About Us

Welcome to the St. Mary’s Syro Malabar Catholic community, a vibrant gathering of individuals with a Syro Malabar heritage, predominantly from the beautiful south Indian state of Kerala.

Embracing the rich cultural heritage of Kerala, we primarily use Malayalam, the vernacular of our homeland, in most of our services. One of our primary goals is to provide the younger generation with the opportunity to experience the language and the cherished rituals we uphold.

Though our members are scattered across different regions of Toowoomba, we come together with joy and unity once or twice each month for the celebration of the Eucharist and engaging children's Catechism classes.

An important event in our community is the Annual Feast of the Assumption of Mother Mary, celebrated with great reverence each August. During this blessed occasion, we gather as one family to honor and pay tribute to Mother Mary, seeking her intercession and blessings.

In addition to our regular gatherings, we also cherish prayer gatherings at individual homes during special months, such as October when we commemorate Mother Mary, joining as a community to recite the Rosary.

As a relatively young migrant community, most of our members have moved to Australia within the last 15 years. Though not large in numbers, we witness a steady influx of individuals and families who come to Toowoomba for professional and study purposes. As a close-knit community, we aim to extend a helping hand to anyone in need.

History of St. Mary’s Syro Malabar Catholic Community Toowoomba

2014 was a memorable year in the history of St. Mary’s Catholic Community Toowoomba. The gradual growth in the number of Malayalees since 2007 was a significant development in Toowoomba. Even though there was no formal gathering as a community, through occasional Masses and prayer meetings, the community had a good presence in Toowoomba.

Fr. Thomas Areekuzhy, Parish Priest of St. Stephen’s Parish, Pittsworth, invited the Syro-Malabar Catholic families to Holy Name Church where he pitched the idea of formalizing and organizing a Syro-Malabar Catholic community in Toowoomba. He encouraged the people to share their ideas on establishing a Catholic community and organizing Sunday school classes for children. It was during this meeting, St. Mary’s Catholic community was formed. Bishop Bosco Puthur, Former Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of St. Thomas, Melbourne, later appointed Fr. Thomas Areekuzhy as the Chaplain for the community. Mr. Jose Joseph Puthusseril-Trustee and Mrs. Jeena Paul-Treasurer were elected. Mrs. Susmi Jeejose, Mrs. Nimmy Tom, and Mr. Ranjeet Vadassery were appointed as Sunday school teachers. On 2014 June 15, St. Mary’s Sunday school was inaugurated. The community was soon blessed with a visit of Archbishop, Mar Joseph Perumthottam (Archbishop of Changanassery, Kerala). The first Sunday school anniversary was organized in 2014, December 21.

Through these years, the community took shape and made a great impact in our local church. This community became a shelter for many families and students. The number of students in Sunday school gradually grew, and now we also have a lovely choir that helps at our daily liturgies.

We acknowledge the great support received from Bishop Robert McGuckin (Former Bishop of Toowoomba), Fr. Ray Johnson, Fr. Mathew Koottianiyil, Fr. Darrell Irvine, and the entire Holy Name Parish community, who supported us during these years.