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The late Monsignor Thomas O'Reilly was then Parish Priest,
and he ministered to the spiritual needs of this vast area
with the help of two assistant priests. Our numbers in Wentworthville
were few, and of necessity Mass in our midst was infrequent
and irregular. During this time (1889-1919), Mass was celebrated
in the home of Mr and Mrs John Madden.
A
list of weekly Catechism marks at Wentworthville in 1918 shows
the family names of Austin, Benn, Bruce, Caulder, Clancey,
Clayton, Cook, Currie, Curry, Daly, Davidson, Dorahy, Fairbanks,
Gaynor, Gayton, Hales, Harcombe, Holland, Hunt, Hyde, Jenkins,
Leonard, Liddle, Madden, Marshall, McPherson, Murphy, Readford,
Reidy, Ricardo, Shepherd, Waski, Williams and Winkler. Six
children were prepared for First Holy Communion on Christmas
Day, 1918.
As
time went on our number, though still small, were increasing
and soon became too large for the private residence. Arrangements
were made to hire the Wentworthville School of Arts for Mass
every fortnight. Gradually this, too, failed to serve the
purpose, and eventually a Committee was formed to explore
the possibilities of purchasing a suitable site on which to
erect a church-school.
The
scheme was an ambitious one. Land was procured in Bennett
Street, and on Sunday 9 April, 1922, the foundation stone
of the first church in Wentworthville was laid by the Archbishop
of Sydney, the late Archbishop Michael Kelly DD.
From
then on the progress was marked and rapid. In May 1943 a 3
bedroom brick cottage was purchased for $2800. The cottage
was on the land on the corner of Bennett and Garfield Streets.
It was let until 1946 when His Eminence the Cardinal constituted
Wentworthville a separate parish (St Columba's), embracing
Westmead, Wentworthville, Pendle Hill and Toongabbie, and
Rev Father Tim Kennedy was appointed its first Pastor. Father
Kennedy boarded with Miss Fitzpatrick for six weeks until
the people in the rented house vacated it.
On
22 December 1946, Margaret Bowman, George Muscat and Paul
Vassallo were the first children presented for Baptism, recorded
in the Parish Register.
In
1948, Fr Fullendorf was appointed Assistant Priest. He was
followed by Fr JJ Hatton, Fr Hugh Leonard, Fr Maurice Roche,
Fr Roland Darmenia, and Fr Joe Weaver who was his last assistant
in Wentworthville.
Fr
Kennedy laboured zealously amongst an ever-expanding Catholic
population, until the area became to unwieldy, and in 1951
Westmead and Toongabbie were created seperate parishes.
The
original church at Wentworthville became totally inadequate
to cope with the congregations. The great building project
of these years was the present church, built by AW Edwards
& Son. This new church was solemnly blessed and opened
by His Eminence the Cardinal on 6 March 1955.
In
June 1956 the parish was placed in the care of the Carmelites.
From 30 September 1956, the parish church became known as
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
Building
of the present Priory commenced in 1959 and was completed
and blessed by His Eminence Cardinal Gilroy in 1961.
PENDLE
HILL (GREYSTANES)
In
May 1957 volunteers were requested to dig the foundations
of the new church and school at Pendle Hill. The tender, $82
000, of Mr C Frank Cefai was accepted and the work was begun
on Monday morning, 27 May.
The
Foundation Stone Ceremony, by His Eminence, the Cardinal,
took place at Pendle Hill on Sunday 1 September.
School
classes for 5 and 6 year olds were commenced on the opening
day of 1958, 28 January. Classes were conducted in the open
and in a garage for the first week, after which a small room
was made available in the new building. The Teacher-In-Charge
was Miss Margaret McGibbon, assisted by Miss Melita Camilleri.
On
13 April 1958 the Blessing and opening of the new church and
school at Pendle Hill was performed by his Lordship Bishop
Freeman. Two Masses were celebrated at the new church in Old
Prospect Road each Sunday.
For
some years it had been impossible to place all boys at Catholic
schools when they left the primary school at the end of Grade
3. Early in 1959 plans were underway to commence the first
section of a complete school for boys in the parish, at Pendle
Hill.
At
the beginning of 1960, St. Simon Stock College (now St. Pauls
Catholic College, Greystanes) was commenced with Grade 4.
The
new school building was commenced in September 1961. In 1962
staff, including Fr Robert Cassar OCarm, were appointed to
teach the new classes. On Sunday afternoon, 1 July 1962, the
new school was solemnly blessed and opened by His Eminence,
Cardinal Gilroy. As time progressed, other religious orders,
such as the Dominican Sisters, were appointed by the Cardinal
to the Pendle Hill schools to increase the number of religious
staff.
His
Eminence, the Cardinal, in September 1969, approved the establishment
at Pendle Hill of what is termed a "filial house",
that is a branch house of the Wentworthville Priory. Two Carmelites
were to reside at Pendle Hill and minister to the spiritual
needs of those living in that section of the parish. The Carmelite
Priory at Pendle Hill was blessed and opened by His Lordship
Bishop Key msc on Sunday 26 October 1969.
On
20 January 1972 the new parochial district of Greystanes was
created. Although a new parish in this area was long overdue,
it was with regret that the Carmelite Fathers left the many
friends that they made in that area. The new Parish Priest
was Father T Duggan.
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