St Mark's Parish serves the areas of Inala, Durack, Richlands, Forest Lake, Ellen Grove and Doolandella.  The parish boundaries are Ipswich Road, the Logan Motorway and Blunder Road.

Our parish property includes our church, the Parish Office/Presbytery, the Parish Hall, St Mark's Primary School, Ngutana Lui (managed and run by Catholic Education) and  10  home units for pensioners. 

We have 1700 parishioners who worship at St Mark's each week-end.  Of these, around 1000 are Vietnamese.  We also have many Samoan, Filipino, Tongan, European and South American parishioners.

The Catholic Parish of St Mark's Inala indirectly has its origins in the conflict of World War Two. The war in the Pacific prompted the establishment of significant US military bases in Queensland including those at Wacol, Darra, Richlands and Ellengrove.  Between 1949 and 1987 the Wacol Base functioned as an important Commonwealth Department of Immigration Migrant Centre.  The Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre now occupies the site.

The Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea (PNG) escalated the military threat to Australia and forced, in 1944, the evacuation to Brisbane from PNG of surviving Divine Word Missionaries. Subsequently, the Order purchased a rural estate named "Woodlands" at Marburg in the Lockyer Valley that same year.    The former residence of Thomas Lorimer Smith, a Nineteenth Century English businessman, the estate was acquired to provide rest and rehabilitation for the surviving Priests and Brothers who had fled their missionary work in the face of deadly Japanese aggression. In 1945 the Divine Word Order opened "St Vincents Seminary" at Marburg.

Two years prior to this event, in 1943, Fr. Aloysius Kasprus (1900-1978) of Poland, a Divine Word Missionary priest, was evacuated to Epping, NSW from his missionary work in Papua New Guinea.

A linguistics expert, he was based there from 1932-1943.  Following relief work in the Parish of Haberfeild NSW he taught at St Vincents Seminary and was associated with Brisbane's Marist Colleges in a Chaplaincy role.  Then followed a seven year term as Chaplain at the Wacol Immigration Centre where many of the migrants during the postwar wave of immigration were placed before moving out to the wider Queensland community.  He was to later publish a book entitled (1973) The Tribes of the Middle Ramu and the Upper Keram Rivers (North-East New Guinea). This learned man was to become the first Catholic priest of Inala. At war's end a group of former servicemen led by Mr. Hock Davis established the Serviceton Cooperative Society in Brisbane. Just as the Divine Word Missionary Priests and Brothers found themselves at Marburg starting a new venture as a direct result of the war, so too the suburb of Inala found its origin in these Returned Servicemen's attempts to build a new life for their families in the post war years on land bought by their Cooperative.   They intended to use this land at Boyland's Pocket, by now unofficially called "Serviceton", as a new settlement to house their families.

Their failed venture was revived in 1949 by the State Government which purchased their 480 hectares of land, then meticulously planned and built an ambitious public housing project in a society still affected by war-time shortages. The construction of this satellite city was a significant government commitment to mitigate the post-war housing crisis.  Concrete, brick, and timber homes were constructed using labour and materials from South Australia, Italy, France, and Sweden.

Coincidentally, the international composition of the labour and materials used in the construction of the physical form of the new suburb was to be reflected over decades in the diverse national origins of its later populations.  The Wacol Migrant Centre's proximity to Inala saw many people from Great Britain and Europe join the Parish in the post-war period.  The partition of Europe under Soviet occupation resulted in others from Eastern Europe settling in the region.  Different Commonwealth Assisted Migration programmes in later years added to the Parish's national diversity.  Subsequent wars and conflicts around the globe resulted in refugee resettlement programmes which further blessed the Parish with new arrivals.  One of the most significant events has been the aftermath of the brutal Vietnam War. Today an estimated one thousand Vietnamese parishioners contribute to the life of St. Mark's.  In addition to these, peoples from Britain, Eastern and Western Europe, The Philippines, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, and most recently the African continent, continue to contribute to Inala's diversity.

By 1953 construction of what was now officially renamed "Inala" was accelerating. The first residents had occupied homes which were scattered across a section of the estate. The new name itself was from the dialect of the indigenous inhabitants of the area. Originally traversed by related local Murri clans prior to white settlement, and during the period of colonisation, Boylands Pocket and surrounds had been home to these people for generations.  Specifically, the Turrbal and Yagera peoples occupied the region from Redcliffe south to Beenleigh.  Their word "inala", loosely means "resting place", or perhaps, "sleeping place". 

In 1956, at the request of the Archbishop, the "Parish of the Divine Word" was established in Lilac Street by the Priests and Brothers of Marburg. Fr. Kasprus was appointed as inaugural Parish Priest and occupied a small home opposite the current Church. These concrete houses were constructed by the South Australian company Boscrete.  They were made of reinforced concrete poured in-situ between wooden formwork and agitated by machine to form a single, solid cement structure.  So, from the outset, the clergy of Inala lived as did the people of the suburb, in solid working class houses.  In addition, the Lilac Street residence was the Parish Office and Mass Centre.  In the first years of the Parish there was such a shortage of space that during the celebration of Mass some unfortunate Parishioners would sit on the edge of Fr. Kasprus's bath while others outside looked in through windows.  The first baptism took place in this humble building on the 3rd February, 1957 when David Anthony Pembroke was welcomed into the Church.

Consequently, the acquisition of a separate Church building was a priority.  Apart from the immediate need Fr. Kasprus had other ambitions for his new Parish. With volunteer labour the land opposite the Presbytery on the current school site from the Dental Clinic back to the Administration building was cleared by parishioners by hand.  Subsequently, two former wooden army huts on concrete stumps were joined to form the first Church of the "Parish of the Divine Word".  This first Catholic Church in Inala was opened in 1958 by Archbishop Duhig.  The initial seating for parishioners was old school desks, and in heavy rain the roof leaked, umbrellas being needed to protect the choir.

In these early years Fr. Kasprus held varied fundraising activities to increase Parish finances with a view to building a Catholic Primary School at Inala.  Several Lay organizations were established such as the Legion of Mary, Children of Mary, Holy Name Society, and local conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.  In 1958 Fr. Kasprus was joined in his ministry by fellow Divine Word Missionary Priest Fr. Dominic Cremasco.  In 1959 Mr. Keith Brown and Mr. Terry McKenna established the very long-running St. Marks Tennis Club which has been a part of the Brisbane tennis scene for nearly fifty years.  Both men served as Office Bearers, along with St Mark's parishioner Nan Flynn, for decades. They assisted in the construction of two Parish tennis courts made of rolled sand and cement under Fr. Lyon's direction.

In May 1961 Fr. Guilford John (Gilly) Lyons commenced his duties as Parish Priest and the former "Parish of the Divine Word" was later incorporated into the Archdiocese of Brisbane and renamed "St Marks". Prior to his appointment he had been Assistant Priest at Wynnum, Ipswich, Gayndah and Herston between 1943 and 1953.  From 1953 to 1956 he was Administrator of the Sacred Heart Parish at Rosalie before serving for one year at St. Celia's at Hamilton. 

Fr. Lyons and the Archdiocese continued the original mission of both the Divine Word Order and Fr. Kasprus, and land clearing began in order to construct a Catholic school. Utilizing two old tractors, an International and a Ferguson, plus hand clearing with axes, Fr. Lyons, his assistant Fr. Hatch, and volunteer Parishioners including Jack Mellor, Kevin Hetherington, and Tom Melvold turned scrub into the site of the present school. At times they removed stubborn stumps with the assistance of gelignite.

On 17th February, 1963 Archbishop Duhig officially opened the School which had commenced classes on the 29th January 1963 with Grades 1-3 and a total enrolment of 150 pupils.  The children were taught by the Sisters of Mercy who were ferried to and from their Goodna convent by Fr. Lyons or Fr. Hatch.  Fr. Lyons believed that the goodwill of the Sisters of Mercy was vital for the School's success, so to contribute to their comfort while in Inala he would cook lunch for them.  Over the next few years the school expanded under the joint leadership of Fr. Lyons, and Principal and Head Teacher Sr. M Bernadine RSM.  The convent was completed and the Sisters occupied what is today the Parish Office and Presbytery on 24th January, 1964.  The first Mass was said in the Convent on the 30th of May 1964.  In this same year the Grade 5 classrooms were completed and this expansion of classrooms and student numbers was accompanied by an increase in the number of Sisters teaching at the school and residing at the Convent.

assist Fr. Lyons in his ministry.  In 1978, after 17 years in Inala, Fr. Lyon's term as Parish priest came to a close and he was transferred to Maryborough.  In that same year Fr. Kasprus passed away and was buried in the grounds of "Woodlands" at the old Marburg Seminary.

The mid-fifties to 1970 were the main period of foundation and construction of the Inala Parish under the guidance of both the Divine Word Missionaries and the Brisbane Archdiocese. From 1978, following Fr. Lyons departure, Parish life developed utilizing the infrastructure and local Parish institutions which had been laid down by the pioneering Priests, hard-working Sisters of Mercy, and the loyal parishioners of the early decades.  Some examples of these "local institutions" have been previously mentioned, such as the Tennis Club and Over-50s, but numerous other events and activities came and went in between the regular, important sacraments of the Church throughout each liturgical year.  For example, there were Parish youth group activities, monthly folk Masses, drama groups, wedding receptions, dances, and Debutante Balls in the Parish Hall, the last of which was held in 1990.  The former St. Marks Rugby League Clubhouse (now the Brisbane Vietnamese Community Centre) was used for Bingo and annual Christmas luncheons put on by the St. Vincent de Paul Conference.  In 1981 a significant event was a Combined Parishes Corpus Christi Procession in Inala and accompanying concelebrated outdoor Mass.  In the early 1980s there were well attended Masses for the deaf and an associated Deaf Club attended by hearing impaired adults and children from the Dutton Park School for the Deaf.

By 1981 the Parish was 25 years old and it celebrated its Silver Jubilee holding a Jubilee Dinner in the Parish Hall. Under the guidance of several Parish Priests and assistants, and through the unselfish labour of many Parishioners, the life of the Parish ebbed and flowed through the 1980s.  Some of the men who served as pastors to the people of St Marks during these years included Frs. Rooney, Cassidy, O'Dea, Azar, Scarrott, Horton, Collins, and Fr. Terry Madden.  Fr. Lyons did not serve alone as he was fortunate to serve with Assistant Parish Priests Frs. Carroll, Hatch, Wagner, Meaney, Pascoe, Heenan, and Mollison.


On the 18th of March 1989 the Ngutana Lui Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Centre was opened at 100 Lilac Street Inala within the St Marks Parish grounds.  Run by Brisbane Catholic Education the centre's activities and facilities are utilized by Church, school, and community groups from all over Brisbane and is an important part of the Archdiocesan Murri Ministry.  As such it is a continuation of the Church's ministry to Indigenous people which commenced in Australia in 1843 at Stradbroke Island.

In 1991 Fr. Frank Moynihan was appointed Parish Priest of Inala and there began a period one might call the "Moynihan Years".  Born in Ipswich and an Old Boy of Nudgee College, Fr. Moynihan was a Bank Officer before entering the Seminary. 

With the assistance of his Pastoral Associate, Sr. Desley Robinson, RSM, Fr Frank established a well-earned reputation as a hardworking and deeply caring man of the cloth.  Sister Desley had joined the Parish Ministry two years before Fr. Frank, in 1989, following many years of service as a Mercy Educationalist.  Although she retired in 2007 Sr Desley was not lost to the Parish for she continues to worship at St Mark's and identifies as a St Mark's Parishioner.

During his tenure as Parish Priest several projects were undertaken by Fr Moynihan which enhanced the spiritual aesthetics of the Church.  Immediately before coming to Inala he was entrusted by the Archdiocese with the administration of St. Stephen's Cathedral during its complex restoration.  He possessed a firm understanding of the importance of art and architecture in the Christian tradition.  The stained glass windows on the Lavender Street side of the Church were installed during his tenure as Parish Priest.  "Crafted and donated" by Mr. Ted Kalinin as a memorial to his late wife Clare, they were designed by renowned Brisbane artist Mr. John Elliott.  With their Crucifix and constellation of the Southern Cross they enhance the sacramental area of the church and augment an otherwise unadorned wall of glass louvres.

To the left, and above the sandstone altar sit the St. Mark and St. Peter statues which were funded by the Over-50s club.  Designed and made by Mr. Sergio Goubaud, they were attached to the imposing main wall of the Church and represent the role played by St. Mark as a chronicler of the early years of the Church and commemorate his Gospel.  An eclectic artist, Mr. Goubaud also painted the background artwork of the Shrine of the Virgin Mary near the choir's enclave, which Mr. Kevin Weise designed and constructed.  Father Moynihan also arranged the installation of the green pool fencing around the Church grounds which denotes the area as a precinct separate from the school itself.

In 1998 the joint Parish/Department of Housing Independent Living Units were opened by Bishop Cuskelly and Fr. Moynihan during a rather wet outdoor ceremony.  The units were named "Trocaire", which is Gaelic for "mercy", in recognition of the gift of the vast tract of land which the Parish occupies.  The land was donated to the Archdiocese in the foundation years by the Sisters of Mercy whose original intention was to construct a hospital in the new suburb.  The units are situated on the first school oval where formerly Sisters of Mercy taught the school children how to play rugby league.

In the years before his retirement Fr. Frank developed a plan to construct an extension to the Church to provide toilets and a meeting space for Parish groups.  During the period of renovation and construction he removed the original Crucifix which was later installed prominently in the school grounds. The Meeting Room and internal renovations were funded by the private sale of the original Presbytery building and the sale of an unused strip of land across the creek opposite the school to the Brisbane City Council. The extension was later dedicated to Fr. Moynihan as the "Fr. Frank Moynihan Meeting Room". 

In 1995 the feasibility of establishing an ecumenical church at Forest Lake was investigated but this proposal did not eventuate at the time.  Fr. Moynihan was involved in these negotiations and was deeply concerned for the spiritual welfare of Catholics in the new suburb of Forest Lake.  The collapse of the ecumenical negotiations did not prevent him from establishing a Mass at Forest Lake which was held each Sunday at 8am in the Community Hall on Forest Lake Boulevard.  For a time it was conducted by Fr. Moynihan but later Fr. Paul Goodland, chaplain to the RAAF at Amberley Air Force Base Ipswich kindly gifted his time to the Parish to celebrate the Forest Lake Mass.  This arrangement continued from the midnineties until its closure in March 2007.

Although Fr. Moynihan retired in 2004 due to ill health, and sadly passed away in 2005, the parish has a remembrance of him in addition to the Meeting Room.  In a part of the gardens in the school grounds is a statue of the Christ Child.  Fr. Frank had for some time wanted to build such a statue for the schoolchildren.  On his death Fr. Moynihan bequeathed a sum of money to the Parish which has in part been used to construct an outdoor columbarium on the Lavender Street side of the Church grounds.  The St Mark's columbarium is a concrete structure overlaid with granite in which the cremated remains of the faithful may be placed behind a commemorative plaque denoting the identity of the deceased.  In keeping with the celebration of the history of the Parish the school has recently named specific teaching buildings to commemorate the pioneering role of the Sisters of Mercy, and the sports oval has been named the "Fr Guilford Lyons Memorial Oval".

In 1956 and 1958, the Society of the Divine Word sent one, then another, of its own to spread God's word in Inala.  They could not have known that decades later the Parish of Inala would send two of its sons to help spread the Word to the world.  Coincidentally, yet fittingly, two of St Mark's Parishioners have joined the Divine Word Order as missionary priests.  Both these young men are children of the Vietnamese community of St. Marks.  Fr. John Manh Le is currently in Brazil, while Fr. Phuong Vu is working in China.

Currently we have 1700 parishioners who worship at St Mark's each week end.  We are blessed with many young people and look confidently to the future.

In 1967 the current Over-50s club was founded and by 1968 the school was very well established.  The Parish Hall building was completed in 1968 and soon after the school toilet block was added. Around this time the St Mark's Rugby League club was founded and grew to successfully field teams in the Brisbane Rugby League Competition from Under-7s to under-23s.  1969 saw an imposing new Church completed, Archbishop O'Donnell opening the building on the 9th of March and bringing to fruition the vision of the two inaugural pastors to the Catholic people of Inala.