Mitcham, VIC St John's Catholic

History and Architecture:

In order to help the first Catholic families and to attend to their spiritual needs, Fr. William Mason Finn, who had a horse, travelled from the district of Warringal (now Heidelberg) and called on the families he knew to be Catholics, His parish extended from Warringal to the foothills of Mount Dandenong.

One of the earliest priests was Fr. Edward Nolan, S.J., who rode a big black horse called Tobin. He was assisted by Frs. Joseph Dalton, S.J., and Aloysius Kranewitter, S.J. They celebrated Mass in the homes of the families that they called on, carrying the requisites for Mass in their saddle bags.

The first church was opened in 1872. Father Dalton was present at the laying of the foundation stone.The condition of the old wooden church became worse as the years went by and was propped up by large wooden beams, two each side, to hold it up. Windows that were open stayed that way; those that were shut remained permanently closed and, at the sanctuary end, the floor and stumps had sunk so far that the parishioners said that going to communion was like walking down hill. Weddings had to be performed at Ring-wood. It is claimed that, from the late 1940s until it was demolished in 1952.

From 1952 to 1980 the Catholic church functioned in a refurbished Nissen hut. Before the present church was built a primary school was opened in 1959 on an adjoining site.

The peaceful garden surrounds of St John's Church is the setting for the St John's Memorial Garden.  Plaques to remember those who have died have been placed on the bell tower in the driveway of the Church and are now being placed on the wall outside the east door of the church.