Mission
St. Margaret Mary Parish is a spiritual home to our Catholic Family rooted in faith. We gather in worship and prayer to form a vibrant and welcoming community. Filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we offer support, growth, and guidance with love and respect. Our call is to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and to be a beacon of light and hope for our world by modeling our lives on Gospel values.
History
Father Kyran D. Kennedy was appointed to establish the new parish of St. Margaret Mary and direct the building of a new Church and rectory. A bungalow at 35 Kenwood Crescent served as St. Margaret Mary headquarters and housed Father Kennedy for the next three years. Mass and Baptism were celebrated in the school gymnasium. At the invitation of Father Kennedy, Wally and Henrietta Bodden assumed the position of the Sacristan and Parish Assistants in May, 1966. On July 10, 1966, James William Ryce was the first child of the parish to be baptized in the school.
Clergy and Staff
Very Rev. Msgr. Cornelius O'Mahony
Pastor Monsignor Cornelius (Con) O’Mahony grew up in Ireland and immigrated to Canada in 1982 as a newly ordained priest for service in the Diocese of Hamilton. He has served in parishes in Georgetown, Hamilton, Kitchener, Waterloo, and Oakville, and returned to Hamilton in June 2025 as Pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish. In 2010, he was appointed Vicar for Education for the Diocese of Hamilton by Douglas Crosby, a position he will conclude in June 2026. On December 29, 2022, Pope Francis named him a Monsignor in recognition of his service to Catholic education and the Church. Monsignor O’Mahony has taught Religious Education and Faith and Culture at University of St. Michael's College, Brock University, and Saint Paul University, and worked for twenty-five years with the OECTA Religious Education Formation Program across Ontario. He served on the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Religious Education (1989–1992) and participated in an international research project on faith formation that concluded with residency at Edith Cowan University in 2007. A writer on faith and culture, his 2010 essay won awards in both the United States and Canada. He is co-author of Life is Changed Not Ended and has long been involved in ecumenical and interfaith initiatives. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, writing, cinema, and travel.
Rev. Mr. Rene Marechal
Deacon Rev. Mr. René Maréchal was born in the Netherlands and moved to Canada when he was 12 years old. After marrying in 1979 and becoming a parishioner of St. Margaret Mary, he became actively involved in Parish life serving in several ministries. At the time he did not realize it but God, through these various ministries, was preparing him for the Diaconate. It was Father Bill Trusz, the Pastor of St. Margaret Mary from 2005 -2012, who first suggested the Diaconate to him. After much discernment, Deacon René entered into the Diaconate Formation Program in the Fall of 2012 and was ordained on June 4, 2016 by Most Reverend Bishop Douglas Crosby at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Hamilton. A Deacon’s role is essentially a ministry of service and charity which he fulfills at St. Peters Hospital and at various Retirement and Nursing Homes. He prays that his ministry brings the peace and comfort of the Lord to those most in need.
Divine Dimaranan
Administration/Secretary office@stmargaretmaryparish.ca
Anselmo Guevarra
Custodian