St Gerard Majella
146 Maundrell Terrace, Chermside West
The Church of St Gerard Majella is situated at 146 Maundrell Terrace, Chermside West and is easily accessible by public transport (Bus 345). As development spread to the Chermside West area during the 1950’s and 1960’s, Masses were first held in a house bought by the church near the Chermside tram terminus and then, on the sale of the house to help fund the new St Paschal’s Church, at the Lillis home in Decker Street, Chermside West.
In 1962, a new church was built on a site in Pullford Street, Chermside West. As the congregation grew, this building was extended but soon became too small. After much agitation and wide consultation, Chermside West became a separate Parish on 1 January, 1975 with Fr Bernard (Barney) Wilson as the First Parish Priest. The current church was opened and blessed in 1977. Fr Des McQuaid became Parish Priest in 1981 and served the parish with compassion and generosity for 20 years until he became ill.
Fr Gerard McMorrow was appointed as Administrator in 2002 as the Parish prepared to celebrate 25 years in the ‘new’ church. It was extensively renovated in 2003. The conversion of the front veranda to a glassed-in atrium and the extension for the parish centre and administration building were completed in 2008.
These improvements have made parish life much more comfortable and efficient. The Car park was upgraded in 2014 and further renovations in 2015 have included the realignment of the ceiling and replacement of the Altar, Font and Lectern and the updating of the sound system.
List of Parish Priests who have served at St Gerard’s:
St Gerard Majella Parish:
1/1/1975 - 1981 Fr Bernard (Barney) Wilson PP
1981 - 2002 Fr Des McQuaid PP
2002 - 2013 Fr Gerard McMorrow (Administrator)
OLA Parish (formed by amalgamation with St Paschal’s on 1 August 2013)
2013 - 2020 Fr Gerard McMorrow PP
2020 - Fr Paul Chackanikunnel CMI PP
Fr Paul Chackanikunnel CMI was appointed on 14 April 2020, as the Parish Priest of the Our Lady of the Angels’ Parish, Chermside West and Wavell Heights.
Though COVID-19 restricted our community worship and activities to an extent, we are again progressing with new norms and purposes. In order to facilitate the needs of the community and to provide better service, the Parish Office has been restructured and refurbished just after Fr Paul arrived. The Piety Stall is growing and evolving with an ever expanding range of sacramental and religious items to serve the people and parishes in North Brisbane.
Upon reopening after COVID-19 limitations, we have reinstated almost all previous activities. However, it was decided not to continue Christmas lights and Festival until the redevelopment plans have been implemented. In order to provide ample space and facilities to continue and expand all parish functions and celebrations, and even to provide venues for other activities, the Parish has decided to develop the frontage of the property, including buying the neighbouring block of land (previously the Dentist). On 21 December 2021, settlement of the purchase was finalised and the property now belongs to OLA Parish. The Parish Community Consultation meeting held on Wednesday, 3 November 2021 supported the proposed development and the continuation of the project. Further details will be provided as plans progress.
Chermside West has been a strong and vibrant community with a long history of parishioner involvement. Many having actually worked together to build the church, presbytery and hall. Today, numbers of these long-term parishioners are still living in the area and are committed, with newer members, to our current and proposed projects.
The community is truly blessed by the abundance of talent so generously and enthusiastically shared.
St Gerard Majella (1726-1755)
The Church was named after the Redemptorist brother, Gerard Majella whose feast day is celebrated on 16 October. St Gerard is known as the patron of expectant mothers and Tuberculosis sufferers. This was thought a very appropriate name as the new Parish was home to many young mothers and children and the nearby Prince Charles Hospital had been established to treat tuberculosis. The priests of St Paschal’s became chaplains of the hospital.
St Gerard was born in 1726 in Muru, near Naples in Southern Italy. At age 12, his father died, and he had to commence work as a tailor to support his mother and family. He wished to become a religious brother, but she was refused admittance to one order because of his frail health.
The Redemptorists eventually accepted him, labelling him ‘a useless lay brother.’ He worked very hard and much of his life as a brother was spent in travelling with and assisting the missionaries. They deemed him an invaluable companion because he had such remarkable success in bringing sinners to the sacraments.
After only 6 years, he died of TB.
Many miraculous stories are associated with him, including the one of the Child Jesus giving him the loaf of bread, depicted in our statue - which was found by Fr Gerard McMorrow during his travels in Belgium, bought and shipped to Brisbane and restored. The statue dates from the time between when St Gerard was beatified in 1893 and canonised in 1904.