Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church

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.

 

 

 

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