Coober Pedy Parish

A Catholic community that endeavours to live the joy of the Gospel.
A Parish – Family of Families – journeying together, breaking bread and sharing life.

Churches in our Parish

Sts Peter & Paul Church
COOBER PEDY

Mass celebrated in Hotel
ULURU

Catholic Inland Mission
APY LAND

Mass Times

CHURCH	DAY	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
Coober Pedy	SAT	6:30pm	6:30pm	6:30pm	6:30pm	6:30pm
	SUN	10:00am	10:00am	10:00am	10:00am	10:00am

Let’s Pray

Lord Jesus Christ, Divine Saviour, You build your holy Church upon the foundation of love expressed by Simon Peter and you taught us how to love others as you have loved us. Be with us as we build our local Church in the Diocese of Port Pirie. May your presence strengthen our will to serve you and support one another. Come and stay with us in our homes. Let your presence in our families help us to refresh our “domestic church” with your gift of love. Open our ears to hear the voice of our neighbours crying out for your support.

Asking for your presence in our local communities, we ask your blessing upon our endeavours of supporting young people through the ministry of the National Evangelisation Team and our Diocesan Youth Ministry. May their efforts help young people courageously open their hearts to God’s gift of love, give them strength to face any challenges in their life, knowing that with God on their side they can achieve great things. For it is in you, O Lord, we place our hope and trust. AMEN

About Our Parish

Parish Staff

Parish Priest: Fr Paul Crotty

Child Safe Contact Person: Veronika Witham

Brief History

The early Jesuits were the first bush Priests in their visitation, going well North into the Flinders Ranges.

Then followed local Diocesan Priests who cared for the outback flock , from Port Augusta, Peterborough, Hawker and Leigh Creek, until Father Cresp took up residence in Coober Pedy late in 1965.

Coober Pedy was a growing Opal mining town, whilst Oodnadatta was the business centre for bush people. Coober Pedy eventually became the main Centre with the opening of the New Ghan Railway line in 1980 and the sealing of the Stuart Highway, completed in 1987.

Some of those early Priests assigned to the Inland Mission were Frs Michael Prendergast, Vincent Sheil, James Dunn, George Carmody and Bill Wauchope where they visited the Bush Stations, Railway Towns/Sidings, Townships/Communities and various other bush dwellers.

Priests who lived in Coober Pedy after Father Cresp are Frs. Arthur Hackett, Adrian Head, Adrian Noonan, Paul Bourke, Tony Redden, John Folkman, Chris O’Neil, Father Paul Bourke, Fr Brian Mathews and Fr Paul Crotty. During these years Coober Pedy has grown and become a permanent home for over 3,000 people, as well as a popular, stay over, destination for tourists.

It’s unique underground living, the harshness of the terrain and multicultural mix capture the reality of Australia’s outback.

The parish size is enormous as it includes Uluru, boarders WA, NT, QLD and NSW perimeters.

Priests have been regular visitors to all areas of this vast parish, making it a priority to attend local events, such as the Annual Horse Races.

It is no place for those seeking a predictable, regular way of living and demands a quiet presence with a hospitable manner.

Sunday Mass is celebrated in St. Peter and Paul’s Underground Church most Sundays and on weekdays when the Priest is not out bush. A more peaceful and captivating House of Prayer will take finding and has become such for many visitors.

Local RE classes are held weekly for the Catholic Children. The St. Vincent de Paul are very active yet quietly go about labouring in the Vineyard.

Although the Parish seems far away and spread thinly, it is a Parish of belonging and ownership to all Parishioners, who in living the Faith take special care of their Priest as one of the family and community.