Notre Dame means ‘Our Lady’ in French and refers to the Parish’s patron saint, the Virgin Mary. The Parish and its buildings, namely the school and the Church are dedicated to the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: ‘The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship’. From the Council of Ephesus in 431 to Vatican II and Pope John Paul II’s encyclical ‘Redemptoris Mater’, Our Lady has come to be seen not only as Mother of God but also Mother of the Church.