THE Vincentian Fathers are to leave Southport parish on the Gold Coast after 73 years of service to the community.
The parish is to be handed back to the Archdiocese of Brisbane.
Parish priest Fr Phillip Fleay said the Vincentians no longer had the staff to provide for the parish in the long term.
In a statement read to parishioners on June 11-12, provincial Fr Greg Cooney said the parish had a long history of moving ahead to confront the challenges presented to it.
‘You have grown from a rural parish to what you are today. You have achieved much as labourers in the harvest.’
Fr Cooney said Archbishop John Bathersby was expected to make an announcement to the rest of the archdiocese regarding the hand-over.
He said about 60 Vincentians had served in the parish, including the present priests, Frs Fleay, Stan Barry, Greg Walsh, Maurice Goldspink, John Halloran and Keith Turnbull.
A letter to the Vincentians from Archbishop Bathersby said that while he was naturally saddened by the impending departure, he realised the need for rationalisation.
