Hornsby Cathedral Parish
On July 1st, 2009 the two parishes of Our Lady of the Rosary, Waitara, and Queen of Peace, Normanhurst, come together to form the one parish, Hornsby Cathedral Parish.
The history of these two communities is outlined below
Queen of Peace, NORMANHURST COMMUNITY
Established
The Parish began on the second Sunday in May viz. 9th May 1971, in Loreto Chapel Normanhurst and functioned there for more than six years, courtesy of the Loreto Sisters.
In 1973 the Council approved the construction of a Church and Priests’ residence. Construction of the Church commenced on 5th June 1976. The Parish Church and Presbytery were blessed and opened on 31st July 1977 by Cardinal Freeman.
Parish Priest
Father F. Vaughan May 1971 – June 2009, the first and only priest of the parish.
Parish Priest Emeritus
Fr F. Vaughan July 2001 – present Fr Vaughan. Now living at Lourdes Village Nursing Home Killara.
Thanks to the LORETO Sisters
Sister Veronica of Loreto was a great help to the parish during our time in the Chapel and acted as a hostess, welcoming everyone who came to Mass. Throughout our stay, Sister used to take crying babies from their mothers and would nurse them during Mass.
All the Sisters were good to us during our time in the Chapel in the early years. A few to get special mention are Sr. Ann, Sr. Mary Anne, Sr. Pauline, Sr. Deidre, Sr. Doreen, Sr. Kevin and Sr. Dominic. In latter years, Sr. John Baptist of Loreto did great work for us as a Catechist at Normanhurst High and she was extremely popular with the students. Sister was also very much part of our parish, regularly attending our Mass there and participating in our many parish activities. She finally moved to Ballarat and we miss her very much.
The first child baptised in our parish was G. Crane and this took place in Loreto Chapel on the very first Sunday we began. It was Fr Vaughan’s privilege to eventually celebrate her marriage on the 23rd March 1996 in the Loreto Chapel.
Our Lady of the Rosary, Waitara Community
At first, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish was included in the Pymble Parish (founded in 1883), which extended as far as Thornleigh and the Hawkesbury River, including part of the Hills District around Glenorie, Dural and Arcadia
1893 to 1898 - Mass was celebrated bi-monthly, sometimes in a Mr Jackson's house at Hookham's corner
1897 to 1898 - due to the overcrowding of the Babies Home at North Sydney, a Foundling Home was established at Waitara by the Sisters of Mercy of Monte Sant'Angelo.
From 1898 - Mass was celebrated nearly every Sunday at Waitara in the Church-School that had been erected on the rear of an allotment of land facing Peat's Ferry Road (now Pacific Highway) and opposite the site of the present Waitara train station.
Fathers Briody and Kirby travelled by the transport of the day (foot, bicycle, horseback or sulky) during those years.
22 November 1908 - the brickwork was at a stage that allowed the laying of the Foundation Stone by His Eminence, Cardinal Moran.
In 1916, the area from Cockle Creek as far as the Hawkesbury River was cut off from the Pymble Parish and became that of Our Lady of the Rosary, Waitara.
1934/35 - extensions and alterations to the Church were completed
During Fr Farrell's ministry, the main altar, altar rails, pulpit and floor of the Sanctuary was replaced with marble.
During Fr Foley's ministry, the altar rails were removed so that priest and people might worship as one body
The stained glass windows over the altar and front wall from the proceeds of a bequest from the estate of James and Bertha Quinn who had no family, but worked tirelessly during the periods that Fathers Nulty and Hawe were in charge of Our Lady of the Rosary Church.
1991 - The Church moved away from Pacific Highway, down Yardley Avenue, and on 25 August 1991, the foundation stone was laid by the Most Rev. Patrick Murphy.
The main attraction of the new Church is the large stone wall with the stained glass window set in it. This gives the Church a traditional feel whilst having a modern design. The symbolism of the stone wall is that the stones represent the members of the parish as living stones fitting together neatly but in an irregular pattern, just as the parish members come from diverse backgrounds. We are all different but fit together as a cohesive community
2001 - The establishment of a monthly Filipino mass in Tagalog.
December 2002 - the establishment of a Diocesan Korean Chaplaincy centred in the Parish with Fr Philip Chung as Chaplain.
February 2008 - Inauguration of OLOR as the Cathedral Parish of the Diocese of Broken Bay.
Hornsby Catholic Parish
July 1, 2009 – Amalgamation of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish and Queen of Peace Parish as Hornsby Cathedral Parish.
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Parish Priests
Bishops |
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Most Rev. David Walker (Waitara and Hornsby) |
10 February 2008 – present
First Bishop of OLOR Cathedral Parish |
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Parish Priests |
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Rev. Briody (PP of Pymble) |
built the Church in 1909 |
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Rev. Patrick Nulty (first PP, Waitara) |
1916 - 13 March 1931 |
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Rev. William Hawe (Waitara) |
March 1931 - 3 June 1943 |
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Rev. Michael Farrell (Waitara) |
June 1943 - 13 June 1967 |
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Rev. Michael Baulman (Waitara)
Rev. Francis Vaughan (Normanhurst) |
17 August 1967 - 30 June 1978
May 1971 – June 2009 |
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Rev. Paul Foley (Waitara) |
11 July 1978 - 1 June 1987 |
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Rev. Colin Blayney (Waitara) |
5 June 1987 - January 2000 |
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Rev. Paul Finucane (Waitara) |
January 2000 - December 2007 |
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Most Rev. Bishop David Walker (Waitara & Hornsby) |
10 February 2008 - present |
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Deans of the Cathedral |
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Rev. David Taylor |
April 2008 – June 2008 |
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Rev Jim McKeon |
October 2008 - November 2011 |
| Very Rev Robert Borg |
November 2011-present |
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Parish Priest Emeritus
Rev Francis Vaughan (Hornsby)
Assistant Clergy |
July 2009 - present |
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Rev. Thomas Carrick (Waitara) |
1916 - 1919 |
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Rev. Patrick Conway (Waitara) |
1919 - 1927 |
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Rev. Michael Sheehy (Waitara) |
1927 - 1932 |
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Rev. Arthur Bambridge (Waitara) |
1932 - 1934 |
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Rev. Charles Williams (Waitara) |
1934 - 1936 |
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Rev. Jeremiah O'Sullivan (Waitara) |
1937 - 1939 |
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Rev. George Solomon (Waitara) |
1939 - 1940 |
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Rev. Patrick O'Rourke (Waitara) |
1941 - 1943 |
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Rev. Thomas Leonard (Waitara) |
1943 - 1946 |
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Rev. Gerald Smyth (Waitara) |
1946 - 1948 |
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Rev. Denis Ryan (Waitara) |
1948 - 1950 |
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Rev. James Byrne (Waitara) |
1950 - 1951 |
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Rev. Robert Nolan (Waitara) |
1951 - 1956 |
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Rev. John Noonan (Waitara) |
1956 - 1958 |
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Rev. James Boberg (Waitara) |
1956 |
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Rev. Laurie Cruikshank (Waitara) |
1957 - 1960 |
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Rev. George Connolly (Waitara) |
1958 - 1961 |
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Rev. Paul Cahalan (Waitara) |
1960 - 1964 |
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Rev. John Heaps (Waitara) |
1961 - 1964 |
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Rev. Patick McMaugh (Waitara) |
1964 - 1967 |
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Rev. John Taylor (Waitara) |
1965 |
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Rev. William Meacham (Waitara) |
1965 - 1968, 1977 - 1978 |
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Rev. Frank Higgins (Waitara) |
1968 |
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Rev. John Spora (Waitara) |
1970 - 1971 |
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Rev. Daniel Lyons (Waitara) |
1971 |
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Rev. Paul Hanna (Waitara) |
1972 - 1974 |
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Deacon Denis Hunter (Waitara) |
1973 - 1974 |
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Rev. Garry Lane (Waitara) |
1974 |
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Rev. Gordon South (Waitara) |
1974 - 1975 |
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Rev. Lex Johnson (Waitara) |
1975 - 1978 |
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Rev. Phillip Wicks (Waitara) |
1978 - 1981 |
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Rev. Paul Smith (Waitara) |
1981 - 1984 |
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Rev. Colin Blayney (Waitara) |
1984 - 1987 |
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Rev. Pamfilo Vergara (Waitara) |
1989 - 1991 |
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Rev. Chris Williams (Waitara) |
1991 – 1995 |
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Rev. Philip (Seaung Jin) Chun (Waitara) |
2003 - 2004 |
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Rev. John Wakeling (Waitara) |
2004 - 2007 |
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Rev. Joseph Chung (Waitara) |
2004 - 2009 |
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Rev. John Hodgson CSsR (Administrator, Waitara) |
2007 - 2008 |
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Rev. Mathew Chennath (Waitara) |
2007 - 2008 |
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Rev. Geoff Bugden (Waitara) |
2008 |
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Rev Joseph Pattakandam (Waitara) |
2008 - 2009 |
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Rev Sung Jae (Michael) Hwang (Waitara) |
2010 |
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Rev Sungman (Patrick) Kim (Waitara) |
2010 - present |
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Rev Anselam Lakra (Waitara) |
2010 - present |
| Rev Jinto Pallathukuzhiyil |
2011-present |
| Rev Quang Van Nguyen |
2011-2012 |
| Rev Nathan Lourdunathan |
2012-present |
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Deacons |
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Kevin Hale (Waitara and Hornsby) |
2008 - 2011 |
| Roberto Corpuz (Hornsby) |
2011-present |