Carfin Halt, as the railway station was originally called, was opened to cater for the pilgrims visiting the Grotto. Copies of adverts from cities as far away as Manchester are still to be seen in the Reliquary listing fares to Carfin. When the railways were being laid, workmen unearthed human remains, which were believed to be those of the monks from the monastery that existed in that area.

Following the death of Monsignor Taylor in 1963, Canon Mullen was appointed Parish Priest. His main task was the building of the present church and continuing the development of the Grotto. Forced to retire because of ill health, Canon Mullen remained in the parish until his death. Fr Brian Logue was then appointed Parish Priest until he was transferred to St Margaret's, Airdrie   in 1997.

Fr Logue was responsible for the purchase of the chapel in the grotto in 1988. Designed as the multi-denominational church for the Glasgow Flower Festival, the parish purchased the building at the end of the Festival and it was re-located in the grotto using voluntary labour. While it was being re-assembled, the Lockerbie tragedy occurred and the intended name "Our Lady, Star of the Sea" was altered to "Our Lady, Maid of the Seas" to associate it with the plane disaster. This church was then used to introduce daily exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for the Diocese.

Fr Colin Hughes took over as Parish Priest for the next two years after which time the Parish was served by the Order of Carmelites with Fr Joseph Kelly, a native of Carfin, as Parish Priest until 2002 when the present priest, Fr Thomas Millar, became Parish Priest.