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Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Thursday Island, QLD 4875
Church Information
| Church Name: | Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church |
| Church Previous Name: | Sacred Heart Mission |
| Denomination: | Catholic Church in Australia |
| Street Address: | 120 Douglas St, Thursday Island QLD 4875, Australia |
| Suburb: | Thursday Island |
| State: | QLD |
| Postcode: | 4875 |
| Foundation Stone Laid: | 00-00-1884 |
| Foundation Stone Notes: | No Foundation Stone or Memorial Plaque details are known. Information/Photographs are invited. |
| Date Opened: | 00-00-1885 |
| Date Closed: | unknown |
| Email: | admin@churchesaustralia.org |
Comments
The first formal place of Catholic worship on Thursday Island is the site of the current church. It was built by Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Brothers in 1884-1885. It was small and built of "tin". A visitor of the time, "Wanderer", writing in the Sydney Echo of 27/10/1885, describes some of the buildings on Thursday Island - "For the inhabitants of Port Kennedy the age of brick and stone has not yet been reached. They still lodge in tabernacles of tin - a few of their most cherished institutions have been and are housed in timber. The (State) schoolhouse is a good substantial wooden building: so is not a bank, though a new bank is projected - a bank which will cut out Government House itself".
The current building was built a few years after the original "tin chapel" and still stands today.
From commencent the meeting place was called a "Chapel 1884/5 to 1901" then a "Church from 1902/3 to present"
The Church celebrated its centenary in 1984, by which time a significant effort had been completed to repair a very tired building, in dire need of repair.
More historical information/photographs of the church/congregation are invited. Photographs uploaded 12/11/2016 & 5/5/2024.
The current church building was built a few years later and still stands today. More historical information/photographs of the church/congregation are invited. Photographs uploaded 12/11/2016.
A history of the church - Our First One Hundred Years - Sacred Heart Mission, Thursday Island 1884-1984
