History:

St. Gabriel’s Parish was established in 1936 with Fr. Patrick Ryan as the first parish priest.

The first recorded Mass in Reservoir was celebrated about 1919 – 1920 in what was then the Church of England Hall.

In 1925 a decision was made to build a more substantial parish church on Bell Street for the growing Parish of Preston and the existing wooden Sacred Heart Church was moved to Viola Street in Reservoir. The relocation of the church and its transport along High Street caused so much disruption that the shire council of the day resolved never to allow any more churches to be transported up High Street!

On February 26, 1926, Archbishop Mannix blessed the relocated church and named it St. Gabriel’s. Assistants priests of the Preston Parish celebrated Mass at Reservoir until the parish was established.

St. Gabriel’s School was opened in 1929 with Mrs. Beattie as the first teacher. In 1930 the Sisters of the Good Samaritan assumed responsibility for the school. A convent was built for the Sisters at 13 Olive Street. The Sisters moved out of the convent to new accommodation in 1993 and the building was demolished in 1998. In 1972 the first lay principal was appointed to the school but a Good Samaritan presence remained in the school until 1995.

As the area developed and the population increased the little wooden church of St. Gabriel was just too small and in 1960 a new and substantial brick church was built on the corner of Spring and Viola Streets. Fr. Ryan was given an assistant priest in 1951 and the area of the original parish was reduced to its present size when the parishes of East Reservoir (1957) and North Reservoir (1970) were formed.

Fr. Ryan died in 1964 and was succeeded in turn by Fr. Nowlan (1965-1973), Fr. Phelan (1973 – 1988), Monsignor Rebeschini (1989-1997) and Fr. Hoctor (1997- ).

St. Gabriel’s Church celebrated its 40 th birthday in 2000. To mark this event the church was extensively refurbished. Archbishop George Pell consecrated the church on October 29, 2000. A new parish centre was built in 2001 and this was blessed and opened by Archbishop Denis Hart.

To mark the celebrations in 2000 long-time parishioner Jim Carroll wrote the story of St. Gabriel’s Parish. This history God is Strength is available from the parish office at $15.

The beautiful Altar in the
old wooden Church.