A Brief Parish History
The first St Chad’s Church in Fullarton was built in 1920 as a daughter church of the parish of Unley. St Chad's grew and eventually became an independent parish extending the original church building overtime. Further growth prompted a new church building to be built in 1957, with the original church becoming the parish hall. Fire destroyed the church on Palm Sunday 8th April 1990. The decision to rebuild in faith was made and work began on the new church in May 1992.
Today St Chad’s Church has a light and airy design. The focal point is the cross behind the altar which is a stylised design from an illuminated manuscript page produced in an Irish monastery around 700 CE at the time of production of the Book of St Chad (the Lichfield Gospel) and the Lindisfarne Gospels. The Celtic foundations of St Chad have come to inform many aspects of the parish through music, prayer, service formats and hospitality. Since the opening of this beautiful new building, we have seen our parish grow again as it serves the community and preaches the gospel.
Who was St. Chad?
Saint Chad was a 7th Century English bishop. He was probably born around 620CE and he was schooled at Lindisfarne Monastery in Northumbria under St. Aidan, as one of 12 boys destined to be future ecclesiastical leaders. He became a priest and enjoyed walking around the Northumbrian villages proclaiming the Gospel. He became abbot of the monastery at Lastingharn and was then invited to become Bishop of York. Unfortunately another priest, Wilfrid, had gone to Europe to be consecrated to this same bishopric. When Wilfrid returned, St. Chad humbly resigned saying “I never thought myself worthy of it." Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, was so impressed by Chad's humility that he appointed him as bishop to the Mercians, and Chad established his seat in Lichfield, where the Cathedral is named in his memory.
An early historian, Bede, writing a few decades after St. Chad's death, described him as follows: "As a Bishop, Chad... devoted himself to maintain the truths of the church, and set himself to practise humility and continence, and to study. He was a holy man, modest in his ways, learned in the scriptures, and one who was careful to practice all he found in them."
Just before Chad died, feeling that the end was near, he called his fellow monks to him and urged them to maintain the virtues of love and peace amongst themselves, and towards all the faithful. He died a week later on 2nd March 672CE, which is still observed as St. Chad's day.