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.
Parish Priests
Bishops |
|
|
Most Rev. David Walker |
March 2008 – present
First Bishop of OLOR Cathedral Parish |
Parish Priests |
|
|
Rev. Briody (PP of Pymble) |
built the Church in 1909 |
|
Rev. Patrick Nulty (first PP) |
1916 - 13 March 1931 |
|
Rev. William Hawe |
March 1931 - 3 June 1943 |
|
Rev. Michael Farrell |
June 1943 - 13 June 1967 |
|
Rev. Michael Baulman |
17 August 1967 - 30 June 1978 |
|
Rev. Paul Foley |
11 July 1978 - 1 June 1987 |
|
Rev. Colin Blayney |
5 June 1987 - January 2000 |
|
Rev. Paul Finucane |
January 2000 - December 2007 |
|
Most Rev. Bishop David Walker
|
March 2008 - present |
|
Deans of the Cathedral
|
|
Rev. David Taylor |
April 2008 – June 2008 |
|
Rev Jim McKeon
|
October 2008 - present |
|
Assistant Clergy
|
|
Rev. Thomas Carrick |
1916 - 1919 |
|
Rev. Patrick Conway |
1919 - 1927 |
|
Rev. Michael Sheehy |
1927 - 1932 |
|
Rev. Arthur Bambridge |
1932 - 1934 |
|
Rev. Charles Williams |
1934 - 1936 |
|
Rev. Jeremiah O'Sullivan |
1937 - 1939 |
|
Rev. George Solomon |
1939 - 1940 |
|
Rev. Patrick O'Rourke |
1941 - 1943 |
|
Rev. Thomas Leonard |
1943 - 1946 |
|
Rev. Gerald Smyth |
1946 - 1948 |
|
Rev. Denis Ryan |
1948 - 1950 |
|
Rev. James Byrne |
1950 - 1951 |
|
Rev. Robert Nolan |
1951 - 1956 |
|
Rev. John Noonan |
1956 - 1958 |
|
Rev. James Boberg |
1956 |
|
Rev. Laurie Cruikshank |
1957 - 1960 |
|
Rev. George Connolly |
1958 - 1961 |
|
Rev. Paul Cahalan |
1960 - 1964 |
|
Rev. John Heaps |
1961 - 1964 |
|
Rev. Patick McMaugh |
1964 - 1967 |
|
Rev. John Taylor |
1965 |
|
Rev. William Meacham |
1965 - 1968, 1977 - 1978 |
|
Rev. Frank Higgins |
1968 |
|
Rev. John Spora |
1970 - 1971 |
|
Rev. Daniel Lyons |
1971 |
|
Rev. Paul Hanna |
1972 - 1974 |
|
Deacon Denis Hunter |
1973 - 1974 |
|
Rev. Garry Lane |
1974 |
|
Rev. Gordon South |
1974 - 1975 |
|
Rev. Lex Johnson |
1975 - 1978 |
|
Rev. Phillip Wicks |
1978 - 1981 |
|
Rev. Paul Smith |
1981 - 1984 |
|
Rev. Colin Blayney |
1984 - 1987 |
|
Rev. Pamfilo Vergara |
1989 - 1991 |
|
Rev. Chris Williams |
1991 – 1995 |
|
Rev. Philip (Seaung Jin) Chun |
2003 - 2004 |
|
Rev. John Wakeling |
2004 - 2007 |
|
Rev. Joseph Chung |
2004 - present |
|
Rev. John Hodgson CSsR, Administrator |
2007 - 2008 |
|
Rev. Mathew Chennath |
2007 - 2008 |
|
Rev. Geoff Bugden |
2008 |
|
Rev Joseph Pattakandam |
October 2008 - present |
|
Deacons |
|
Kevin Hale |
2008 - present |