Parish

Parish

The Parish of Deer Park was formed in 1954 under the guidance of the Marist Fathers who named the Parish after St. Peter Chanel, one of their missionaries who had been canonised by Pope Pius XII in the same year as their arrival in Deer Park.

The following year saw the establishment of St. Peter Chanel School to cater for the rapidly growing Catholic community of Deer Park. The school was opened to serve a population consisting of families who, in the main, had immigrated to Melbourne to embark on a new life in Australia.  The school was staffed by Marist Sisters until the end of 1972, after which time the staff consisted of Catholic lay teachers. 

We are proud of our growing traditions and our cultural diversity, which is one of our major assets and one that we value and celebrate.  Our parish provides opportunities for our students and their families to celebrate our Catholic heritage in many different ways.