In February 1922, a new parish was formed in the area of Armadale and Prahran.  This Parish also covered the area of Toorak and was accordingly known as the Armadale-Toorak parish  The site was, and is, at 631 High Street Prahran where the original 1880s house, Cavendish House, still stands and is used as the presbytery.

The first parish priest was Father Michael Ignatius O’Brien.  Born in Geelong he had been an AIF Chaplain in France during the Great War.  He took on all the details of planning and building of the new church with a school attached to it.

The church school was opened in October 1922 and the school began in February 1923 with approximately 200 students.  The Presentation Sisters from Windsor Convent staffed the school.  Sister Mary Francis was the first Principal.  A strong guiding light for the school and right hand help-mate for Fr O’Brien, she left the school in 1939 to go to Pakenham.  Many former students remained in contact with Mother Francis until her death in 1961 at the age of 71.

The present Our Lady of Lourdes Church on High Street was completed in 1930 through the generosity of the parishioners and zealous Fr O’Brien.  The beautiful new Gothic church was designed by the architects, Schreiber and Jorgensen.  Jorgensen had given his personal supervision to the work.  A statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was donated by Mr and Mrs Thomas M Burke.  He was instrumental in supporting the church financially and raising funds together with a team of devoted parishioners.

Fr O’Brien’s boundless energy propelled the parish and many young people were attracted to join in its work.  He formed a branch of the Catholic Young Mens Society, together with other groups such as the Children of Mary, the Holy Name Society and the Ladies Sacred Heart Society.  Fr O’Brien passed away suddenly on Sunday 18^th January 1942 after celebrating the 10am. Mass.  He was 55 years old.

He was succeeded by Fr McHugh, who initiated the purchase of a property at 7 Wynnstay Road to expand the school.  After his death in 1949, he was succeeded by Fr Ryder who continued Fr. McHugh’s vision of a bigger school.  Under his supervision a new school was built at 7 and 9 Wynnstay Road, opened and blessed by Archbishop Simonds on 23^rd July 1961.  At this time, Catholic schools had to be built and maintained solely by parents and parishioners.  There was no State or Federal Funding.  The new school put much financial strain on the parish and the property adjoining the church was sold.  Fr Ryder died in September 1961 and was succeeded by Fr Opie.  With great skills in management and bookkeeping he also set about establishing the first Parish Council in Armadale in 1971.  Fr Opie successfully moved the finances of the parish from the red to the black.  Armadale celebrated its Golden Jubilee in October 1972 and in the mid 70s Fr Opie repurchased the property next to the presbytery which became a convalescent home.  He retired in 1983 and Fr Vincent Curran became parish priest.  He refurbished the church and the presbytery.  He was noted for his great devotion to Our Lady and during his tenure of 11 years at Our Lady of Lourdes he was very active in promoting the Walk for Mary.  Fr Curran retired from parochial duties in 1993 and was succeeded by Monsignor Gerald Cudmore who had served as an Army Chaplain for 25 years. Monsignor Cudmore also served as Vicar General of the Archdiocese from 1993 to 1996.  In 1997 he set about the celebration of the 75^th Anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.  To commemorate the anniversary a stained glass window of Our Lady of Lourdes replaced the existing window of the church.  In 1998 the parish was partnered with Toorak and Monsignor Cudmore was also appointed parish priest of Toorak in succession to Fr Brian Leonard.  A popular and gregarious man with wide ranging interests after so many years in the Army, the Monsignor died suddenly in April 2004 and was succeeded by the present parish priest Fr Brendan Hayes.