1886
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LISMORE
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PARISH OF ST PATRICK SMITHTOWN |
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FOUNDED 1886 |
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DIOCESE LISMORE |
| PARISH CHURCH | STATION CHURCHES | HISTORIC CHURCHES |
| OTHER BUILDINGS | RELIGIOUS ORDERS | PARISH DIRECTORY |
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| PARISH CHURCH OF ST PATRICK | ||
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| PARISH | HISTORY | CHURCH |
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 | PARISH |
| THE SMALL TOWNSHIP OF SMITHTOWN LIES ON THE LOWER MACELAY RIVER ABOUT 15KM FROM KEMPSEY. ALTHOUGH OVERSHADOWED TODAY BY ITS LARGER NEIGHBOUR IT WAS ONCE AN IMPORTANT SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE SURROUNDING FARMLANDS. TODAY IT IS A SLEEPY LITTLE PLACE NOTED MAINLY FOR THE NESTLE FACTORY ESTABLISHED THERE. THE EXISTANCE OF THE PARISH OF SMITHTOWN IS AN OUTCOME OF TWO PECULIARITIES OF NORTH COAST HISTORY. THE FIRST OF THESE WAS THE TENDANCY OF DEVELOPMENT TO FOLLOW PATHS DIFFERENT TO THE FORECASTS OF PLANNERS RESULTING IN MANY EARLY PARISHES BEING FOUNDED IN AREAS THAT LATER FAILED TO GROW. WHILE MANY OF THESE ULTIMATELY DISAPPEARED OR WHERE MOVED, SMITHTOWN HAS ALWAYS MANAGED TO HANG ON, IN PART AS A RESULT OF THE SECOND FEATURE OF THE NORTH COAST, THE CLUSTERING OF PARISHES IN THE MAJOR RIVER VALLEYS. THE PARISH OF SMITHTOWN WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1886 TO COVER THE LOWER MACLEAY VALLEY AS FAR NORTH AS THE RIVER MOUTH AT STUART'S POINT AND INCLUDED STATIONS AT BELMORE RIVER, EUNGAI, SOUTH WEST ROCKS AND JERSEYVILLE. THE PARISH HAS NOT CHANGED IN AREA OVER THE LAST CENTURY AND REMAINS SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS WHEN IT WAS FIRST FORMED. DESPITE MANY TRAVAILS OVER THE YEARS THE PARISH IS STILL VERY ACTIVE TODAY. HISTORY | |
| PARISH OF ARAKOON | |
| BRIEF MENTION MUST BE MADE UNDER SMITHTOWN OF WHAT MUST SURELY RANK AS ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL PARISHES EVER TO EXIST IN THE AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. IN THE 1890's THE GOVERNMENT MADE A DECISION TO BUILD A GAOL AT TRIAL BAY AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT THIS WOULD LEAD TO INCREASED SETTLEMENT IN THE AREA. THE BISHOP OF LISMORE ANTICIPATED THIS DEVELOPMENT BY ERECTING THE PARISH OF ARAKOON IN 1894. THE PARISH POSSESSED NO CHURCHES OR FACILITIES AND THE PRINCIPLE JOB OF THE PARISH PRIEST WAS AS CHAPLAIN TO THE GAOL. THE FAILURE OF THE GAOL AND ITS CLOSURE LED TO THE SUPPRESSION OF THE PARISH WITHIN THE DECADE BUT IT REMAINS AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL FOOTNOTE TO THE STORY OF THE LISMORE DIOCESE. | |
| FIRST CHURCH OF ST PATRICK, SMITHTOWN |  |
| THE FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST PATRICK WAS A SMALL WOODEN BUILDING CONSISTING OF A NAVE AND PORCH CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1860. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED IN 1886 WHEN THE SECOND CHURCH WAS BUILT. | |
| SECOND CHURCH OF ST PATRICK, SMITHTOWN | |
| IN 1886 TO ACCOMODATE THE ELEVATION OF SMITHTOWN TO PAROCHIAL STATUS A LARGE WOODEN BUILDING WAS ERECTED ON THE SAME SITE AND BECAME THE PARISH CHURCH. OF IMPOSING PROPORTIONS IT CONSISTED OF A NAVE, PORCH AND TRANSEPTS ( RIGHT ) AND SERVED THE TOWN FOR JUST ON 90 YEARS UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED WITH THE PRESENT CHURCH. NEXT |
 | <<<< THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH IN 1973 SHOWING THE RE-ORDERING OF THE SANCTUARY TO ACCORD WITH VATICAN II. vvvv IN COMPARISON IS THE CHURCH'S ORIGINAL HIGH ALTAR. THIRD CHURCH |
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 | THIRD CHURCH OF ST PATRICK, SMITHTOWN |
| BY THE 1970's THE OLD CHURCH WAS SHOWING CONSIDERABLE SIGNS OF WEAR. EQUALLY THERE WAS A STRONG MOVEMENT TOWARDS CHURCHES CONSTRUCTED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NEW LITURGICAL RULES. AS A RESULT 1974 SAW THE OPENING OF THE PRESENT ST PATRICK'S ON THE SAME SITE AS THE OLD PARISH CHURCH. NEXT | |
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| THE CHURCH WAS BUILT TO ACCOMODATE THE "CHURCH IN THE ROUND" THEORIES PREVALENT AT THE TIME AND IS SHAPED LIKE A FLATTENED DIAMOND. ACROSS THE FRONT IS A GLASS ENTRANCE WALL WITH THE ROOF RISING TO A PEAK OVER THE SANCTUARY. A TALL CROSS IS MOUNTED ON THE REAR WALL AND DOMINATES THE EXTERNAL VIEW OF THE CHURCH. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST IS THE BELL TOWER WHICH WAS RETAINED WHEN THE OLD CHURCH WAS DEMOLISHED. IT CONTAINS ONE OF THE OLDEST BELLS IN THE DIOCESE. |
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| THE WARM BRICK INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH ALSO REFLECTS THE LITURGICAL IDEAS OF CURRENT AT THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION. A PLAIN SHALLOW OPEN-PLAN SANCTUARY WITH A TABLE STYLE ALTAR, A LARGE WALL CRUCIFIX AND CARVED WOODEN STATUES OF OUR LADY AND ST JOSEPH ON THE LEFT AND THE TABERNACLE DIRECTLY BENEATH THE CRUCIFIX FORMS THE LITURGICAL FOCUS OF THE CHURCH. A HIDDEN SKYLIGHT DIRECTS NATURAL SUNLIGHT DIRECLTY ON TO THE ALTAR AND TABERNACLE. MOVES TOWARDS A MORE TRADITIONAL PIETY CAN BE SEEN IN THE STATUES ON THE RIGHT OF OUR LADY AND THE HOLY INFANT OF PRAGUE WHICH WERE ADDED LATER ALONG WITH THE IMAGE OF OUR LORD OF DIVINE MERCY A DEVOTION FOR WHICH THE CHURCH HAS GAINED SOME FAME. AN IMAGE OF THE SACRED HEART HAS BEEN PLACED BEFORE THE ALTAR. NEXT |  |
 | <<<< THE INTERIOR VIEWED FROM THE OPPOSITE ANGLE THE SIMPLE TABLE-ALTAR AND THE CENTRALY LOCATED TABERNACLE FLANKED BY TWIN CANDELABRA vvvv. NEXT |
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| THE ALTAR DURING ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. NEXT | THE TABERNACLE SET ON AN UNUSUAL MENSA-LIKE STAND. NEXT |
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| THE LEFT SIDE MODERN STATUES OF OUR LADY AND ST JOSEPH THE WORKER. |  | THE RIGHT SIDE TRADITONAL STATUES WHICH WERE RESTORED IN THE 1990's. |
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 | THE VIEW TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE CHURCH SHOWS THE "CHURCH IN THE ROUND" STYLE SEATING AND THE SLIGHTLY SLOPING FLOOR TOWARDS THE ALTAR. A WALL OF GLASS PROVIDES NATURAL LIGHTING TO THE CHURCH. BELOW CAN BE SEEN THE FOUNDATION PLAQUE WHICH COMMEMORATES THE OPENING OF THE CHURCH IN 1974. NEXT |
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 | THE INTERIOR DECORATION OF THE CHURCH WAS INTENDED FROM THE OUTSET TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE DESIGN. THIS CAN BE SEEN FOR EXAMPLE IN THE MODERN MINIMALIST STATIONS OF THE CROSS ( RIGHT ) WHICH ARE PLACED 70's STYLE IN A GROUP ALONG A SINGLE WALL AS WELL AS THE CRUCIFIX AND GROUPED STATUES OF ST MARY AND ST JOSEPH. IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO THIS ARE THE MANY ADDITIONS MADE LATER SUCH AS SEVERAL SACRED IMAGES AROUND THE WALLS, THE TRADITIONAL STATUES OF OUR LADY AND THE HOLY INFANT IN THE SANCTUARY AND THE STATUE OF ST THERESE OF OF THE CHILD JESUS FOUND AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH ( LEFT ). IT IS THESE CONTRASTS THAT MAKE ST PATRICK'S SUCH AN INTERESTING MIX OF THE OLD AND NEW IN CATHOLICISM. TOP STATION CHURCHES |  |
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| STATION CHURCHES |
| SOUTH WEST ROCKS |
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| CHURCH OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA, SOUTH WEST ROCKS | |
 | STATION |
| SOUTH WEST ROCKS IS A BEACHSIDE VILLAGE NORTH-EAST OF KEMPSEY AT THE MOUTH OF THE MACLEAY RIVER. ORIGINALLY A FISHING VILLAGE IT HAS SEEN CONSIDERABLE DEVELOPMENT IN RECENT YEARS AS PEOPLE MOVE ALONG THE COAST TO ESCAPE THE URBAN SPRAWL. AS A RESULT THE VILLAGE TODAY SUFFERS FROM ITS OWN BRAND OF SPRAWL WITH A TYPICAL MIX OF COAST RESIDENTS, RETIREES AND HOLIDAY MAKERS. SOUTH WEST ROCKS BECAME A STATION OF SMITHTOWN IN THE ERALY 1900's. INITIALLY MASSES WAS HELD IN RAFFERTY'S HALL FOR THE LOCAL CATHOLICS OR THEY ATTENDED THE CHURCH AT JERSEYVILLE UNTIL A CHURCH WAS BUILT IN THE 1920's. NEXT | |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE SIMPLE LITTLE CHURCH OF OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA WAS BUILT IN 1926. ORIGINALLY IT CONSISTED OF A NAVE AND SACRISTY ONLY. AN ADDITIONAL ROOM WAS ADDED AS ACCOMODATION FOR THE PRIEST WHEN HE CAME DOWN ON SATURDAY NIGHTS FOR EARLY MORNING MASS. THE SITE WAS IS LARGELY ROCK AND AWKWARD TO BUILD ON AND THE CHURCH HAS HAD TO BE BUILT UP TO ACCOMODATE THE SLOPE AT THE REAR OF THE CHURCH. BECAUSE THE ROCKS WAS A POPULAR HOLIDAY RESORT THE NUMBERS AT MASS SWELLED DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON NECESSITATING SEVERAL EXTENSIONS. IN THE EARLY 70's A VERANDAH WAS PLACED ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH AND AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE AND GLASS DOORWAYS INSTALLED. IN 1976 THE CHURCH WAS WIDENED ON THE NORTH THUS CREATING AN AISLED CHURCH ON BOTH SIDES TO ACCOMODATE THE EXTRA NUMBERS. NEXT |
 | <<<< THE VIEW FROM THE REAR SHOWING THE SACRISTY AND FORMER "PRIEST'S FLAT". UNUSUALLY THE CHURCH HAS TWO SMALL SIDE WINDOWS INSERTED IN THE EAST WALL. ANOTHER UNUSUAL FEATURE OF THE CHURCH IS THE SMALL GARAGE BUILT TO HOUSE THE PRIEST'S CAR WHEN HE CAME DOWN OVERNIGHT. TODAY IT IS USED AS A STORAGE SHED FOR THE CHURCH. >>>> |  |
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| THE LOVELY INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH REFLECTS THE OVERALL SIMPLICITY OF THE BUILDING. THE FOCUS IS CLEARLY TOWARDS THE SANCTUARY WHOSE BIG DOMINATING CRUCIFIX IMMEDIATELY STRIKES THE SENSES. THE SEATING HAS BEEN ARRANGED SO AS TO ENHANCE THIS FOCUS BY RETAINING A CLEAR DEFINITION OF NAVE AND CHANCEL DESPITE REMOVING OF THE OLD RAILS. NEXT |  |
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 | THE FREE-STANDING ALTAR WAS INSTALLED IN THE 70's WHEN THE INTERIOR WAS RE-ORGANISED. AT THE SAME TIME THE ORIGINAL TABERNACLE FROM THE OLD SMITHTOWN ALTAR WAS INSTALLED IN THE WALL AND THE CRUCIFIX MOUNTED ABOVE IT. THE CROSS WAS MADE AND THE CORPUS ATTACHED TO IT BY A LOCAL PARISHIONER, FRANK HARRIS AND IT WAS SO MASSIVE THAT IT CAUSED FR O'HARE, THE THEN PARISH PRIEST, TO FEAR THAT IT WOULD FALL DOWN ON HIM WHILE HE WAS SAYING MASS. FORTUNATELY THE FEAR WAS UNFOUNDED AND THE CROSS REMAINS FIRMLY ATTACHED TO THIS DAY. AN UNUSUAL HANGOVER FROM FORMER TIMES IS THE USE OF COLOURED ALTAR FRONTALS FOR THE SEASON AN OLD PRACTICE GENERALLY ALLOWED TO FALL INTO DISUSE AFTER VATICAN II. NEXT |
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| THE LEFT SIDE STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART GIVEN BY MISS WIN LANDERS. |  | THE RIGHT SIDE STATUE OF OUR LADY WAS ALSO GIVEN BY MISS WIN LANDERS. |
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| <<<< THE BAPTISMAL FONT & AMBO ^^^^ >> ONE OF THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS. | ||
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| THE NAVE ( LEFT ) SHOWING THE SIDE AISLES ADDED IN THE 70's AND THE TRADITIONAL STATIONS OF THE CROSS MOUNTED ABOVE AND ( RIGHT ) THE ENTRANCE TO THE SMALL CONFESSIONAL WHICH WAS ADDED TO THE REAR OF THE CHURCH AT THE SAME TIME. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES | ||
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |||
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| BELMORE RIVER | EUNGAI RAIL | JERSEYVILLE | |
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| CHURCH OF ST BRIGID, BELMORE RIVER | |
 | THE BELMORE RIVER AREA WAS ORIGINALLY CLEARED FOR SUGAR CANE BUT PROVED UNSUITABLE SO IT WAS CONVERTED TO DAIRY FARMS. TODAY THE AREA CONSISTS LARGELY OF SMALL FARMS. A STATION OF SMITHTOWN FROM ITS EARLY DAYS, MASSES WERE AT FIRST HELD IN PRIVATE HOMES. LATER THE COMMUNITY HALL WAS USED AS A MASS CENTRE. IN 1919 A LOCAL CATHOLIC, ANDY RYAN, DONATED HALF AN ACRE OF HIS LAND TO THE PARISH AND THE LITTLE WOODEN CHURCH OF ST BRIGID, NAMED AFTER ANDY'S ELDEST SISTER WAS BUILT FOR THE CATHOLICS OF BELMORE RIVER. THE ATTRACTIVE LITTLE CHURCH COMPRISED A NAVE, PORCH AND SACRISTY WITH PRETTY CARGVED WOODWORK DECORATION. IN 1947 A SEVERE WIND STORM SHIFTED THE BUILDING 7' OFF ITS BLOCKS REQUIRING A NEW SET OF BLOCKS AND BRICKED IN FOUNDATIONS. SHIFTS IN THE DEMOGRAPHY OF THE AREA AND ESPECIALLY THE DECLINE IN THE IRISH CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SAW THE CHURCH CLOSED IN THE 60's. IN 1972 IT WAS DECIDED TO SELL THE CHURCH AND THE BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED WHILE THE FURNISHINGSWERE PUT TO USE IN THE NEW CHURCH BUILT AT CRESCENT HEAD. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF DOLOURS, EUNGAI RAIL | |
 | EUNGAI RAIL DEVELOPED AROUND THE RAILWAY STATION FOR EUNGAI CREEK. TODAY THE OLD STATION IS UNUSED AND THE VILLAGE HAS BECOME A QUIET RURAL RESIDENTIAL AREA. NEXT |
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| BY THE 1950's THE CATHOLIC POPULATION AROUND EUNGAI HAD GROWN SUFFICIENTLY TO WARRANT A CHURCH WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THE POPULATION OF JERSEYVILLE HAD DECLINED. ACCORDINGLY THE OLD STATION CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF DOLOURS WAS MOVED TO EUNGAI RAIL WHERE IT SERVED AS THE MASS STATION FOR SOME FORTY YEARS. AN IMPRESSIVE STRUCTURE FOR A SMALL COUNTRY LOCALITY IT COMPRISED A NAVE, PORCH AND SACRISTY SIMILAR IN DESIGN TO BELMORE RIVER BUT LACKING THE ESTERIOR DECORATION. BY THE EARLY 90's EUNGAI HAD ALSO SUFFERED A DECLINE IN POPULATION AND THE OLD CHURCH WHICH HAD SERVED TWO COMMUNITIES FOR A TOTAL OF EIGHTY YEARS WAS CLOSED. IT WAS LATER SOLD AND IS TODAY, SADLY NEGELECTED, USED AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES JERSEYVILLE | |
 | THESE PHOTOS FROM THE ONLY WEDDING HELD THERE IN 1981 SHOW THE WELL-KEPT EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH. |
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| CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF DOLOURS, JERSEYVILLE | |
 | THE FISHING VILLAGE OF JERSEYVILLE LIES ON THE LOWER REACHES OF THE MACLEAY RIVER. AN AREA OF DAIRY FARMS AND THE MACLEAY FISHERMANS CO-OP THE VILLAGE HAS CHANGED LITTLE OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS AND TODAY REMAINS THE BASE FOR THE MACLEAY RIVER FISHING FLEET. THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL IRISH CATHOLIC POPULATION AT JERSEYVILLE DURING THE EARLY 1900's AND IN 1910 A WOODEN CHURCH DEDICATED TO OUR LADY OF DOLOURS WAS BUILT THERE. IT WAS THUS THE OLDEST STATION CHURCH IN THE PARISH OF SMITHTOWN. OF IMPOSING PROPORTIONS FOR A RURAL STATION CHURCH AND CONSISTING OF THE USUAL NAVE, SACRISTY AND PORCH IT SERVED THE TOWN FOR SOME FORTY YEARS EVEN SAVING THE LIVES OF SOME COWS DURING THE 1949 FLOOD. BY THE 50's HOWEVER THE CATHOLIC POULATION HAD MOVED ON AND THE OLD CHURCH WAS NO LONGER REQUIRED. AS THERE WAS A NEED FOR A NEW CHURCH AROUND THE EUNGAI AREA IT WAS MOVED TO EUNGAI RAIL. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES STATION CHURCHES OTHER BUILDINGS |
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| OTHER BUILDINGS |
| AS A SMALL PARISH SMITHTOWN ALWAYS HAD A LIMITED RANGE OF BUILDINGS. A PRESBYTERY WAS BUILT FOR THE PARISH PRIEST AND THIS WAS REPLACED BY A NEW ONE IN 1961. IN 1912 A SMALL GROUP OF SISTERS OF MERCY ARRIVED TO ESTABLISH A CONVENT AND CONDUCT A PARISH SCHOOL WHICH FUNCTIONED UNTIL 1983. PERHAPS THE MOST UNUSUAL "OTHER BUILDING" IN THE PARISH IS THE GARAGE ONCE USED FOR THE PRIEST'S CAR AT THE ROCKS AND NOW A STORAGE SHED. |
| SMITHTOWN PRESBYTERIES |
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| PRESBYTERIES, SMITHTOWN | ||
 | THE ORIGINAL PRESBYTERY ( BELOW LEFT ) WAS A LOVELY TWO STORIED COLONIAL BUILDING WITH A HIGH WROUGHT-IRON VERANDAH LOCATED BEHIND THE OLD CHURCH. IT WAS CONSTRUCTED AT THE TIME THE PARISH WAS ESTABLISHED AND ITS DEMOLITION WAS A SAD LOSS TO THE PARISH. IN 1961 A NEW SINGLE STORY ELEVATED HOUSE WAS BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE OLD PRESBYTERY ( LEFT & BELOW RIGHT. THE NEW ONE RETAINED THE WROUGHT-IRON RAILINGS OF THE OLD BUT IN ALL OTHER WAYS THE DESIGN WAS VERY MUCH SIMPLIFIED. THE PRONENESS OF SMITHTOWN TO FLOODING DICTATED THE NEED TO RAISE OF THE BUILDING WHILE CHANGES IN PRIESTLY LIVING WERE ALSO ACCOMODATED BY MAKING IT A MUCH EASIER HOUSE TO CARE FOR. IT REMAINS THE RESIDENCE OF THE PARISH PRIEST TO THIS DAY. NEXT | |
| THE FIRST PRESBYTERY BUILT IN 1886. | THE SECOND PRESBYTERY BUILT IN 1961. |
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| TOP OTHER BUILDINGS RELIGIOUS ORDERS PARISH DIRECTORY | |
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| RELIGIOUS ORDERS |
| SISTERS OF MERCY GRAFTON CONGREGATION |
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| RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL SMITHTOWN |
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| PARISH DIRECTORY | |
| PARISH CHURCH MAIN ST SMITHTOWN 2440 PHONE: (02) 65675 4541 | STATION CHURCHES OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA SOUTH WEST ROCKS GREGORY ST SOUTH WEST ROCKS 2440 |
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| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
| INFORMATION AND SOME PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE WERE OBTAINED FROM THE PARISH HISTORY PRODUCED BY THE PARISH IN 1986 WHILE OTHER PHOTOS WERE PROVIDED BY PARISHIONERS. BOTH ARE HERE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE. |
