History

Regina Coeli Parish Beverly Hills was established as a Parish in 1946. The first Parish Priest was Father William Evans who during the Second World War was a Chaplain in the Royal Australian Navy. He served on the HMAS ‘Canberra’ and was on board when the ‘Canberra’ was sunk off Savo Island in August 1942. He was rescued by the USS ‘Paterson’ and was also present at the Battle of the Coral Sea. This experience naturally had a great effect on Father Evans who developed a deep respect for the Americans and a desire to commemorate the friendship between Australia and the United States. The Parish Church commemorates Australian and American friendship in war and peace, and is also a war memorial to those who gave their lives in the Battle of the Coral Sea.

The foundation of the church was laid by his Eminence, Norman Thomas Cardinal Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney, on Coral Sea Sunday, 6 May 1962 and the church was officially opened on Coral Sea Sunday, 5th May 1963.

PASTORS OF REGINA COELI

Fr William David EVANS: 1946 – 1965
Fr William MALONE: 1965 – 1996
Fr Paul William HILDER: 1996 – 2008
Fr Thu NGUYEN: 2009 – 2010
Fr Arthur GIVNEY: 2010 – 2014
Fr Paul SMITHERS: 2014 – 2017 (Administrator)
Fr Peter Kwak: 2017 (December) – present