


Snapshots of St Joseph’s – A short history
1875 | Two Good Samaritan sisters (Sisters Egan and Graves) commenced daily visits to Balmain West (now Rozelle), but the location of the first lessons is not known. |
1876 | First classrooms erected – Architect/builder James McDonald. |
1877 | Upper storey added. |
1880 | Cottage provided for Sisters in Gordon Street. |
1881 | First church and first convent erected – architect/builder James McDonald. |
1882 | Father Thomas O’Reilly appointed first parish priest and occupied a cottage on Weston Road (now Victoria Road). |
1889 | Father (later Monsignor) John Moynagh appointed parish priest. |
1892 | Opening of the first Christian brothers school (Brothers travelled daily from Balmain east until 1925 when Monastry purchased in Hornsey Street. |
1905 | New girls school and hall erected – architect/builder Austen McKay. |
1911 | Original church destroyed by fire. |
1912 | New church erected – architect/builder Austen McKay. Cost $12045.00 |
1915 | Extension to girls and infants schools. |
1921 | Extension to Christian brothers school. |
1925 | Purchase of Monastry for Christian brothers. |
1932 | Golden jubilee of Monsignor Moynagh. |
1934 | Death of Monsignor Moynagh, and appointment of Father (later Monsignor) Gerald Bartlett. |
1936 | New infants school erected, and major extensions to girls’s school. |
1937 | New block to Christian brothers school – corner Gordon and Princes Streets. |
1946 | Monsignor Bartlett transferred to Forest Lodge and Father Sylvester O’Sullivan appointed as parish priest. |
1955 | New convent erected. |
1960 | Major renovation to boys secondary school. |
1961 | Major renovation to boys primary school. |
1965 | Closure of Christian brothers school. |
1966 | Girls school reclassified as a regional high school. |
1974 | Golden jubilee of Father O’Sullivan. |
1975 | Death of Father O’Sullivan and appointment of Father Gaffney as parish priest. |
1976 | Closure of girls secondary school. Transfer of Father Gaffney and appointment of Father Leslie Bagot as parish priest. |
1981 | Centenary of Rozelle parish. |
1981 | Departure of Good Samaritan sisters from the parish. |
1986 | Retirement of Father Bagot and appointment of Father Michael Caruana as parish priest. |
1987 | Transfer of Father Caruana and appointment of Father Alfred Cachia as parish priest. |
1994 | Closure of primary and infants schools – amalgamated with Father John Therry school, Balmain. |
1998 | Retirement of Father Alfred Cachia and appointment of Father Benedict Sant as parish priest. |
2001 | Retirement of Father Benedict Sant and appointment of Monsignor Vinve Redden as Moderator. |
2012 | 130 year Parish anniversary. |
