Heathcote, VIC - St Mary's Catholic
Year Built: 1917
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Saint: Mary
Address: Corner Ebden & Pohlman Street, Heathcote, Victoria, 3523
Architect: Kempson and Conolly
Traditional Owners: Taungurung people
Last Updated: 08/06/2023
Click on the image to view larger
History and Architecture:
The first priest to administer to the catholics in the Heathcote area was the Rev. Fr. Charles Clarke, who had arrived in Kilmore on April 20 1849. It was at this time that the Bishop of Melbourne, James Alipius Goold, created Kilmore a separate mission from Melbourne. His Parish extended all the way to Gisborne, Woodend, Kyneton, Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Echuca, Wodonga, Mansfield, Wood's Point, Warburton, Donnybrook and back to Kilmore.
A Foundation stone was laid on March 13 1864 for a new Church which was consecrated on October 22nd 1865. That Church was demolished to make way for the new one in 1917. This church was constructed by J O'Donnell, and opened by the Bishop of Sandhurst on 16 Dec 1917.
The Parish Bell is probably an old ship's bell. It bears a coat of arms showing two lions in chains and it weighs between 150 and 200 kilograms. It was thought to have been first erected around 1864 when the original church was built.
Clergy:
These names are now in the Database and can be searched individually.
| Years | Name | Annotation | D.o.B | D.o.D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1849 - 1854 | Father Charles Clarke | 1854 | ||
| 1858 - 1859 | Father Patrick Birch | 1896 | ||
| 1861 - 1863 | Father McCarthy | |||
| 1864 - 1866 | Father Michael Brannigan | Locum | 1870 | |
| 1865 - 1870 | Father Neville | |||
| 1872 - 1874 | Father Henry Thomas Bradbee | 1905 | ||
| 1874 - 1876 | Father Mullins | Curate | ||
| 1874 - 1878 | Father Nicholas Bassetto | 1884 | ||
| 1887 - 1897 | Father Kearns | Locum 1877 | 1844 | 1927 |
| 1892 - 1892 | Father O'Brien | Curate | ||
| 1892 - 1896 | Father Joseph Brady | Curate | ||
| 1897 - 1936 | Father Denis J. O'Dee | 1866 | 1936 | |
| 1905 - 1911 | Rev Dr John Skelly | Curate | 1921 | |
| 1911 - 1912 | Father J. J. Kennedy | Curate | ||
| 1912 - 1914 | Father J. Moran | Curate | ||
| 1914 - 1914 | Rev Dr Myer | Curate | ||
| 1936 - 1947 | Father Thomas Murphy | |||
| 1947 - 1951 | Father James Lehane | |||
| 1951 - 1959 | Father James Dowling | |||
| 1959 - 1960 | Father Alios Bocek | Asst | 1986 | |
| 1959 - 1965 | Father James Simon Hogan | 1987 | ||
| 1965 - 1968 | Monsignor P. J. Dullard | 1968 | ||
| 1968 - 1974 | Father William Harney | |||
| 1974 - 1980 | Father Frank Marriott | |||
| 1980 - | Father Paul Ly | |||
| 2015 - | Father Antony Joseph | |||
| 2022 - | Father Peter Ferwerda |
Organ:
No information currently available. Submissions welcomed.
Source:
1. Advocate Summary & Index.
2. The Catholic Parish of Heathcote by Mary McKenzie and Rita Traynor. SLT 282.9453 M19C
3. Deceased Clergy in Australia, 1788-present.