F R A N S A L I A N S

A Brief History of the Parish

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The history of Grassy Park Parish goes back to August 1925 when the Redemptorist priest, Fr John Charlton, realized a need and asked the Holy Family Sisters in Sea Point for nurses to care for the poor and sick of the area. Three months later, their weekly visits started and operated from a shed on Victoria Road opposite where the mosque now stands. A year later, they bought a property, including a cottage, between 7th and 8th Avenues on Victoria Road. They continued their weekly visits, and the Holy Mass was celebrated monthly in a cottage room. In 1928, a clinic was built on the site, and it was also used as a chapel. The following year, there were two residential priests, Fr J.Hughes CSsR, serving Retreat and Tokai, and Fr Ord CSsR, serving Grassy Park.

In 1932, a Sunday school was opened in Retreat under the guidance of the Sisters of the Holy Cross from Heathfield. Holy Mass was celebrated twice weekly in the Victoria Road chapel on Sunday and Tuesday mornings. In June 1949, the long-awaited moment arrived when Grassy Park Parish was created, and Fr John Dempsey was appointed Quasi-Parochus. Funds were raised to build a church, school, and house for priests who could not as yet live in the area. 

In September 1959, an architect, Ugo Bergamosco, was appointed to design Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, and in a ceremony on 10 March 1962, Archbishop Owen McCann laid the foundation stone. The murals on the outside walls of the church, which are such a distinctive feature of the church building, were done by Mr. Wren Sargent. They depict the Nativity, The Flight into Egypt, The Baptism of Jesus in Jordan, the Miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, and the Miraculous catch of the fish. The fine marble altar was donated by Monsieur and Madame Van der Stichelen, the Belgian Ambassador, and his wife in South Africa at the time. On Monday, 25 June 1962, the Archbishop blessed the new church. In 1963, the parish priest moved into the new presbytery at First Road Grassy Park after having to live for six and a half years in the shack at Lake Road. On Sunday, 15 April 1964, the first vernacular Holy Mass was celebrated and received well by the parishioners. 

 

On 31 st May 1971, the St. Gerard Majella Church in Parkwood was blessed and opened for worship by His Eminence Owen Cardinal McCann, and on 03 rd March 1973, St. Clement Hofbauer Church in Lotus River was blessed and opened by Monsignor John Galvin V.G. Thus making Catholic Church Grassy Park with three churches.

St. Gerard Majella, Parkwood: When Fr. Ratcliffe was appointed parish priest, he started celebrating Mass for the Parkwood and Fairways area people at Parkwood. 

 

In 1971, Fr. Ratcliffe was able to build a church at Kestrel Road, Parkwood, and on 31 st May 1971, it was officially blessed and opened by the then Archbishop Owen McCann. The church was consecrated on 16 th October 2001 by Most Rev. Lawrence Henry of Cape Town, and this year, the church celebrated the 50th year of its existence.

St. Clement Hofbauer, Lotus River: Seeing the inconvenience of the Catholics of the Lotus River area, Fr. Ratcliffe started to celebrate Mass in the Lotus River area in some private homes. Later, a church was built at Lotus River, and on 3 rd March 1973, it was blessed and opened by Monsignor Galvin.

In March 1994, the last Redemptorist parish priest in Grassy Park, Fr James Harding, moved out, and Fr Doran was appointed by Archbishop Lawrence Henry to look after the spiritual matters of the parishioners until a permanent priest could be appointed. In October 1994, Fr. Augustine Kunnakkatt, from the Order of the Heralds of the Good News, was appointed parish priest and remained there until November 1995. From December 1995 until October 1997, Fr. Joseph Plathottam (Heralds of the Good News) was the parish priest.

On the 28 th of June 1996, the Parish celebrated one of its own sons from St Clement’s church, Fr. Brandon West, who was ordained as a diocesan priest. In 1997, the house opposite Our Lady Queen of Peace church was purchased as a presbytery for the priests.  From the end of 1997, Rev . Peter Barnes resided at the presbytery and looked after the day-to-day running of the Parish until another priest was appointed. During this time, the Jesuit priests assisted with Sunday Masses at Our Lady Queen of Peace, St Gerard, and St Clement churches.

From January 1998 to 2006, Fr. Frank Whyte was appointed parish priest. The MSFS priests (Fransalians) arrived in Grassy Park Parish. On 16 th March 2006, Fr. Job Kaleekaparmpil (Karikampally) took over as parish priest, and Fr. Jacob Puthiyidathuchalil was appointed assistant priest. In 2008, when Fr. Jacob Puthiyidathuchalil was transferred to the seminary in Kenya, another priest, Fr. Babu Joseph Kudakkachirakunnel, was appointed as the assistant priest at Grassy Park. 

 

In August 2011, when Fr. Job Kaleekaparampil took over another parish in the Archdiocese of Cape Town, Fr. Joseph Puliyilakatt took over as the parochial administrator of Grassy Park parish on 28 th August 2011. In July 2013, Fr. Joseph was appointed a professor at Lumen Christi Institute, Arusha, Tanzania; Fr. Baiju Mundackal was appointed parish priest on 23 rd July 2013. Frs. Mathew Pallichankudiyil, Benjamin Ngade, Noble Nakathingal, and Fr. Ventino Mutume assisted under Fr. Baiju.

 
Many associations and ministries enhance the functioning and ministry in the Parish. 

 

Ministries like the Ushers, Sacristans, Altar Servers, Cantors, Proclaimers, Fransalian Associates, Compassionate Ministry, Missionary Hearts, Rosary Groups, Youth Group, and Catechists improve the functioning and ministry in the Parish. The Legion of Mary, Alpha Group, Charismatic Movement, Parish Youth Groups, St. Vincent de Paul Societies, Men in Christ, and Senior Citizen’s Clubs are some of the groups that operate under the supervision of the priests.