1947
 |
MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE
|
PARISH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES BERESFIELD |
|
FOUNDED 1947 |
|
DIOCESE MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE |
| PARISH CHURCH | HISTORIC CHURCHES | OTHER BUILDINGS | RELIGIOUS ORDERS | PARISH DIRECTORY |
|
| PARISH CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES | ||
 |  | |
| PARISH | CHURCH | |
 |
| PARISH |  |
| BERESFIELD ALONG WITH ITS NEIGHBOUR TARRO LIES AT THE EXTREME WESTERN EDGE OF NEWCASTLE CLOSE TO EAST MAITLAND. IT IS AN OLD AREA THAT HAS RECENTLY SEEN SOME GROWTH AS BOTH NEWCASTLE AND MAITLAND HAVE EXPANDED. TODAY BERESFIELD AND TARRO ALONG WITH WOODBERY FORM AN AN ATTRACTIVE AND QUIET GROUP OF SMALL TOWNSHIPS JUST OFF THE NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY. THE PARISH OF BERESFIELD BEGAN LIFE AS A STATION OF EAST MAITLAND WHEN A CHURCH / SCHOOL WAS BUILT AT TARRO ON THE SITE OF THE PRESENT PARISH SCHOOL. IT BECAME THE PARISH OF TARRO IN 1947 COVERING TARRO, BERESFIELD AND THORNTON. WHEN A NEW CHURCH WAS PLANNED IN THE EARLY 1970's THE SITE OF THE PARISH CHURCH WAS SHIFTED TO BERESFIELD WHICH IS TODAY THE PAROCHIAL CENTRE. CHURCH |
 | CHURCH |
| IN 1977 WHEN IT WAS DECIDED TO BUILD A NEW PARISH CHURCH THE SITE AT BERESFIELD WAS DEEMED A BETTER LOCATION AND IN DUE COURSE THE NEW CHURCH AROSE IN PLACE OF THE HUMBLE ARMY HUT THAT HAD BEEN ST JUDE'S WHILE KEEPING THE TITLE OF THE FORMER TARRO PARISH CHURCH. INFLUENCED BY THE NEW IDEAS FLOWING FROM VATICAN II THE CHURCH HAS A WIDE SHALLOW NAVE GATHERED AROUND THE ALTAR IN PLACE OF THE LONG NAVE LEADING UP TO THE SANCTUARY WITH THE CENTRAL STEEPLE AND CROSS MARKING THE FOCAL POINT OF THE CHURCH. NEXT |
| THE AXIS OF THE CHURCH IS CROSSWAYS WITH A LONG RISE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROOF AND THEN A SHORTER MORE GENTLE SLOPE TO THE OTHER. IN KEEPING WITH THE ORIENTATION THE MAIN ENTRANCE IS IN THE SIDE WALL. AS IS COMMON IN THIS CAR-FRIENDLY AGE THERE IS A DRIVE THROUGH PORCH FOR EASE OF ACCESS. LIGHT IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE DESIGN AND THERE ARE MANY WINDOWS OF VARYING SHAPES TO PROVIDE IT. AMONG THE WINDOWS ARE TWO SIDE WINDOWS FILLED WITH ATTRACTIVE MODERN STAINED GLASS DESIGNS (ON THE LEFT). NEXT |  |
 | NATIVE GUM TREES HAVE BEEN USED TO SOFTEN THE BUILDING FROM THE FRONT CREATING AN OVERALL SENSE OF HARMONY WITHIN ITS SURROUNDING STREETSCAPE WHILE FROM THE MAIN ROAD THE FACADE BLENDS WITH THE LARGELY COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE OF THE TOWN'S SMALL SHOPPING CENTRE. IN AN ANGLE OF THE FRONT WALL IS PLACED THE 'TRADITIONAL' STATUE OF THE PARISH PATRONESS, OUR LADY OF LOURDES ( SEE BELOW ). THE CENTRAL STEEPLE IS FORMED IN A RIBBED DIAMOND SHAPE OF COPPER SURMOUNTED BY A LARGE PLAIN CROSS. BERESFIELD IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE MARRYING OF ARCHITECTURE TO THE NEW LITURGY DURING THE 70's AND 80's. NEXT |
 |  |
 | THE STATUE OF THE PARISH PATRONESS IS LOCATED IN AN ANGLE OF THE FRONT WALL AND IN KEEPNG WITH THE REST OF THE CHURCH IS A MODERN BRONZE WORK FOCCUSSING ON OUR LADY'S REACHING DOWN TO ST BERNADETTE. BELOW IS THE STONE COMMEMORATING THE CHURCH'S OPENING BY BISHOP LEO CLARKE IN 1977. NEXT |
 |
| THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH IS DESIGNED AROUND THE SANCTUARY WITH ITS DOMINATING PRESENCE AND THE MAGNIFICENT MODERN BRONZE CRUCIFIX PROCLAIMING OUR LORD'S SACRIFICE. THE SIMPLE YET ELEGANT FURNISHINGS ENSURE THERE ARE NO DISTRACTIONS FROM THE SACRIFICE OF THE CHURCH'S HOLY LITURGY. BELOW IS THE BRONZE CRUCIFIX REFLECTING OUR LORD'S AGONY ON THE CROSS FOR MANKIND'S SAKE. NEXT |  |
 |
 |
TO THE LEFT IS THE SANCTUARY AS SET UP FOR PENTECOST. NEXT THE HARMONIOUS PLACEMENT OF THE SANCTUARY FURNINSHINGS IS EVIDENT HERE. |  |
| THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS ARE HAND PAINTED BY A LOCAL ARTIST AND ARE A UNIQUE ADDITION TO THE CHURCH. SEEN HERE IS THE CRUCIFIXION OBSERVED BY MARY AND ST JOHN. |
| THE FONT IS LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF THE SANCTUARY. IN THE FAR CORNER IS A LOURDES GROTTO IN HONOUR OF THE PARISH PATRON. | IN THE NORTH WALL, LIT BY ONE OF THE ATTRACTIVE MODERN STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IS THE SMALL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OR PERPETUAL HELP SET ASIDE AS A QUASI-CHAPEL FOR PRIVATE PRAYER AND INDIVIDUAL DEVOTIONS. | THE SOUTH END ENTRANCE PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE CHURCH FOR PRAYER. SCENES FROM CHRIST'S LIFE ARE LOCATED HERE. |
 |
 |
 |
| TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES | ||
|
| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |||
| |||
| BERESFIELD | TARRO | THORNTON | |
|
| CHURCH OF ST JUDE, BERESFIELD | |
 | ALTHOUGH THE PARISH CHURCH IS TODAY LOCATED IN BERESFIELD IT WAS NOT ALWAYS SO. THE ORIGINAL PARISH CHURCH WAS LOCATED AT TARRO WHERE THE STATION HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED FROM EAST MAITLAND IN 1922 AND RESIDENTS OF BERESFILED HAD TO TRAVEL DOWN THE ROAD TO ATTEND MASS. AFTER THE PARISH OF TARRO WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1947 HOWEVER A STATION WAS OPENED AT BERESFIELD TO PROVIDE FOR THESE RESIDENTS. TO SERVE AS A MASS CENTRE A FORMER ARMY HUT WAS TRANSPORTED FROM THE GRETA AND ERECTED WHERE THE PRESENT PARISH CHURCH NOW STANDS. THE NEW CHURCH WAS DEDICATED TO ST JUDE. THE CHURCH WAS TYPICAL OF MANY NEW, AND OFTEN SHORT-LIVED STATIONS THAT OPENED IN THE BOOM YEARS OF THE 1950's USING OLD ARMY HUTS AS TEMPORARY CHURCHES. WITH THE DECISION TO BUILD A NEW PARISH CHURCH ON THE BERESFIELD SITE, ST JUDE'S WAS DEMOLISHED WITH THE NEW CHURCH TAKING THE TITLE OF THE OLD PARISH CHURCH. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES TARRO |
|
|
CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES, TARRO | |
 | THE ORIGINAL STATION AND LATER PARISH CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES WAS BUILT IN 1922 BY EAST MAITLAND PARISH ( BELOW LEFT ). IN 1947 TARRO BECAME A PARISH AND THE CHURCH WAS THEN EXTENDED AND A PORCH ADDED. FOR SEVERAL YEARS IT SERVED AS A CHURCH AND SCHOOL UNTIL A NEW SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN THE 1960's. WHEN THE NEW PARISH CHURCH WAS BUILT ON THE SITE AT BERESFIELD IN 1977, THE OLD CHURCH WAS CONVERTED FOR USE AS A PARISH/SCHOOL HALL. NEXT |
 | |
| THE ORIGINAL STATION CHURCH BEFORE THE EXTENSIONS. | THE INTERIOR OF THE OLD CHURCH DURING THE 1950's. |
 |  |
| TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES THORNTON |
|
| CHURCH OF ST PATRICK, THORNTON | |
 | THE TOWNSHIP OF THORNTON LIES JUST TO THE NORTH-WEST OF BERESFIELD AND UNTIL RECENTLY IT WAS A SLEEPY LITTLE VILLAGE OF WEATHERBOARD MINER'S HOUSES. IN RECENT YEARS HOWEVER THE AREA HAS BECOME A POPULAR RESIDENTIAL SUBURB WITH LARGE NEW HOUSING ESTATES OPENING UP. FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TARRO PARISH IN 1947 A STATION WAS OPENED AND A CHURCH BUILT TO SERVE THE LOCAL CATHOLICS. A SIMPLE LITTLE WEATHERBOARD BUILDING WITH PORCH AND SACRISTY IT SERVED THE TOWNSHIP FOR SOME THIRTY YEARS UNTIL IN THE 1980's CHANGING TRANSPORT PATTERNS MADE ATTENDANCE AT THE PARISH CHURCH AT BERESFIELD MORE CONVENIENT AND THE CHURCH WAS CLOSED. IT WAS EVENTUALLY SOLD TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN WHICH CAPACITY IT STILL SERVES TODAY. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES OTHER BUILDINGS |
|
| OTHER BUILDINGS | ||
| WHEN THE PARISH OF TARRO WAS ESTABLISHED THERE WAS ONLY A STATION CHURCH AS A PAROCHIAL FACILITY. THE FIRST BUILDING OBTAINED WAS A PRESBYTERY IN NORTHERN AVE BUT IT WAS TO BE SOME YEARS BEFORE BUILDINGS COULD BE PROVIDED FOR THE PARISH SCHOOL AND A CONVENT FOR THE SISTERS OF MERCY. WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE PARISH CENTRE TO BERESFIELD, THE OLD CHURCH BECAME A CHURCH / SCHOOL HALL AND A NEW PRESBYTERY WAS OBTAINED IN PASADENA CRESCENT. THIS LATTER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED BY A THIRD PRESBYTERY / PARISH OFFICE OPENED IN 1997. THE LOCAL ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY CONFERENCE MAINTAINS A RETAIL CENTRE IN THE MAIN BERESFIELD SHOPPING CENTRE. A FOODBANK TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF WOODBERRY WAS ALSO LOCATED FOR SOME TIME IN THAT COMMUNITY BY THE SOCIETY. | ||
| BERESFIELD PRESBYTERIES | TARRO PRESBYTERY | BERESFIELD ST VINCENT DE PAUL |
|
| PRESBYTERIES, BERESFIELD | ||
 | WHEN IN 1977 THE PARISH CHURCH WAS RELOCATED FROM TARRO TO BERESFIELD A BRICK BUNGALOW WAS OBTAINED IN PASADENA CRESCENT TO SERVE AS THE PRESBYTERY. IN 1997, HOWEVER, A NEW COMBINED PRESBYTERY AND PARISH OFFICE WERE BUILT NEXT DOOR TO THE PARISH CHURCH FOR THE GREATER CONVENIENCE AND EASE OF THE PARISH. NEXT | |
 | ||
 |  |
| ^^ THE FIRST BERESFIELD PRESBYTERY IN PASADENA CRESCENT ^^ AND THE PRESBYTERY SECTION OF THE PRESENT BUILDING >>>>. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS TARRO PRESBYTERY |
|
| PRESBYTERY, TARRO | ||
 | WHEN TARRO BECAME A PARISH IN 1947 THERE WAS AT THE TIME NO SPACE AVAILABLE FOR THE TRADITIONAL 'CATHOLIC COMPLEX' AND SO BUILDINGS TO HOUSE THE PARISH PRIEST AND THE CONVENT HAD TO BE FOUND IN THE STREETS CLOSE BY THE CHURCH. TO SERVE AS A PRESBYTERY AN ORDINARY BRICK HOUSE WAS BOUGHT ON THE CORNER OF CENTRAL AVE AND NORTHERN AVE (LEFT) AND IT WAS HERE THE PARISH PRIEST LIVED FOR THIRTY YEARS FROM 1947 - 77. WHEN THE PARISH CENTRE WAS MOVED TO BERESFIELD A HOUSE WAS OBTAINED IN PASADENA CRESCENT CONVENIENTLY CLOSE TO THE NEW CHURCH TO USE AS A PRESBYTERY AND THE OLD ONE WAS SOLD OFF AND THEN REVERTED TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY | |
|
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, BERESFIELD | ||
 | THE HISTORY OF THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY IN BERESFIELD GOES BACK TO THE BEGINNINGS OF THE PARISH IN THE MID-1900's IN TARRO WHEN AN ACTIVE GROUP OF PARISHIONERS FORMED A LOCAL CONFERENCE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE AREA. ALONG WITH MOST OTHER PARISH SERVICES THE SOCIETY WAS RELOCATED UP THE ROAD IN NEARBY BERESFIELD WHEN IN 1977 IT BECAME CLEAR THAT BERESFIELD WOULD BE THE NEW SUBURBAN GROWTH CENTRE. THE BERESFIELD ST VINCENT DE PAUL CENTRE IS LOCATED IN THE LOCAL CBD IN A LARGE COMMERCIAL PREMISES INDICATIVE OF THE SUCCESSFUL NATURE OF THE CONFERENCE. THE CENTRE PROVIDES A FULL RETAIL AND WELFARE SERVICE TO THE AREA'S RESIDENTS. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS RELIGIOUS ORDERS PARISH DIRECTORY | |
|
| RELIGIOUS ORDERS |
| SISTERS OF MERCY SINGLETON CONGREGATION |
|
| RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| OUR LADY OF LOURDES PRIMARY SCHOOL TARRO |
|
| PARISH DIRECTORY | |
| PARISH CHURCH 37 DELPRAT AVE BERESFIELD 2322 POST: PO BOX 40 BERESFIELD 2322 PHONE: (02) 4966 1128 FAX: (02) 4964 1646 EMAIL: olol@comcen.com.au | PRIMARY SCHOOL OUR LADY OF LOURDES PRIMARY SCHOOL ANDERSON ST TARRO 2322 POST: PO BOX 246 BERESFIELD 2322 PHONE: (02) 4966 1302 FAX: (02) 4966 1322 EMAIL: admin@tarro.mn.catholic.edu.au WEBSITE: http://tarro.mn.catholic.edu.au |
| OTHER SERVICES ST VINCENT DE PAUL 11 BERESFORD AVENUE BERESFIELD 2322 PHONE: (02) 4966 2299 FAX: (02) 4966 2262 | |
|
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
| SOME OF THE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE WERE OBTAINED FROM THE GOLDEN JUBILEE BOOK PRODUCED BY OUR LADY OF LOURDES SCHOOL IN 1994. IT IS HERE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK FR RON PICKEN, PARISH PRIEST AND LOUISE NERI, PARISH SECRETARY WHO PROVIDED BOTH PHOTOS AND SUPPORT FOR THIS PAGE. |
