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To see what is happening in the Cathedral over the next couple of weeks, click here.
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We are blessed with many treasures at St.Patrick's. Explore some of them here.
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Made of Wood - 1842
The land grant for church, residence and cemetery was wonderful news
to the nearly 200, mainly Irish, Catholics living in Auckland at the time.
Within two months of the grant, on 29 July 1841, a public meeting was held "for
the purpose of taking into consideration the best mode of obtaining
subscriptions for the erection of an edifice for the worship of Almighty God by
persons of that persuasion".
That evening, thirteen men were elected to a building committee and £200
pounds were subscribed. In addition, a subscription list was opened at the
Shamrock, Rose and Thistle on Shortland Crescent, home of Mr. Patrick Donovan.
At a meeting the following week, Bishop Pompallier "was pleased to name the
intended Roman Catholic church after St. Patrick and St. Joseph".
By January 1842, a small wooden presbytery had been built on the church site.
Attention then turned to building the new wooden church.
Early the following year, the church - which doubled as a school during the
week - was ready for its first official appearance. |
Fr. Jean Petit-Jean, Auckland's first official resident priest, blessed and
opened the church on Sunday 29 January 1843. The school opened the following
day at 9:30 a.m.
The church and school was small - "a long low room, thirty-six feet long by
twelve broad, lined and painted light blue" - but stood as early testament to
the determination of Auckland's pioneer Catholics.
Unfortunately, there are no known sketches, drawings or photos of the wooden
church.
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