HISTORY ST JOSEPH'S CHURCH, NARRABEENThe original church/school at St Joseph's Narrabeen was started when the cornerstone was laid on 6th February, 1938 and was officially opened by His Grace, Most Rev Norman T. Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney on 22nd January 1939.
The very original St Joseph's church (a very small timber building) was founded inCareel Bay by Father John Therry and it was physically moved to the Narrabeen site in 1917 where it stayed as a Parish Church/Hall till 1939.
The Church (now the present parish hall) doubled as a school, with large partitions being removed on a Friday to prepare for Sunday Mass. Two sisters from the Good Samaritan Order travelled daily from Dee Why to teach at the school. The Narrabeen area remained a part of the Dee Why Parish until 1946.
The parish of St Joseph's Narrabeen was formed on 27th November, 1946.
Father Amiel Joseph Sobb was appointed the first Parish Priest on 27th November 1946 and he remained Parish Priest of St Joseph's until his death on 6th November 1982.
The first Assistant priest was Father John Haseler who was appointed on 24th May 1949.
In 1948 the property next to the present parish hall was purchased and the presbytery was completed in 1952, two years after the foundation stone was laid in 1950.
The Good Samaritan convent across the road from the church (presently Woolworths and Units) was opened on 21st January 1951.
Father Sobb recognised the need to plan for the future and in 1950 he bought two blocks of land in Central Avenue, Avalon, now the site of Maria Regina Church and school.
Father Sobb also bought land at Collaroy Plateau in the 1950's in anticipation of a church being necessary there. The Church at Collaroy Plateau was opened in 1967 and was given Parish status in 1971.
The present St Joseph's Church was built and officially opened by Cardinal James Freeman on 6th August 1972. It was dedicated as a War Memorial Church.
On July 1st, 2006 the St Joseph's Parish was amalgamated with St Rose of Lima Collaroy Plateau, taking on the name The Lakes Catholic Parish of St Joseph's St Rose, Narrabeen and Collaroy Plateau.
HISTORY OF ST ROSE PARISH, COLLAROY PLATEAUSaint Rose of Lima Church, Collaroy Plateau was opened on the 19th November, 1967 by Bishop Thomas Muldoon.
The first building committee meeting was held on the 25th September, 1967. Just over ten months later the church was built, operating as a Chapel of Ease from Narrabeen.
In 1971 St Rose of Lima received the status of a parish.
The first Parish Priest was Father Norman Grady.
The first Baptism took place on 21st February, 1971 and the first marriage in March 1971.
The presbytery (the present Parish Office) replaced the weatherboard house in 1972. It was constructed by parishioner Kevin Dunn and was designed for two priests.
On July 1st 2006 the parish of St Rose was amalgamated with St Joseph's Narrabeen taking on the name of The Lakes Catholic Parish of St Joseph's St Rose, Narrabeen and Collaroy Plateau. |
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