THE SUCCESS OF THE SCALABRINI VILLAGE MOVEMENT IN AUSTRAL, CHIPPING NORTON AND GRIFFITH ENCOURAGED ITALIANS ON THE NORTH SHORE TO SEEK THEIR OWN AGED CARE FACILITY. AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RAISE FUNDS IN 1991, A NEW ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS COMMITTEE WAS FORMED IN 1993 AND WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE LAND FROM MANLY VALE PARISH ON ALLAMBIE ROAD AT ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS. FR TIZIANO WAS ABLE TO GENERATE SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT TO GO AHEAD AND THE VILLAGE WAS OPENED IN 1994. COMPRISING SELF-CARE UNITS, A HOSTEL, A NURSING HOME AND A CHAPEL THE VILLAGE CONSTITUTES A FULLY SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY. AS IS THE COMMON PRACTICE WITH SCALABRINI VILLAGES THERE IS A SCALABRINIAN CHAPLAIN BUT NO COMMUNITY PRESENCE.

THE VILLAGE AT ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS WAS THE FOURTH VILLAGE BUILT AND WAS OPENED IN 1994. IT CONSISTS OF THREE QUITE DISTINCT SECTIONS, A HOSTEL (LEFT FOREGROUND), TWELVE SELF-CARE UNITS (LEFT REAR) AND THE 48-BED DR GIOVANNI MAZZOLINI NURSING HOME (RIGHT REAR). THE COMPLEX ALSO HAS SEVERAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES INCLUDING A DINING ROOM AND A RECREATIONAL ROOM (CENTRE). A COMMUNITY CHAPEL DEDICATED TO TUTTI I SANTI (RIGHT FOREGROUND) MEETS THE RELIGIOUS NEEDS OF RESIDENTS. ALL IN ALL THE VILLAGE PROVIDES FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THE RESIDENTS MIGHT REQUIRE

(<<<<) A SHRINE TO A LOVED ONE BRINGS A RARE CONTINENTAL TOUCH TO AUSTRALIA.
THE COMMUNAL ADMINISTRATION, DINING AND RECREATION BUILDING OF THE VILLAGE. (vvv)

DR GIOVANNI MAZZOLINI WAS THE ITALIAN SOLICITOR TO THE CONSUL-GENERAL OF ITALY IN SYDNEY. ALTHOUGH HE DIED IN 1986 HIS ROLE WAS CRUCIAL IN COMMENCING THE SCALABRINI VILLAGE MOVEMENT IN THE 1960's AND IT WAS THEREFORE FITTING THAT THE NURSING HOME AT THE ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS VILLAGE WAS ACCORDINGLY DEDICATED TO HONOUR HIS NAME.

THE 48-BED NURSING HOME IS CONSTRUCTED WITHIN THE VILLAGE AND IS A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY FOR THOSE ELDERLY RESIDENTS UNABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES. IT PROVIDES 24-HOUR NURSING CARE AS WELL AS FULL MEDICAL SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE HOSTEL AND SELF-CARE UNITS. LIKE THE REST OF THE VILLAGE IT IS CONSTRUCTED IN AN ATTRACTIVE MODERN STYLE TO PROVIDE AN ATTRACTIVE SETTING FOR THE RESIDENTS. IN ADDITION PARTICULAR CARE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO RETAIN A NON-INSTITUTIONAL AMBIENCE.

THE VILLAGE HAS ITS OWN LARGE FREE-STANDING CHAPEL, AN ATTRACTIVE OCTAGONAL BUILDING WITH SALMON WALLS AND RED ROOF TILES REMINISCENT OF MANY ITALIAN VILLAGE CHURCHES IN MINIATURE. A CENTRAL ROOF CROSS PROCLAIMS THE CHAPEL'S PURPOSE AND IS OPEN TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.

THE INTERIOR OF THE CHAPEL DISPLAYS THE CLEVER USE OF SEVERAL TRADITIONAL MOTIFS IN A MODERN STRUCTURE. THE CENTRAL OCTAGON WHICH RISES TO A CLERESTORY CONSTITUTES THE NAVE AND THE OUTER OCTAGON FORMS AN AMBULATORY AROUND TWO SIDES OF THE CHAPEL, THE EASTERN BAY OF WHICH CONSTITUTES THE DISTINCT SANCTUARY. THE WESTERN BAY FORMS THE NARTHEX WHICH THEN LEADS OUT TO THE SEPARATE ENTRANCE PORCH. AS BEFITS A VILLAGE BUILT FOR ITALIAN MIGRANTS THE SIGN OVER THE DOOR GIVES THE NAME IN ITALIAN.

THE ELEGANT SANCTUARY IS PAINTED IN THE SAME SALMON COLOUR AS THE OUTSIDE AND IS MARKED BY A PAINTING OF CHRIST EMBRACING THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD ABOVE THE ARCH AND TWO LOVELY STAINED GLASS WINDOWS HONOURING THE WORK OF BLESSED GIOVANNI SCALABRINI. A POLISHED STONE ALTAR, AN UNUSUAL OFF-CENTRE TABERNACLE AND A PLAIN CRUCIFIX COMPLETE THE FURNISHING OF THE SANCTUARY. DESPITE THE PLAIN DECOR THE CHAPEL BREATHES THE DEEP MEDITERRANEAN RELIGIOSITY OF ITALY WHENCE CAME MOST VILLAGE RESIDENTS.

BELOW LEFT IS THE ATTRACTIVE SANCTUARY OF THE CHAPEL (LEFT) AND TO THE RIGHT THE MURAL OF CHRIST EMBRACING THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD. BELOW IT IS THE PLAIN POLISHED STONE ALTAR WITH THE UNUSUAL TABERNACLE AND SANCTUARY LAMP IN THE BACKGROUND.

AMONG THE SPLENDOURS OF THE SANCTUARY ARE THE TWO STAINED GLASS WINDOWS OF BLESSED GIOVANNI SCALABRINI (LEFT) AND THE MIGRANTS LEAVING THEIR HOMELAND (RIGHT). THE MARBLE CRUCIFIX AND THE AUMBREY-STYLE TABERNACLE ARE SHOWN IN THE CENTRE.

PLACED AROUND THE AMBULATORY ARE SEVERAL HOLY PICTURES THAT INCLUDE BLESSED GIOVANNI SCALABRINI PATRON OF THE VILLAGE (LEFT), THIS VERY MATERNAL MADONNA AND CHILD (CENTRE) AND ST THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, PATRONESS OF AUSTRALIA (RIGHT).

AMONG OTHER ART WORKS IN THE CHAPEL ARE (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) THE PRETTY PAINTED PLASTER STATUE OF OUR LADY AND THE INFANT JESUS, A SIMPLE SET OF METAL STATIONS OF THE CROSS AND A SMALL COPY OF THE FAMOUS PIETA OF MICHELANGELO IN MARBLE.

THE SCALABRINIANS HAD SERVED THE ITALIANS OF NEWCASTLE FROM CARRINGTON SINCE THE LATE 1950's BUT IT WAS NOT AN IDEAL LOCATION SO THE ORDER ASKED THE BISHOP FOR ANOTHER PARISH AND IN 1960 THEY WERE ABLE TO EXCHANGE CARRINGTON FOR BROADMEADOW. THE SCALABRINIANS WORKED HARD IN THE PARISH RENOVATING THE CHURCH AND BUILDING A NEW PRESBYTERY (THE CASA CANONICA) (LEFT) AND A NEW PARISH HALL. HOWEVER THEIR WORK WAS ALWAYS FOCUSED ON HAMILTON AND THE MISSION TO THE ITALIAN MIGRANTS. IN 1977 THEREFORE THEY REGRETFULLY WITHDREW FROM THE PASTORAL CARE OF BROADMEADOW TO CONCENTRATE ON THE LATTER AREA.

FROM 1965 THE SCALABRINIANS IN SYDNEY WERE LOOKING FOR A NEW PARISH IN ORDER TO EXTEND THEIR APOSTOLATE AS HAYMARKET LACKED THE POPULATION BASE FOR AN EFFECTIVE MINISTRY. CARDINAL GILROY THEN OFFERED THEM THE PARISH OF DEE WHY WHOSE POPULAR PRIEST HAD JUST TRAGICALLY DIED. DESPITE SOME EARLY DIFFICULTIES THE SCALABRINIANS PERSEVERED AND WON THE LOYALTY OF THE PARISHIONERS. IN THEIR FORTY PLUS YEARS OF DEVOTED SERVICE THEY HAVE CONTIBUTED MUCH TO THE PARISH INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING THE NEW SCHOOL AND PARISH HALL.

TOP	CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION

THE ARRIVAL OF THE SCALABRINIAN FATHERS IN NEWCASTLE STEMMED FROM AN OFFER TO SUPPLY PRIESTS FOR THE DIOCESE BY THE PROVINCIAL OF THE UNITED STATES EAST PROVINCE IN 1955. BISHOP TOOHEY OFFERED THE ORDER THE PARISH OF CARRINGTON BUT THIS WAS TOO DISTANT FROM THE MAIN CONCENTRATION OF ITALIANS IN HAMILTON. TO OVERCOME THIS DIFFICULTY FR LUCIANO PURCHASED IN 1958 AN OLD WOODEN BUILDING ON BEAUMONT ST AND REFURBISHED IT AS THE BISHOP SCALABRINI CENTRE. IN 1960 THE SCALABRINIANS TRANSFERRED TO BROADMEADOW PARISH BUT CONTINUED THEIR WORK IN HAMILTON. IN 1961 THE LAND ADJACENT TO THE OLD HOUSE WAS PURCHASED AND IN 1966 THE NEW BISHOP SCALABRINI CENTRE WAS CONSTRUCTED. FOR A BRIEF PERIOD FROM 1973 TO 1978 THE CENTRE WAS ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE STELLA MARIS SEAMAN'S MISSION. IN 1977 THE PARISH OF BROADMEADOW WAS GIVEN UP TO FOCUS ON THE WORK WITH THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY IN HAMILTON. A RESIDENCE WAS OBTAINED IN BENNETT STREET JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE CENTRE WHICH WAS ITSELF FULLY REFURBISHED IN 2000. BY THIS TIME HOWEVER, THE SMALL ITALIAN COMMUNITY OF NEWCASTLE HAD LARGELY INTEGRATED INTO THE VARIOUS PARISH COMMUNITIES AND THE NUMBER ATTENDING MASS AT THE CHAPEL HAD DECLINED TO ABOUT 80 PEOPLE. WITH CONSIDERABLE REGRET THEREFORE THE ORDER CLOSED THE CENTRE AND WITHDREW FROM NEWCASTLE IN 2002.

WHEN THE FATHERS GAVE UP PARISH WORK TO CONCENTRATE ON THE CHAPLAINCY TO THE NEWCASTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY THEY CHOSE A PLAIN FEDERATION STYLE WEATHERBOARD HOUSE IN BENNETT STREET HAMILTON (LEFT) AS THEIR CASA CANONICA OR COMMUNITY RESIDENCE.

THIS HOUSE WAS CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE BISHOP SCALABRINI CENTRE WHICH WAS THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE CONGREGATIONS WORK IN NEWCASTLE. FOLLOWING THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE CENTRE AND WITHDRAW FROM NEWCASTLE IN 2002 THE HOUSE WAS GIVEN UP AND REVERTED TO USE AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

THE ORIGINAL SCALABRINI CENTRE WAS AN ELEGANT OLD WOODEN HOUSE SURROUNDED BY SHOPS ON BEAUMONT STREET (RIGHT) WHICH SERVED AS BOTH AN OFFICE AND AS A CHAPLAINCY ALTHOUGH BISHOP TOOHEY HAD REFUSED PERMISSION FOR A CHAPEL AS HE FELT IT MIGHT ATTRACT WORSHIPPERS FROM THE SACRED HEART CHURCH HAMILTON.

DURING 1961 THE NEIGHBOURING PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED AND THIS ENABLED THE CENTRE TO BE EXPANDED TO PROVIDE MORE SPACE BUT STILL WITHOUT A CHAPEL. FINALLY IN 1966 THE FATHERS WERE ABLE TO FULFILL A LONG-HELD DREAM WHEN THE OLD CENTRE WAS DEMOLISHED WITH A LARGE MODERN BUILDING (BELOW) CONSTRUCTED IN ITS STEAD.

THE NEW BISHOP SCALABRINI CENTRE WAS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO FIT INTO THE BUSY MILIEU OF HAMILTON'S MAIN COMMERCIAL PRECINCT IN BEAUMONT STREET. IT CONSISTED OF SEVERAL SMALL SHOPS ON THE GROUND FLOOR WITH A RESTAURANT UPSTAIRS. THESE WERE ALL LEASED OUT TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE CENTRE'S RECURRANT COSTS MAKING THE CENTRE SELF-SUFFICIENT.

IN ADDITION TO A RESTAURANT THE UPSTAIRS AREA ALSO INCLUDED AN OFFICE, A SMALL CHAPEL AND A HALL FOR SOCIAL GATHERINGS. THE LATTER WAS ALSO CAPABLE OF ABSORBING THE OVERFLOW WOSHIPPERS FOR LARGER CHAPEL SERVICES. THIS CHAPEL WAS LATER RELOCATED TO THE GROUND FLOOR IN ORDER TO PERMIT DIRECT STREET ACCESS. FATHER FRANCIS LOVATIN, LAST CHAPLAIN AT THE CENTRE, CAUSED IT TO BE FULLY REFURBISHED DURING 2000.

IN 2002 WHEN THE SCALABRINIANS TOOK THE DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM NEWCASTLE THE BISHOP SCALABRINI CENTRE WAS CLOSED. THE BUILDING BEING A PRIME COMMERCIAL LOCATION WAS QUICKLY SOLD. THE CENTRE AS IT IS TODAY SEEMS BARELY CHANGED FROM ITS SCALABRINIAN DAYS WITH SHOPS BELOW AND A RESTAURANT ABOVE, A TESTAMENT TO THE SCALABRINIAN'S BUSINESS ACUMEN.

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE IS TAKEN FROM MISSIONARIES ON THE MOVE BY DESMOND CAHILL AND IS ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE. READERS WHO WISH TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SCALABRINIAN MISSIONARIES ARE REFERRED TO THIS BOOK. OTHER BOOKS OF INTEREST INCLUDE SCALABRINIANI IN AUSTRALIA 1952-1977 AND TWO EXCELLENT BOOKS BY ANTHONY PAGANONI ON THE ITALIAN MIGRANT EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIA - NO WEARY FEET AND VALIANT STRUGGLES AND BENIGN NEGLECT.