St Martin De Porres Church was previously known as Immaculate Heart of Mary.
It was first in Kintyre, which was known then as Industry Village.
One building served as school and church.
The chapel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was opened in 1911 by Fr. Patrick Mulry SJ.
The Catholic Opinion, March 1913, reported that Mrs. Eugenie Foley Hart donated an acre of land in Gordon Town on which to build a church.
While overseas in 1913, Fr. Mulry received a gift of US$ 2000 towards building the church in Gordon Town.
In 1926, the unfinished church was opened at Gordon Town by Bishop Collins. It was dedicated to Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1916, Bishop Collins bought Eden Vale from Pierre Vendryes.
In 1917, the Sisters of Mercy made Eden Vale their convent of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
They ran schools that offered academic studies and skills training, and a new convent was built in 1973 on the same site.
The old school was remodelled and dedicated as the St Martin de Porres Training Centre by the Most Rev. Samuel Emmanuel Carter SJ in 1995.
In 1998, ground was broken for a new church. The new church and school were dedicated to St Martin de Porres OP.
In 2000, the statue "Our Lady of the Blue Mountains", sculpted in Italy, commissioned in 1986 by Marcia Frasca, was enshrined and blessed.
At St Martin De Porres Church, we are "Ambassadors for Christ".
Call or visit us to find out more about our outreach ministries.
Ambassadors for Christ
