THE STORY OF AVALON PARISH GOES BACK TO 1833 WHEN THE PIONEER PRIEST FR JOHN THERRY WAS GRANTED LAND AT PITTWATER. THERRY HOPED TO MINE COAL IN THE AREA BUT THIS VENTURE PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL AND PITTWATER REMAINED SPARSELY POPULATED TILL AFTER WORLD WAR II WHEN THE MAGNIFICENT PENINSULA BEACHES BECKONED TO AN EXPANDING SYDNEY POPULATION. TODAY AVALON IS THE HEART OF A BUSTLING AND VIBRANT BEACHSIDE COMMUNITY.

THE FIRST CHURCH IN USE IN PITTWATER WAS A SMALL SLAB STRUCTURE BUILT BY FR THERRY AT CAREEL BAY ALTHOUGH POOR COMMUNICATIONS MEANT IT WAS RARELY USED. THE AREA BECAME A PART OF MANLY PARISH IN THE LATE 1800's BEFORE PASSING THROUGH A SUCCESSION OF PENINSULA PARISHES. IN 1946 WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NARRABEEN PARISH FIRM STEPS WERE TAKEN TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK OF A NEW PARISH FOR THE UPPER PENINSULA. IN 1950 A SITE WAS OBTAINED IN CENTRAL ROAD AND IN 1956 A NEW CHURCH OPENED. THREE YEARS LATER THE PARISH OF AVALON WAS ESTABLISHED WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BARRENJOEY PENINSULA. A STATION CHURCH WAS ALSO BUILT AT BILGOLA HEIGHTS. DUE TO A DECLINE IN PRIESTLY NUMBERS AVALON WAS TWINNED WITH MONA VALE IN 2000 AND IN JULY 2007 THE PARISHES WERE UNITED INTO PITTWATER CATHOLIC PARISH.

IN 1939 THE PARISH PRIEST OF DEE WHY WHICH WAS AT THE TIME RESPONSIBLE FOR AVALON OBTAINED SOME LAND IN TASMAN ROAD WITH A VIEW TO CONSTRUCTING A CHURCH IN THE AREA AS UP TO THAT TIME AND INDEED FOR MANY YEARS AFTER, MASS HAD TO BE SAID AT THE NORTH PALM BEACH SURF CLUB OR A PRIVATE HOME.

BY THE LATE 1940's HOWEVER IT HAD BECOME OBVIOUS THAT THE NEWLY LAID OUT VILLAGE OF AVALON WOULD BE WELL AWAY FROM THE SITE AND SO A NEW LOCATION ON CENTRAL RD WAS BOUGHT IN 1950 AND DESIGNS DRAWN UP FOR A TWO-STORY BUILDING FACING CENTRAL RD TO SERVE AS A CHURCH/SCHOOL FOR THE PROJECTED PARISH. THE TOP STORY INTENDED AS THE CHURCH WAS THE FIRST PART TO BE COMPLETED (1956) WITH THE LOWER STORY TO SERVE AS CLASSROOMS FOLLOWING IN TIME FOR THE 1959 SCHOOL YEAR. BUILT IN APRICOT BRICK THE CHURCH/SCHOOL BECAME THE PARISH CHURCH IN 1959, A TRIBUTE TO HARD WORK OF THE PARISHIONERS.

THE REQUIREMENTS OF A CHURCH/SCHOOL AND THE DIFFICULTIES IMPOSED BY THE STEEPLY SLOPING SITE BOTH IMPACTED ON THE DESIGN OF THE NEW CHURCH. THE CHURCH HAD HAD TO BE BUILT UP FROM BELOW AND WAS IN ESSENCE A CHANCEL-LESS HALL, THE SANCTUARY DEFINED SOLEY BY AN ALTAR RAIL. HAVING BEEN BUILT JUST PRIOR TO THE LITURGICAL CHANGES OF THE 60's THE CHURCH WAS EASILY ADAPTED TO THE NEW FORMS WITH THE TABERNACLE BELOW THE CRUCIFIX AND BEHIND A SIMPLE STONE TABLE ALTAR. BETWEEN THE YEARS 1959 AND 1966 THE CHURCH ALSO SERVED AS CLASSROOMS FOR THE SCHOOL DURING THE WEEK. AS THE AREA GREW AND THE DEMAND FOR SCHOOL SPACE INCREASED THE NEED FOR A NEW CHURCH BECAME EVIDENT. WHEN THIS NEW CHURCH WAS COMPLETED IN 1974 THE OLD BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PARISH SCHOOL AND IN THIS ROLE IT IS STILL SO USED TODAY.

THE IMPETUS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND CHURCH CAME FROM THE NEED TO MAKE USE OF ALL AVAILABLE BUILDINGS FOR THE SCHOOL. DESIGNS FOR A CHURCH WHICH WOULD SEAT 500 AND INCORPORATE BOTH A HALL AND A PRESBYTERY WERE AGREED AND THE FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID IN 1972. IN DESIGN THE CHURCH IS COMPOSED OF SWEEPING LINES OF CREAM BRICK LEADING UP TO A CLIFF LIKE EAST END WHICH OVERLOOKS THE TOWNSHIP OF AVALON. THE SHAPE IS INTENDED TO RECALL THE SEA AND BEACH, UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE LOCAL AREA, MOST NOTABLY IN THE UNUSUAL SURFBOAT LIKE PROW OVER THE PORCH (BELOW).

THE CHURCH IS IN THE FORM OF A FLATTENED DIAMOND BEGINNING WITH A NARROW PORCH AND SWEEPING UPWARDS TO A HIGH ROOF SURMOUNTED BY THE CROSS AND CONTAINING A SQUARE SKYLIGHT WHICH THROWS LIGHT DOWN ONTO THE SANCTUARY BELOW. PLAIN SQUARE WINDOWS WITH AMBER GLASS ARE DESIGNED TO SOFTEN THE HARSH GLARE OF AN AUSTRALIAN SUMMER SUN. NEXT TO THE CHURCH A LOVELY BUSH GARDEN PROVIDES AN OASIS OF PEACE.

THE PROMINENT PROW OF THE ROOF OVER THE ENTRANCE PORCH IS ONE OF THE TRULY UNIQUE FEATURES OF THIS CHURCH WHICH HAS AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON THE VISITOR. TO THE LEFT IS THE DOOR WAY TO AN INTEGRATED PRESBYTERY WHILE ABOVE THE ENTRANCE DOOR IS THE MARY WINDOW DONATED IN HONOUR OF OUR BLESSED LADY. THE STARK CLIFF-LIKE EAST END RISES DIRECTLY FROM ITS BASE MARKED BY TWO FULL-LENGTH STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS (vvv).

THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF THE CHURCH IS IN ACCORD WITH MANY CHURCHES OF THE 70's. CONGREGATIONAL SEATING BLOCKS ARE ARRANGED AROUND THE ALTAR WHILE THE SANCTUARY IS OPENLY ACCESSIBLE IN CONTRAST TO THE EARLIER STYLE OF SANCTUARY SEEN IN THE FIRST CHURCH.

THE NAVE IS LIGHT, AIRY AND WELL LIT BY NUMEROUS LARGE WINDOWS WHILE THE WIDENING NAVE AND RISING ROOF ARE CLEARLY EVIDENT. THE DOMINANT FOCUS OF THE INTERIOR IS THE WHITE GOSFORD SANDSTONE ALTAR DRAWING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THE CLEAN LINES OF THE CHANCEL AREA AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A CENTRALLY LOCATED TABERNACLE (<<).

TO THE LEFT IS THE DELICATELY CARVED WOODEN STATUE OF OUR LADY FROM THE FIRST AVALON CHURCH IN ITS SPECIALLY DESIGNED ALCOVE. THE STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART IS OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE.

THE VIEW TOWARDS THE WEST FROM THE ALTAR SHOWING THE NARROWING NAVE AS IT APPROACHES THE ENTRANCE DOOR WHILE TO THE RIGHT IS THE CONTRASTINGLY BROAD EASTERN END AND THE OPEN-PLAN SANCTUARY (ABOVE).

THE PLAIN YET ELEGANT SANCTUARY IS FOCUSED AROUND A WHITE STONE REREDOS FLANKED BY TWIN STRIP WINDOWS REPRESENTING THE EUCHARIST. THE TABERNACLE IS PLACED ON A SHELF IN THE CENTRE OF THE REREDOS WHICH IS OTHERWISE BLANK. THE LARGE CRUCIFIX IS SET OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SANCTUARY. THE AMBO AND FONT ARE LOCATED TO THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT OF THE ALTAR RESPECTIVELY.

THE SPARE ELEGANT BEAUTY OF THE SANCTUARY IS IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT AS ONE APPROACHES IT. THE DOMINANT VISUAL FEATURE IS THE ALTAR OF CREAM-COLOURED GOSFORD SANDSTONE GIVEN BY A WELL-WISHER AND CONSISTING OF A ONE TONNE BASE SURMOUNTED BY A ONE AND A HALF TONNE MENSA. LOCATED BEHIND THE ALTAR IS THE CELEBRANT'S CHAIR AND THE FREE-STANDING TABERNACLE SET ON A SMALL LEDGE JUTTING FROM THE WHITE REREDOS.

THE TWO STAINED-GLASS STRIP WINDOWS APTLY REPRESENT SEVERAL EUCHARISTIC SYMBOLS. THE RIGHT-HAND WINDOW COMPRISES (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) GOD THE TRINITY, THE CHI RHO, THE DOVE OF PEACE, THE OFFERINGS OF GRAPES AND WINE AND AT THE BOTTOM THE RESURRECTION. THAT ON THE LEFT (>>>>) COMPRISES (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) GOD THE LAWGIVER, JESUS CHRIST (IHS), THE PASCHAL LAMB, AND THE OFFERINGS OF BREAD, FISH AND WHEAT CLIMAXING IN THE CRUCIFIXION ON CALVARY.

IN CONFORMITY WITH ITS PERIOD THE SANCTUARY AVOIDS THE FLORID DECORATION OF AN EARLIER AGE AND ESCHEWS DISTRACTIONS FROM THE CENTRAL ACTION OF THE MASS, NAMELY THE CONFECTION OF THE SACRED SPECIES BY THE PRIEST. IT HAS ALSO SUCCESSFULLY AVOIDED THE OPPOSITE TENDANCY OF MOVING THE TABERNACLE TO AN UNOBTRUSIVE CORNER LOCATION. THE CENTRAL POSITION OF THE TABERNACLE THUS SERVES TO REMIND US OF OUR LORD'S ACTUAL PRESENCE IN HIS CHURCH UNDER THE FORM OF THE CONSECRATED EUCHARISTIC HOST.

THE FITTINGS, SUCH AS THE SEDE (RIGHT), THE CELEBRANT'S CHAIR (BELOW) AND THE MODERN STEP-IN FONT (RIGHT) WERE DESIGNED SPECIALLY AND ARE BUILT INTO THE FABRIC OF THE SANCTUARY.

ALTHOUGH THE FIRST SETTLERS ARRIVED IN THE MONA VALE AREA AS EARLY AS THE 1820's IT REMAINED A SPARSELY POPULATED BUSH AREA FOR WELL OVER A HUNDRED YEARS UNTIL THE POST-WAR POPULATION BOOM WHICH SAW SYDNEY SPREADING ALONG THE PENINSULA AS PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SUPERB BEACHES IN THE REGION. BY THE 1960's THE VILLAGE OF MONA VALE LOCATED AT THE JUNCTION OF MONA VALE AND PITTWATER ROADS HAD BECOME A POPULAR RESIDENTIAL AREA AND WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEW CENTURY HAD BECOME THE COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENTAL CENTRE FOR THE UPPER PENINSULA.


MONA VALE STARTED AS A STATION OF MANLY PARISH IN 1889 WHEN THE FIRST CHURCH WAS BUILT ON WHAT WOULD BECOME GOLF AVENUE BUT WAS THEN SIMPLY BARRENJOEY ROAD. WITH THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE NORTHERN BEACHES AFTER THE WAR NEW PARISHES WERE FOUNDED ALONG THE PENINSULA AMONG THEM MONA VALE IN 1960. THE NEW PARISH WAS SOON GROWING WITH A SCHOOL STAFFED BY THE GOOD SAMARITAN SISTERS OPENING IN 1965 AND A NEW MASS CENTRE AT NEWPORT. HOWEVER BY THE LATE 1990's THE DECLINE IN VOCATIONS WAS IMPACTING ON ALL SYDNEY PARISHES AND IN 2000 MONA VALE WAS TWINNED WITH AVALON. IN 2007 THE TWO WERE AMALGAMATED INTO THE PITTWATER CATHOLIC PARISH. IN OCTOBER 2008 THE PARISH WAS COMMITTED TO THE CARE OF THE SAVATORIAN FATHERS.

THE ORIGINAL CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART (>>>>) WAS A LITTLE WOODEN BUILDING ERECTED IN MAY 1889. PRIOR TO THIS THE ONLY PLACE OF WORSHIP AVAILABLE ON THE UPPER PENINSULA WAS THE TINY CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH AT CAREEL BAY WHICH HAD BEEN BUILT BY FATHER THERRY. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE NEW CHURCH (IT WAS DESCRIBED IN A LETTER AS BEING AT NARRABEEN!) HAD BEEN BUILT TO EASE THE TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES CAUSED BY THE ISOLATION OF THE OLDER CHURCH AS THE LETTER JUST REFERRED TO ABOVE MENTIONS THAT NO MASSES HAD BEEN CELEBRATED THERE SINCE THE OPENING OF THE NEW CHURCH. SADLY MASSES SEEM TO HAVE BEEN EQUALLY RARE IN THE NEW. NONETHELESS THE CHURCH WAS STILL IN USE RIGHT UP TO THE PRE WAR PERIOD BENEFITTING FROM THE GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE PENINSULA. DESCRIBED AS A MINISCULE CHURCH CAPABLE OF SEATING ONLY A FEW PEOPLE, BY THE LATER 1930's IT WAS CLEARLY INSUFFICIENT TO THE EXPANDING NEEDS OF THE AREA AND IT WAS CONSEQUENTLY DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED BY A LARGER BRICK BUILDING OPENED IN JULY OF 1940.

THE SECOND CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART (<<) WAS ERECTED AND OPENED IN GOLF AVENUE IN JULY 1940. CONSTRUCTED OF BRICK IT WAS OF A SIMPLE UTILITARIAN STRUCTURE COMPRISING A NAVE, CHANCEL AND A BIGGISH PORCH. THE SOLE EXTERIOR DECORATION TO BE SEEN WERE THE INCISED CROSSES IN THE WALLS OF THE CHURCH AND PORCH. WHEN THE THIRD CHURCH HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE SECOND CHURCH HAD BEEN DEMOLISHED THE ORIGINAL FOUNDATION STONE BLESSED IN 1940 (vvvv) WAS REMOVED AND THEN RELAID IN THE GARDEN OF THE PRESENT CHURCH.

ALTHOUGH THE DECISION TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH WAS IN LARGE PART DRIVEN BY THE NEED FOR INCREASED SPACE IT WAS ALSO THE IDEAL OPPORTUNITY TO UNITE THE VARIOUS PARISH OFFICES INTO A SINGLE MULTI-PURPOSE COMPLEX.

TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED UNITY THE FINAL DESIGN GROUPED THE CHURCH, PRESBYTERY, PARISH OFFICE AND PARISH HALL AROUND THE CENTRAL GARDEN-LIKE COURTYARD SET BACK FROM THE ROAD. ENTRY IS VIA A DRIVE-WAY LEADING UP TO A SQUARE ENTRANCE ARCH DOMINATED BY A LARGE STEEL CROSS MOUNTED ON A TALL OPEN FORM PILLAR. A GARDEN SETTING, DOMINATED BY THE STATUE OF THE MADONNA AND CHILD, FORMS AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT OF THE TOTAL DESIGN.

THE PARISH COMPLEX IS PLACED AROUND A CENTRAL COURTYARD AND COMPRISES THE CHURCH PROPER ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE COURTYARD, A PRESBYTERY AND PARISH OFFICE ACROSS FROM IT AND A PARISH HALL WHICH LINKS BOTH SIDES.

THE STYLE IS LOW-KEY AND DESIGNED TO BLEND HARMONIOUSLY WITH THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. THE BROAD COURTYARD CREATES A PUBLIC SPACE RECALLING THE POPULAR FORA OF ANCIENT ROME WHERE PARISHIONERS MINGLE TOGETHER PRIOR TO AND AFTER THE MASS CELEBRATION.

POSITIONED AT THE ENTRANCE WITHIN A GARDEN SETTING IS THE MODERN STATUE OF OUR LADY PROVIDING A REFERENCE TO AN OLDER TRADITION OF A LADY GROTTO. SCATTERED THROUGH THE OPEN PIAZZA ARE SEVERAL MATURE TREES AND SMALL GARDENS PROVIDING A QUIET AMBIENCE.

THE CHURCH'S INTERNAL DESIGN IS BASICALLY AN OPEN PLAN WITHOUT MARKED ARCHITECTURAL DIVISIONS. THE BODY OF THE CHURCH FORMS A RECTANGLE TO ALLOW THE SEATS TO BE ARRANGED IN A SEMI-CIRCLE AROUND AND CLOSE TO THE ALTAR WHICH IS THEREFORE THE FOCUS OF BOTH LITURGICAL ACTIVITIES AND THE CONGREGATION'S ATTENTION.

IN PLACE OF THE USUAL COLOURED WINDOWS THE SANCTUARY AREA IS BACKED BY THE PANELLED WALL OF CLEAR GLASS LOOKING OUT ONTO THE GARDENS AND LETTING PLENTY OF SUNLIGHT ENTER THE CHURCH.

THE SANCTUARY ITSELF WAS MADE COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE TO THE CONGREGATION IN ORDER TO FULLY INVOLVE THE LAY FAITHFUL IN THE LITURGICAL ACTION OF THE MASS.

THE OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE NEW CHURCH IS ONE OF OPENESS TO NATURE RATHER THAN THE DARK MYSTICISM OF OLDER CHURCHES.

THE PLAIN SANCTUARY WITH ITS ELEGANTLY SIMPLE STYLING (<<<) FOCUSES ON THE ESSENTIAL. IT COMPRISES A PLAIN STONE TABLE ALTAR BACKED BY A MAUVE WALL WITH A SACRED HEART LOGO. A POWERFUL CRUCIFIX RISES ABOVE THE WALL AND THE CELEBRANT'S CHAIR. AN AMBO OF MATCHING STONE AND A SET OF STANDARD CANDLES COMPLETE WHAT IS AN ATTRACTIVE MODERN ENSEMBLE.

ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SANCTUARY AREA STANDS A MOST UNUSUAL STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART CARVED IN OPAQUE GLASS SET ON A SANDSTONE BLOCK (>>>). THE ONLY STAINED-GLASS WINDOW IN THE CHURCH IS SEEN BEHIND IT.

IN KEEPING WITH THE LITURGICAL STYLE OF THE CHURCH THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IS HOUSED IN AN ATTRACTIVE LITTLE SIDE CHAPEL WHICH HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR PRIVATE DEVOTION. A PLAIN STONE TABLE ALTAR PROVIDES A FITTING THRONE FOR THE TABERNACLE WHILE THE GLASS WALL EFFECT OF THE MAIN CHURCH IS REITERATED ALLOWING THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE GARDEN TO PROVIDE AN AIR OF PEACE TO THE CHAPEL. A LOVELY HANGING SANCTUARY LAMP ADDS AN UNUSUAL TOUCH THAT MATCHES THE CHOICE OF CRIMSON COVERED CHAIRS.

WHEN FR BOLAND WAS NOMINATED PARISH PRIEST OF AVALON IN 1959 THE AREA WAS UNDERGOING A POPULATION BOOM. FATHER BOLAND IMMEDIATELY SET ABOUT MAKING PROVISION FOR THIS GROWTH THROUGH THE PURCHASE OF TWO CHURCH SITES AT PALM BEACH AND BILGOLA HEIGHTS. ALTHOUGH A PALM BEACH CHURCH NEVER EVENTUATED A STATION CHURCH WAS ERECTED AT BILGOLA HEIGHTS IN 1966 WHICH SERVED AS A LOCAL MASS CENTRE FOR ABOUT TWENTY YEARS.

IN EARLY 1966 FR BOLAND PURCHASED TWO DEMOUNTABLES FROM CROYDON WHICH HE HAD ERECTED AT BILGOLA HEIGHTS. THIS AD HOC CHURCH WAS DEDICATED IN APRIL 1967 AS THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS A SUNDAY EVENING MASS WAS HELD IN THE CHURCH UNTIL SADLY THE LACK OF PRIESTS LED TO ITS MASSES BEING DISCONTINUED. THE STATION WAS CLOSED IN THE LATE 1980's AND THE CHURCH WAS THEN LEASED FOR USE AS A PRIVATE PRE-SCHOOL.

WHEN FR JOHN TERRY RECEIVED HIS GRANT OF 1200 ACRES OF LAND AT PITTWATER HE WISHED FOR IT TO BECOME AN ECONOMIC ENTITY AND PROMPTLY OPENED A COAL MINE IN WHAT IS NOW AVALON. TO PROVIDE FOR THE WORKERS A SMALL VILLAGE CALLED JOSEPHTON WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE SHORES OF NEARBY CAREEL BAY WHICH ALSO PROVIDED SHELLS FOR LIME BURNING. APPARENTLY FATHER THERRY HAD PLANS TO BUILD A CHURCH DEDICATED TO ST MICHAEL ON THE HEADLAND TO THE NORTH OF AVALON BUT THAT DREAM NEVER EVENTUATED, INSTEAD A SMALL TIMBER CHURCH WAS BUILT AT CAREEL BAY FOR THE WORKERS AND DEDICATED TO ST JOSEPH.

IT IS UNCLEAR WHEN THE CHURCH WAS ACTUALLY BUILT BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY BEFORE FATHER THERRY'S DEATH IN 1864. IT WAS MADE OF PIT-SAWN TIMBER SLABS WITH A SHINGLE ROOF AND IN DESIGN IT WAS A SIMPLE BOX NAVE WITHOUT PORCH OR CHANCEL AND UNTIL THE BUILDING OF THE PITTWATER CHURCH IN 1889 WAS THE ONLY CHURCH SERVING THE UPPER PENINSULA. POOR COMMUNICATIONS HOWEVER RESULTED IN MASSES HELD ONLY ABOUT ONCE A YEAR.

AROUND 1917 THE OLD CHURCH WAS MOVED TO NARRABEEN WHERE FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS USED AS A CHURCH / PARISH HALL (LEFT). IT WAS STILL IN USE BY THE PARISH IN THE 1940's BUT EVENTUALLY WAS FOUND TO BE TOO SMALL FOR FURTHER PRACTICAL USE AND IT WAS THEREFORE DEMOLISHED. AS THE TIMBERS WERE STILL SOUND THEY WERE TAKEN TO PORT MACQUARIE AND MADE USE OF THERE.

NEWPORT, THE BEACHSIDE SUBURB IMMEDIATELY TO THE NORTH OF MONA VALE SHARED IN THE LATTER'S GROWTH. TODAY IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR OF SYDNEY'S STRING OF NORTHERN BEACHES.

THE GROWTH OF NEW SUBURBS ALONG THE PENINSULA FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II NATURALLY CREATED A DEMAND FOR NEW PLACES OF WORSHIP. NEWPORT WAS NO EXCEPTION AND SHORTLY AFTER THE FOUNDING OF MONA VALE PARISH IN 1960 A SUBURBAN HOUSE WAS CONVERTED INTO A MASS CENTRE. SOMEWHAT UNUSUALLY IT WAS DEDICATED TO THE ENGLISH JESUIT MARTYR, ROBERT SOUTHWELL.

WITH THE COMPLETION IN 1991 OF THE NEW CHURCH AT MONA VALE WHICH WAS LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMODATE THE PARISHIONERS OF BOTH SUBURBS THE NEWPORT MASS CENTRE WAS CLOSED DOWN. IT WAS LATER SOLD AND CONVERTED BACK TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

AS AN AMALGAMATION OF TWO EXISTING PARISHES PITTWATER POSSESSES THE PAROCHIAL STRUCTURES OF BOTH. FR BOLAND, FIRST PARISH PRIEST OF AVALON PROVIDED MOST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HIS PARISH WHICH INCLUDED A PRESBYTERY, A SCHOOL, A CONVENT FOR THE GOOD SAMARITAN SISTERS AND A NEW STATION CHURCH AT BILGOLA HEIGHTS. WHEN THE PARISH OF MONA VALE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1960 IT OWNED VERY LITTLE APART FROM A CHURCH BUILT IN 1940 ON THE SITE OF THE ORIGINAL 1889 PITTWATER CHURCH ERECTED BY MANLY PARISH BUT BY 1965 IT HAD OBTAINED A PRESBYTERY AND HAD ALSO ESTABLISHED A PARISH SCHOOL. AT THE DIRECTION OF BISHOP MULDOON FATHER KEENAN ALSO BOUGHT THREE HOUSES ON BISHOP STREET IN NEWPORT WITH A VIEW TO BUILDING A FUTURE CHURCH THERE. THOUGH ONE OF THE HOUSES WAS INDEED USED AS THE NEWPORT MASS CENTRE WHILE A SECOND WAS USED FOR A HOME FOR THE PARISH HOUSEKEEPER THE NEWPORT CHURCH NEVER EVENTUATED AND SO THE SITE WAS SOLD IN THE 1990's AS SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS. AROUND THE SAME TIME AS THE PARISH WAS FOUNDED THE GOOD SAMARITAN SISTERS BUILT MATER MARIA COLLEGE AND CONVENT AT WARRIEWOOD. THE UPPER PENINSULA WAS ALSO A POPULAR LOCATION FOR HOLIDAYS AND SEVERAL RELIGIOUS ORDERS MAINTAINED HOLIDAY HOMES THERE INCLUDING THE GOULBURN SISTERS OF MERCY AND THE JESUITS. THE HOLIDAY HOUSE OF THE BROTHERS OF ST JOHN OF GOD FUNCTIONED AS THE AUSTRALASIAN NOVITIATE OF THE ORDER FROM 1979 UNTIL 1982. THE RAPID EXPANSION OF BOTH SUBURBS SAW A NEW CHURCH, HALL AND PRESBYTERY BUILT IN 1974 AT AVALON AND A NEW PRESBYTERY AT MONA VALE IN 1983. IN 1991 THE NEW MONA VALE COMPLEX INCORPORATING THE PARISH OFFICE AND PARISH HALL WAS COMPLETED. A VERY ACTIVE SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL HAS ERECTED TWO AGED CARE FACILITIES AT MONA VALE, THE CHARLES O'NEILL UNITS IN 1971 AND THE GEORGE MOCKLER HOSTEL IN 1976. THE LOCAL CONFERENCE OF THE SOCIETY ALSO OPERATES THE RETAIL CENTRE AT MONA VALE. IN 1992 THE OCEAN STAR PRAYER AND MEDITATION CENTRE OPENED AS A PRIVATE APOSTOLATE AT WHALE BEACH NEAR AVALON. IN 2005 THE DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE ZEAL OPENED A CONVENT AT NEWPORT AND IN 2008 THE SALVATORIAN FATHERS TOOK UP THEIR RESIDENCE IN THE PRESBYTERY AT MONA VALE AS THE NEW PASTORS OF THE PARISH.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERY FOR THE PARISH WAS A TWO BEDROOM HOLIDAY COTTAGE A LITTLE WAY DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE CHURCH. IT WAS PURCHASED IN THE MID-50's AND WAS LATER EXTENDED BY FR BOLAND TO ACCOMODATE A HOUSEKEEPER AS WELL AS AN ASSISTANT PRIEST. IT WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1972 TO ALLOW THE NEW CHURCH TO BE BUILT ON THE SITE. DURING THE INTERIM THE HOLIDAY HOUSE OF THE ST JOHN OF GOD BROTHERS SERVED AS THE PRESBYTERY. THE NEW PRESBYTERY (ABOVE) WAS INTENDED AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CHURCH'S DESIGN (BELOW) AND IS AN ATTRACTIVE TWO-STORY BRICK BUILDING WHICH ALSO SERVES AS THE AVALON PARISH OFFICE.

THE PRESENT PRESBYTERY (BELOW) WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1983 AND REPLACED THE SMALL HOUSE IN HARKEITH STREET BOUGHT BY FR KEENAN IN 1960. IT WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN OF THE PARISH COMPLEX IN 1991 AND INCLUDES THE PARISH OFFICE (LEFT).

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OTHER BUILDINGS

MONA VALE PARISH HALL

THE PARISH HALL IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CHURCH COMPLEX AS IT WAS DESIGNED IN 1991. SET AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE CHURCH AND THE PRESBYTERY THE HALL FORMS A CENTRAL WING OF THAT COMPLEX. THE STRUCTURE IS ESSENTIALLY AN OBLONG CEMENT BLOCK FRONTED WITH A GLASS-PANELLED WALL LOOKING OUT INTO THE GARDEN. THE INTERIOR IS DIVIDED INTO A LARGE HALL WITH KITCHEN FACILITIES FOR PARISH FUNCTIONS AND A SMALL MEETING AND PRAYER ROOM ADJOINING THE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL TO WHICH THE HALL HAS ACCESS. THE EXTERIOR OF THE HALL HAS BEEN SOFTENED BY PLANTING SEVERAL PALMS AND SMALL TREES. ALL IN ALL THE PARISH HALL IS BOTH EXTREMELY FUNCTIONAL AND A PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE ADDITION TO THE PARISH COMPLEX.

OCEAN STAR PRAYER HOUSE OPENED IN 1992 AS AN APOSTOLATE PROVIDING FOR PRIVATE SPIRITUAL PRAYER RETREATS.

INFORMATION AND PHOTOS RELATED TO AVALON PARISH USED ON THIS PAGE WERE OBTAINED FROM THE ANNIVERSARY BOOKLET THE PEOPLE OF AVALON, 25 YEARS A PARISH. SILVER JUBILEE 1984 COMPILED BY KAY KINANE AND MARGARET VAILE. IT IS HERE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE. I AM ALSO HEAVILY INDEBTED TO FATHER CAROL GREW, FORMER PARISH PRIEST OF MONA VALE WHO FILLED IN MANY GAPS IN THE RECORD OF MONA VALE PARISH AND PENELOPE AND DAVID KERR FOR ACCESS TO THEIR RESEARCHES FOR THE PARISH WEBSITE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE PITTWATER AND MANLY LIBRARIES FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING INFORMATION AND HISTORIC PHOTOS RELATING TO THE PAST STORY OF MONA VALE PARISH.