Ss Phillip & James Catholic Church

A marble tablet records: A M D G - 1892.

A foundation stone for the Presbytery was laid on 29/1/1922 by the Bishop of Port Augusta. The text on the foundation stone is not known. Information/photographs are invited.

A plaque on a cairn beside the church building records: St Thomas 'A'Beckett Church - Hookina - This foundation stone was laid by - Bishop Reynolds on 15th July 1885 - The last Mass was said 17th July 1960 - and the church was demolished in - April 1966.

An information board records: Saints Philip and James Catholic Church - 1892... Before the Hawker Catholic Church was built, local Catholics attended Mass in various private homes, and also in the sampling room at the Wonoko Hotel (closed 1958 and demolished 1980). Services were also provided by Jesuit Fathers from Sevenhill, south of Clare, who travelled the northern districts living continuously in the saddle, hearing confessions, saying Mass and administering the sacraments. - However, it was eventually decided to build a church...On Sunday, January 31, 1892, the marble foundation stone to the building was laid. - Rev Father Norton of Petersburg (renamed Peterborough in 1918) designed the church...The total cost of the church and grounds was 817-10-00 [pounds}, and it opened for services on August 14, 1892. - The first parish priest was the Rev Father R Cleary. It is estimated that the average contribution to the cost of the church from local families was the equivalent of several months wages for each breadwinner. - In 1913, the church was enlarged at a cost of 600 [pounds] as the congregation continued to grow. When the work was completed it was blessed by Bishop Norton on March 22,1914...