St Joachim's Church, Presbytery & Parish Hall

Child Places

• 24871 St Joachim's Hall
• 24875 St Joachim's Catholic Church

Statement of Significance

St Joachim's Church has aesthetic, historic and social heritage significance. The simple design elements represent modified traditional forms of ecclesiastical architecture. The Church has historic links with the first St Joachim's Church, a timber structure, built in the same precinct in 1898 (demolished in 1962). The church has been an important centre for the local Catholic Community for nearly a hundred years. The Church offers Italian masses, thus attracting other worshippers from neighbouring areas. The Church forms part of an important heritage precinct made up of the Church, Hall, Presbytery, School and the former Convent, now part of Ursula Frayne College.

Physical Description

St Joachim's Church is of the Post War Ecclesiastical style c 1950-60, it comprises a church building and a tower linked by a simplified colonnaded loggia. All the elements are simplified interpretations of traditional forms. It is constructed from plain red brick with some relief from the white rendered loggia. The roof of the church is a low pitched gable with red/brown terracotta Marseille tiles. It has wide battened eaves which are painted white, as are the barge boards. The church has a traditional rectangular plan with a dominant vertically proportioned window central to the front gable. The tower is reminiscent of a medieval campanile, again with vertically proportioned openings.

History

The St Joachim's Church is sandwiched between the Presbyteiy and St Joachim's Hall. St Joachim's Hall was the second church. The original was a weatherboard church that had multifunctional purpose, being used for public meetings and school classes as well as church services. The first church built in 1898 continued to be used as a classroom until its demolition in 1962. The St Joachim's Hall was used as the second church until 1955 when the new church was erected. The plaque on the 'new' Church reads: To the Greater honour and glory of God and St Joachim. Patron of the Parish. This edifice was erected in the year 1955 AD. Parish Priest: Rev. H Kearin, J O'Brien. Architect: Anthony J O 'Hara Builders: Harnett & Home The Church was blessed and opened by Archbishop Prendiville on the 18 November 1956. The stained glass window at the front of the Church was installed in 1959. One of the longest serving Parish Priests to St Joachim's parish was Monsignor Lenihan, who served from 1961 until leaving 18 years later in 1979. There have been a number of upgrades and renovations in the Church over the years including neon lights in the Church Tower, carpeting and placement of ramps and rails at Church entrances for disabled people. An interesting development for the Church was the introduction in 1976 of the 'Italian Mass'. This routine was established owing to the large influx of Italian migrants into Victoria Park since the 1950s. Numbers have grown since Italian speaking people from other parishes have started attending. The St Joachim's Church serves as a Parish Church as well as the base for school activities from Ursula Frayne College.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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