’s Church, Mornington Parish of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Mornington Peninsula was part of Brighton mission. In 1862 Bishop Gould visited Schnapper Point and requested resident Catholics to take measures to purchase a site for erection of a church and school. A few weeks later the application for Parish Chapel land was submitted and was granted. On 3rd January 1897, the most Rev. Thomas Joseph Carr blessed and opened St Macartan’s Church with Fr William O’Hagan PP. The first foundation stone for a new brick church was laid on the 7th October 1909, and the new brick church was blessed and opened on 20th February 1910 by the Archbishop.
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Land was purchased but plans did not take shape until 1888. The original Parish of Mornington was established in Davey St Frankston in 1891 but Fr. Boyle still resided in Brighton. In 1891 because of ill health Fr Boyle was replaced by Fr O’ Hagen who remained as parish priest for about 40 years.
He was not in favour of Frankston being the parish centre and moved to Mornington as it was more central to minister to the Mornington Peninsula down to Sorrento, Flinders, Balnarring, Shoreham Hastings , Phillip Island and as far up as Chelsea - travelling on horseback and jinker!
The construction of a wooden church in Drake St was completed in January 1897 and in October 1909 the foundation stone for the brick church was laid.
The building was completed and blessed by the archbishop 20th February 1910, and two years later the presbytery plans, (now the parish community centre) were prepared, this was opened in 1916.
In that year the debt was ninety pounds and 35 baptisms were recorded. The old wooden building was sold to the Church of England for 55 pounds and was moved to Carrum Downs and then it went on to Seaford where it remained until it was demolished in 1968.
The new presbytery, currently the Parish House, was built in 1979 when Fr John Barker became our parish priest following the sudden death of Fr Colin Miller.
Many upgrades to the church building have been done over the years. The altar, organ and porches have been added during the last 20 or so years.
We have also seen the establishment of the many surrounding parishes including Dromana and Mt Eliza.
The Sisters of Mercy arrived in Mornington in 1898 seeking a holiday house whilst staying in Frankston. As there was no catholic school in the area Fr O’ Hagen invited them to establish a school.
They purchased property in April 1898 and received female borders and day pupils at the college of Our Lady of the Sea and at the primary school St Sebastian’s.
In 1899 a boarding school for boys was opened in Beleura Hill but the property was unsuitable and another property was purchased in Mt Martha where the Dava Hotel now stands.
The distance between schools was too far so another property on the corner of Phillip St and Tanti Ave was purchased as Padua Preparatory School for Boys, accommodating borders and some day pupils.
In 1905 a new school building (the old school hall) was opened as a boarding school for girls which attracted students from all over Victoria. The school expanded after World War I but the college of Our Lady of the Sea closed as a girl’s boarding school but continued as a day school, Padua College for boys and girls, and Padua Preparatory School for male boarders.
In 1968 the primary and secondary schools were separated becoming Padua College and St Macartan’s Primary School and in 1975, after Padua moved to Oakbank Rd to become a Regional College, the purchase of school buildings from the Mercy Order was arranged.
St Macartan’s Primary School continued under the Mercy sisters until 1985. In mid 2004 the Mercy Sister’s Retreat and Conference Centre and adjoining land was sold.
We are grateful to our forebears for their faith, generosity and foresight which has left us a vibrant Parish which continues to grow. (Taken from “Journey in Faith”)
The Tanti Ave property was sold in 2007 and building commenced on the new site in Bungower Road.
In 2009 our new state of the art St Macartan’s Parish Primary School in Bungower Road was opened.
Over 150 years of history, our parish has been an important part of life for many generations of local residents and visitors to Mornington Peninsula. It has been a place where people can attach themselves for nourishment of their mind, body and soul. It has been reflected in the image of Church which Pope Francis mentions in his encyclical EVANGELII GAUDIUM
Taking the first step, being involved and supportive, bearing fruit and rejoicing. The Church which “goes forth” is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice. An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (cf. 1 Jn 4:19) and, therefore, we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast. Such a community has an endless desire to show mercy, the fruit of its own experience of the power of the Father’s infinite mercy. Let us try a little harder to take the first step and to become involved. [EVANGELII GAUDIUM Chapter One Paragraph 24]