Celebrations planned for Ashburton church milestone

The wooden church built on Burnett St opened on July 16, 1876 and seated 200 parishioners. Anne Hooper said that, in its 103-year history, the church was moved twice and used as a church, a hall and a classroom.

Organisers want to honour the founders of the church by inviting their descendants to be special guests at a celebration on July 19.

“Current parishioners and families with an association with St Augustine Church will gather to celebrate the Catholic Church’s first church in Ashburton, before joining together for lunch in the parish centre,” Ms Hooper said.

Parish historian Michael Hanrahan said, from 1880, the church was used for worship at the weekends and as a school during the week, serviced by lay teachers.

The church was later uplifted and moved to the grounds where St Joseph’s School sits today. It continued to be used for worship and schooling while a new church was built.

This second Catholic church, dedicated to Holy Name of Jesus, was brick and was built on the site of the first church. It opened on December 10, 1882.

“It was damaged in an earthquake in 1888 but survived until 1931 when the third church was opened,” Mr Hanrahan said.

The first church was used as the parish and school hall and occasionally as classrooms as the school roll increased. In 1978, after 103 years of use, it was demolished.

Organisers of the commemoration are looking for photographs of the church, in any of its uses, and would like to hear from people who had Catholic ancestors in the Ashburton area in 1876.

FULL STORY

Special events for first Catholic church anniversary (By Dellwyn Moylan/Ashburton Courier)