ST Anthony’s of Padua, Dimbulah, marked a significant milestone in November with parishioners celebrating the parish’s 50th anniversary.
Dimbulah’s Catholic history goes back further than 50 years. The little church at Wolfram was dismantled and carted to Dimbulah in 1937 and opened the same year. Before then Mass was celebrated in the Dimbulah Hall.
Dimbulah became a parish in 1963 with the appointment of Fr John O’Connor as parish priest.
Cairns Bishop James Foley, founding parish priest Fr O’Connor and parish priest Augustinian Father Michael Belonio concelebrated a Mass on November 24 to commemorate the anniversary. In 2001 the parish returned to the care of the Augustinians in Mareeba.
The Italian choir led the singing at the anniversary Mass and the church was filled with past and present parishioners and friends. Bishop Foley also unveiled a plaque commemorating the anniversary and said he would donate a stained-glass window of a picture of St Anthony of Padua.
After Mass, parishioners, both past and present, enjoyed morning tea with a celebration cake cut by Fr O’Connor, Fr Michael Belonio and St Anthony’s parish council chairman Robert Emmerson.
