1875
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MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE
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PARISH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY QUEEN OF PEACE SCONE |
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FOUNDED 1875 |
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DIOCESE MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE |
| PARISH CHURCH | STATION CHURCHES | HISTORIC CHURCHES |
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PARISH CHURCH OF MARY QUEEN OF PEACE |
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| SCONE IS A PLEASANT RURAL CENTRE OF WIDE, TREE-LINED STREETS AND A POPULATION OF ABOUT 4000. GAZETTED DURING THE 1830’S, IT EXPERIENCED SLOW DEVELOPMENT UNTIL THE COMING OF THE RAILROAD IN 1871. IT WAS DECLARED A MUNICIPALITY IN 1888. TODAY IT IS THE COMMERCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE OF A RICH PASTORAL AREA NOTED FOR ITS HORSE AND CATTLE STUDS. THE PARISH OF SCONE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1875 COVERING A LARGE AREA TO THE WEST AND EAST OF THE TOWN. IT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A NUMBER OF STATIONS TUCKED INTO THE ROLLING HILLS OF THE AREA BUT TODAY ONLY MOONAN FLAT REMAINS ACTIVE. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE 21st CENTURY IT IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MURRURUNDI. NEXT |
| CHURCH OF ST PHILIP, SCONE |  |
| THE FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH IN SCONE WAS BUILT IN 1860. IT SERVED THE TOWN FOR 65 YEARS UNTIL THE GROWTH IN POPULATION MADE IT INADEQUATE IN SIZE. IT WAS CLOSED WHEN THE NEW CHURCH WAS BUILT ON A NEW SITE. | |
| CHURCH OF MARY QUEEN OF PEACE, SCONE | |
| THE SECOND PARISH CHURCH AT SCONE WAS BUILT IN 1924. AN IMPOSING BUILDING REFLECTING THE GROWING CONFIDENCE OF AUSTRALIAN CATHOLICS IT IS SAID TO BE A REPLICA OF THE CHURCH IN SLIGO IRELAND. IT IS NOTABLE FOR ITS IMPRESSIVE TOWER AND HIGH NAVE WHICH DOMINATE THE SURROUNDING STREETS. NEXT |
 | THE HIGH AISLED NAVE IN DARK BRICK WITH CREAM FACINGS WAS COMPLETED IN 1924. UNUSUALLY FOR A RURAL CHURCH IT CONTAINS A CELESTORY LEVEL ABOVE THE LOW AISLES. THE POWERFUL TOWER WITH ITS FINIALS WAS ERECTED IN 1925 IN HONOUR OF FR McGRATH, THE FORMER PARISH PRIEST. NEXT |
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| THE EAST END IS IN THE FORM OF AN APSIDAL CHANCEL WITH TWIN SACRISTIES. THE NORTHERN SACRISTY IS TODAY USED AS A PRAYER SPACE OPENING ONTO THE SANCTUARY. NEXT |  |
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 | THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH IS A CONTRAST IN COLOURS TO THE EXTERIOR. HERE THE WALLS ARE CREAM WITH DARK BRICK PIERS AND FACINGS AROUND THE ARCHES. LIGHT IS PROVIDED BY THE CLEAR CELESTORY WINDOWS ABOVE THE AISLES. SCONE UNDERWENT A RE-ORGANISATION DURING THE 70's IN COMMON WITH MANY CATHOLIC CHURCHES. THE SANCTUARY WAS EXTENDED INTO THE NAVE AND THE ALTAR BROUGHT FORWARD. THE ORIGINAL ALTAR PIECE HAS NOW BEEN REMOVED. A MODERN TABERNACLE HAS BEEN INSTALLED TO ONE SIDE OF THE SANCTUARY FACING THE NORTH-EASTERN SACRISTY WHICH IS USED AS AN ADORATION AND PRAYER SPACE. THE SANCTUARY IS LIT BY TWO PAIRS OF LANCETS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ALTAR SPACE. A LARGE CRUCIFIX HANGS HIGH ABOVE THE ALTAR IN THE CENTRE OF THE CHANCEL ARCH. THE AISLES ARE MUCH DARKER, LIT BY LOVELY STAINED GLASS WINDOWS. HERE THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS IN TRADITIONAL FORM ARE LOCATED. THE GOTHIC STYLING OF THE CHURCH IS CLEARLY MARKED BY THE POINTED ARCHES AND WINDOWS. THE OVERALL IMPRESSION IS ONE OF IMMENSITY. THIS IS A CHURCH THAT EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE IN THE FAITH AND REFLECTS THE COMMITMENT OF SCONE'S CATHOLIC POPULATION IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY TO THEIR RELIGION. NEXT |
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| THE MODERN TABERNACLE FACING THE NORTH-EAST SACRISTY. | TOP STATION CHURCHES | THE ALTAR FROM THE BACK. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL MENSA OF THE OLD ALTAR PIECE. |
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| STATION CHURCHES |
| MOONAN FLAT |
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| CHURCH OF OUR LDAY OF GOOD COUNSEL, MOONAN FLAT | |
 | MOONAN FLAT IS A TINY COMMUNITY LOCATED ON THE GLOUCESTER ROAD SOME 50KM EAST OF SCONE. SITUATED ON THE BANK OF A SMALL CREEK, THE VILLAGE SEEMS TO BE TRAPPED IN A TIME-WARP, COMPOUNDED OF TRANQUILITY AND ISOLATION. THE SOLE REMAINING STATION OF SCONE PARISH, MOONAN FLAT HAS A HISTORY GOING BACK TO THE LATE 1800's. THE SMALL WEATHERBOARD CHURCH WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 1900's AND IS IN MANY WAYS UNIQUE AMONGST RURAL CHURCHES. BASICALLY A SIMPLE NAVE AND PORCH WITH SQUARE WINDOWS, IT IS MARKED OUT BY ITS ATTRACTIVE LITTLE BELLCOTE ON THE ROOF AND THE LARGE SACRISTY WITH ITS WIDE VERANDAH, A CONCESSION TO THE HEAT OF HIGH SUMMER. ITS SURVIVAL IS TESTIMONY TO THE CONTINUED STRENGTH OF THE FAITH. NEXT |
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| TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES |
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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