St. Benedict's Shrine
Smithfield, NSW 2164
Church Information
| Church Name: | St. Benedict's Shrine |
| Church Previous Name: | - |
| Denomination: | Catholic Church in Australia |
| Street Address: | 16 Neville St, Smithfield NSW 2164, Australia |
| Suburb: | Smithfield |
| State: | NSW |
| Postcode: | 2164 |
| Foundation Stone Laid: | unknown |
| Foundation Stone Notes: | No Foundation Stone or Memorial Plaque details are known. Information/photographs are invited. A plaque at the southern entrance records: St Benedict can be rightly called the messenger of peace, the promoter of unity, the teacher of civilization, the herald of Christian religion and the founder of monastic life in the West. |
| Date Opened: | 21-03-1976 |
| Date Closed: | unknown |
| Email: | admin@churchesaustralia.org |
Comments
The St Benedict's Shrine, Smithfield is part of the St Gertrude's Parish in the Diocese of Sydney. The first Mass in Smithfield was celebrated on 25/12/1875, in a temporay tent Chapel. A brick church was later constructed and dedicated to St Gertrude, with further additions dedicated on 18/8/1895, by the Auxiliary to Cardinal Moran, Bishop Higgins. The St Benedict's Shrine was built and officially opened on 21st March, 1976 by his Eminence J Freeman, then Archbishop of Sydney.{Sourced from:http://www.stgertrude.org.au/our-parish/history/]. More historical information/photographs of the church/congregation are invited. Photographs uploaded 13/2/2021. & 15/3/2021.
For more of the story see: The Shrine of St Benedict at Smithfield, NSW Australia by Fr Bede Barcatta o.b.s. Not sighted.
Note: Photograph attribution/source - http://www.stgertrude.org.au/
