Collie

As we approach the Third Millennium, the year 2000, Collie will celebrate its own Centenary. Although given the name Collie, after Dr Alexander Collie, in 1830 it waited till 1897 to be named a town site. Just two eyars later, in 1899, St Brigid’s parish was established. Since 1938 Darkan has been served from Collie Parish for all but seven years.

The Catholic community is proud to have a living tradition with this rich past in the Presentation Sisters who came here in 1902 and are very much with us still. The Franciscan Friars have served the parish since 1960 and the Franciscan Sisters came in 1981. Now we are joined by the Good Samaritan Sisters this year.

In 1899 St Brigid’s Parish was established. First Parish Priest was Fr Patrick Briody. April 1900: Dedication fo the first church. End of 1900 small presbytery built. 1902: Arrival of Presentation Sisters to open first school. November 1902: Fr D. O’Donnell appointed in charge of parish. August 1903: Blessing and opening of convent. 1913: School hall built. 1921: New Presbytery built. June 1936: New brick church blessed and dedicated. 1953: Extensions to convent school blessed and opened. 1955: Blessing and official opening of St Edmund’s Christian Brothers’ College. June 1960: First parish paper called the “Ave Maria” was published. October 1960: Parish was handed over to the Franciscan Fathers. August 1962: Presentation Sisters diamond jubilee. April 1965: St. Mary’s Church, Darkan blessed and opened. May 1978: New Convent opened. 1981: Arrival of FMM Sisters to the town. 1987: Christian Brothers leave Collie. July 1991: History made in Collie with the ordination to the priesthood of Brother Leo Grigg. July 1996: A thanksgiving Mass to honour 95 years of service by the Presentation Sisters who left the school in 1995. December 1996: Farewell and thanksgiving Eucharist for FMM sisters who left WA. July 1997: Blessing and Dedication of stained glass windows by Bishop Peter Quinn.

Patch Story
Our banner patch is designed as a stained glass window, modeled on the shape of St. Brigid’s front window.

It aims to depict the particular character of the twin parish. The rural Darkan is contrasted with the industrial Collie. St. Mary’s Church is set among the livestock in a rural scene: while St. Brigid’s sits in the Collie River valley with the wheels of industry and large smoking chimneys representing Collie. The Jubilee Logo stamps the date.

We acknowledge with gratitude the debt to the Presentation Sisters, Christian Brothers and Franciscan Friars in their own particular emblems. The St. Brigid’s Cross seems a fitting recognition of our forebears, who built and named our Parish Church one hundred years ago.

We thank Gloria Lye, Tilly Amadio and Mary Anne Shine.