1981
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LISMORE
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PARISH OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY ALSTONVILLE |
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FOUNDED 1981 |
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DIOCESE LISMORE |
| PARISH CHURCH | OTHER BUILDINGS | RELIGIOUS ORDERS | PARISH DIRECTORY |
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| PARISH CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY | ||
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| PARISH | HISTORY | CHURCH |
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| ALSTONVILLE IS A PLEASANT LITTLE VILLAGE SURROUNDED BY ROLLING HILLS WHERE AVOCADOS AND MACADAMIA NUTS ARE GROWN. THE AREA WAS SETTLED IN THE 1860S WHEN CEDAR CUTTERS MOVED INTO THE HINTERLAND AND WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS DUCK CREEK MOUNTAIN. TODAY TOURIST TRADE IS THE MAINSTAY OF THE VILLAGE. THE PARISH OF ALSTONVILLE BEGAN LIFE AS A STATION OF LISMORE AND IT WAS HERE THAT THE FIRST CHURCH TO BE OPENED IN THE NEW DIOCESE WAS BUILT IN 1887. IN 1903 THE VILLAGE PASSED TO BALLINA PARISH WHERE IT REMAINED UNTIL 1981 WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED AS A PARISH IN ITS OWN RIGHT A STATUS RETAINED TO THIS DAY. | |
| CHURCH OF ST LAWRENCE O'TOOLE | |
| ON SUNDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 1887 BISHOP DOYLE OPENED HIS FIRST CHURCH AS THE NEW BISHOP OF GRAFTON (LATER LISMORE) AT ALSTONVILLE. THE NEW CHURCH WAS A SIMPLE WOODEN BUILDING COMPRISING A NAVE, PORCH AND SANCTUARY CAPABLE OF HOLDING 160 PEOPLE. IT WAS DEDICATED TO THE IRISH SAINT LAWRENCE O'TOOLE. THE CHURCH OCCUPIED AN ELEVATED POSITION SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF THE RICH FARMLANDS AND HILLS AND WAS LIGHTED BY SIX GOTHIC WINDOWS. WHEN THE NEW BRICK CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1954 THE OLD WOODEN CHURCH WAS BROKEN DOWN AND TRANSPORTED TO LENNOX HEAD WHERE IT BECAME THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY AND WHERE IT IS STILL IN USE TODAY 120 YEARS AFTER ITS FIRST OPENING. CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY |
| CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY |  |
| IN 1953 MONSIGNOR O'ROURKE, PARISH PRIEST OF BALLINA, CALLED FOR TENDERS TO ERECT A NEW BRICK CHURCH IN ALSTONVILLE WHICH HAD GROWN CONSIDERABLY SINCE THE FIRST CHURCH WAS OPENED IN 1887. TO ACCOMODATE THE INCREASED CONGREGATION THE ARCHITECT, MR CULLEN OF BRISBANE DESIGNED A HIGH NARROW HALL CHURCH CAPABLE OF LATER EXPANSION. AN INTERESTING FEATURE OF THE CHURCH IS THE DOUBLE BANK OF WINDOWS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEIGHT OF THE NAVE RESULTING IN A KIND OF MODERN CLERESTORY. ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE HALL CHURCH STYLE IS THE COMBINING OF THE NAVE AND CHANCEL IN A SINGLE ENCLOSED SPACE. A MODERN COVERED DRIVE-IN ENTRANCE PORCH WAS ADDED IN MORE RECENT YEARS. NEXT |
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 | THE HALL CHURCH DESIGN IS CLEAR ON ENTERING THE CHURCH. FROM THE WEST DOOR OPENING INTO THE NAVE TO THE UNDIFFERENTIATED CHANCEL THE WHOLE ENCLOSED SPACE FORMS A SINGLE UNIT. THE WALLS ARE BARE BUT FOR THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS AND THE TWO BANKS OF WINDOWS FLOOD THE INTERIOR WITH LIGHT. ONLY AT THE EAST END DOES THE SPARE SIMPLICITY OF THE CHURCH GIVE WAY TO THE WARMTH OF THE SANCTUARY. THE MAIN FEATURE OF THE SANCTUARY IS THE BROCADED REREDOS STANDING IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE BARE WALLS OF THE REST OF THE CHURCH. THE SANCTUARY IS PURPOSEFULLY KEPT PLAIN REFLECTING THE RENEWED EMPHASIS ON SIMPLICITY FOLLOWING VATICAN II. TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE SANCTUARY ARE REMINDERS OF THE CHURCH'S CATHOLICITY IN THE STATUES OF OUR LORD AND OUR LADY. NEXT |
| THE SANCTUARY FURNISHINGS ARE IN KEEPING WITH THE SPARE ELEGANCE OF THE REST OF THE CHURCH. A POLISHED WOOD TABLE ALTAR AND A MATCHING CHAIR FOR THE CELEBRANT CONSTITUTE THE FOCAL POINT OF THE CHURCH. THE TABERNACLE HAS BEEN RELOCATED TO A SHELF ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SANCTUARY WHILE THE AMBO AND FONT OCCUPY POSITIONS RESPECTIVELY TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE SANCTUARY FOREGROUND. THE ELECTRIC ORGAN HAS ALSO BEEN MOVED FROM THE GALLERY TO A POSITION CLOSE TO THE SANCTUARY ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE. NEXT |  |
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| THE MODERN POLISHED WOOD AMBO. | THE TABERNACLE, PLACED TO THE LEFT OF THE ALTAR. | THE SIMPLE SANCTUARY CRUCIFIX. |
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| THE STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART. | ONE OF THE ATTRACTIVE STATIONS OF THE CROSS. | THE STATUE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. |
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| ST JOSEPH. | THE NAVE LOOKING WEST TOWARDS THE GALLERY AND EYE WINDOW. | ST PATRICK |
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| THE CHURCH HAS A MODERN WEST GALLERY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SEATING. TRADITIONAL STATUES FLANK EACH SIDE OF THE GALLERY. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS |
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| OTHER BUILDINGS | |||
| DESPITE ITS RELATIVE YOUTH AS A PARISH ALSTONVILLE CAN STILL BOAST A RANGE OF CATHOLIC BUILDINGS INCLUDING A PRESBYTERY, A SCHOOL AND UNTIL 1987 A JOSEPHITE CONVENT, NOW RENOVATED AS A PARISH FACILITY AND RENAMED MACKILLOP HOUSE. RECENT ADDITIONS INCLUDE McCARTHY HALL, A PARISH FUNCTION CENTRE AND THE PARISH CENTRE BENEATH THE PRESBYTERY. AS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY ALSTONVILLE ALSO SUPPORTS AN ACTIVE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY WHICH MAINTAINS A RETAIL OUTLET IN THE MAIN SHOPPING AREA. A UNIQUE APOSTOLATE OF THE PARISH IS THE 'FATHER MAC'S HEAVENLY PUDDINGS' ENTERPRISE STARTED BY FR DARCY McCARTHY WHICH RAISES FUNDS FOR THE PARISH. | |||
| ALSTONVILLE PRESBYTERY | ALSTONVILLE PARISH CENTRE | ALSTONVILLE McCARTHY HALL | ALSTONVILLE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY |
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| PRESBYTERY & PARISH CENTRE, ALSTONVILLE | ||
 | SINCE 1981 THIS LOVELY WOODEN HOUSE IN PERRY STREET (LEFT), NOW MUCH RENOVATED, HAS BEEN THE PRESBYTERY. THE PARISH CENTRE (BELOW) IS USED FOR PARISH MEETINGS AND HOSPITALITY AND IS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE PRESBYTERY. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS McCARTHY HALL | |
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| McCARTHY HALL, ALSTONVILLE | ||
 | A RECENT ADDITION TO THE CHURCH'S FACILITIES IS THE McCARTHY HALL FUNCTION CENTRE NAMED IN HONOUR OF THE FOUNDATIONAL PARISH PRIEST OF ALSTONVILLE PARISH. LOCATED CLOSE TO THE CHURCH IN MAIN STREET ALSTONVILLE THE HALL IS AN ATTRACTIVE MULTI-PURPOSE VENUE FOR CONVENTIONS, THEATRE PRODUCTIONS, WEDDINGS AND OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC. THE HALL IS A MOST USEFUL ADDITION TO THE PARISH FACILITIES MAKING THE PARISH A LEADING EVENT LOCATION IN THE SMALL TOWN AND ITS HINTERLAND. THE HALL IS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE BOOKINGS AND MAY BE BOOKED EITHER THROUGH THE MANAGER OR THE PARISH OFFICE. HALL INFORMATION TOP OTHER BUILDINGS ST VINCENT DE PAUL | |
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| ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, ALSTONVILLE | ||
 | OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CONFERENCE OF THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY WAS ESTABLISHED IN ALSTONVILLE ON DECEMBER 8 1978 THREE YEARS BEFORE THE PARISH WAS FOUNDED. SINCE THEN THE CONFERENCE HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE PART OF THE SOCIETY AND OWNS AND OPERATES A MODERN BUSINESS PREMISES IN COMMERCIAL ROAD (LEFT). THE SOCIETY PROVIDES THE USUAL SERVICES TO PEOPLE IN NEED AS WELL AS RAISING FUNDS FOR THE WORK OF THE SOCIETY IN GENERAL. DESPITE ITS SHORT HISTORY THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF THE ALSTONVILLE CONFERENCE CAN BE PROUD OF THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIETY'S WORK. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS RELIGIOUS ORDERS PARISH DIRECTORY | |
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| RELIGIOUS ORDERS |
| RELIGIOUS OF ST JOSEPH OF THE SACRED HEART NSW PROVINCE |
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| RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| ST JOSEPH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL ALSTONVILLE |
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| PARISH DIRECTORY | |
| PARISH CHURCH MAIN STREET ALSTONVILLE 2447 OFFICE: 9 PERRY STREET ALSTONVILLE 2447 POST: PO BOX 102 ALSTONVILLE 2447 PHONE: (02) 6628 3047 FAX: (02) 6628 3077 EMAIL: alstcc@nor.com.au WEBSITE: www.alstonvillecatholicchurch.org.au | PRIMARY SCHOOL ST JOSEPH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL 11 PERRY STREET ALSTONVILLE 2447 POST: PO BOX 265 ALSTONVILLE 2447 PHONE: (02) 6628 1009 FAX: (02) 6628 1508 EMAIL: sjpalst@lism.catholic.edu.au WEBSITE: www.alstp.lism.catholic.edu.au |
| OTHER SERVICES ST VINCENT DE PAUL CENTRE 25 COMMERCIAL ROAD ALSTONVILLE 2447 PHONE: (02) 6628 0167 FAX: (02) 6628 0167 WEBSITE: ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY ALSTONVILLE | OTHER SERVICES FATHER MAC'S HEAVENLY PUDDINGS 9 PERRY STREET ALSTONVILLE 2447 POST: PO BOX 102 ALSTONVILLE 2447 PHONE: (02) 6628 5474 FAX: (02) 6628 3077 EMAIL: fathermc@nor.com.au WEBSITE: www.fathermac.org.au/www.fathermac.org.au/ |
