1970
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PARRAMATTA
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PARISH OF ST BERNADETTE CASTLE HILL |
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FOUNDED 1970 |
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DIOCESE PARRAMATTA |
| PARISH CHURCH | RELIGIOUS ORDERS |
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PARISH CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE |
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| PARISH | HISTORY | CHURCH |
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| PARISH |
| CASTLE HILL HAS A HISTORY GOING BACK TO THE EARLIEST DAYS OF SETTLEMENT WHEN IT WAS SETTLED AS FARMING LAND TO SUPPLY THE INFANT COLONY WITH FOOD. FOR MANY YEARS IT REMAINED A SEMI-RURAL DISTRICT OF SMALL FARMS AND MARKET GARDENS. CHANGE CAME TO THE AREA AFTER WORLD WAR II WITH THE RAPID EXPANSION OF THE WESTERN SUBURBS. TODAY IT IS A BUSTLING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREA POPULAR WITH YOUNG FAMILIES. CASTLE HILL WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COMPONENTS OF BAULKHAM HILLS PARISH, HAVING AGREED TO CENTRALLY LOCATE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THERE. BY THE LATE 1940's HOWEVER IT WAS BECOMING CLEAR THAT CASTLE HILL WOULD SOON NEED A PLACE OF WORSHIP OF ITS OWN AND IN 1954 THE CHURCH/SCHOOL OF ST BERNADETTE WAS OPENED AS A STATION CHURCH. THE RAPID EXPANSION OF THE DISTRICT'S POPULATION LED TO THE CREATION OF A SEPARATE PARISH OF CASTLE HILL IN 1970 COVERING KENTHURST AND DURAL IN ADDITION TO THE PARISH CENTRE. IN 1988 THESE TWO AREAS WERE DETACHED TO FORM A NEW PARISH. |
| FIRST CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE, CASTLE HILL |
| THE FIRST CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE WAS A CHURCH/SCHOOL CONSTRUCTED IN 1954. AS WAS COMMON AT THE TIME THE BUILDING WAS A SIMPLE TWO STORIED BRICK HALL WITH CLASSROOMS UPSTAIRS AND THE CHURCH DOWNSTAIRS. FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF ITS EXISTANCE IT SERVED AS THE CHURCH ALONE UNTIL THE PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS OPENED IN 1956. FROM THEN ON IT PERFOREMED ITS DUAL FUNCTION UNTIL THE OPENING OF THE NEW CHURCH IN 1972. THE ORIGINAL CHURCH SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME PART OF THE PARISH SCHOOL, BEING USED AS A LIBRARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE. IN 1997 DURING SCHOOL RENOVATIONS CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE BUILDING WITH UPSTAIRS BEING CONVERTED INTO TWO CLASSROOMS AND DOWNSTAIRS INTO S SPECIAL EDUCATION AREA AND A MARIAN CENTRE, THUS CONTINUING ITS SERVICE TO THE FAITHFUL OF THE PARISH. NEXT |
 | SECOND CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE, CASTLE HILL |
| WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PARISH IN 1970 AND CONTINUED GROWTH IN POPULATION A LARGER CHURCH WAS REQUIRED AND IN 1972 THE NEW CHURCH OF ST BERNADETTE WAS OPENED. UNUSUAL IN ITS DESIGN WITH AN ASYMETRICAL SPIKY APPEARANCE THE BUILDING PRESENTS A STRIKING APPEARANCE FROM MANY ANGLES. OF SPECIAL NOTE IS THE UNIQUE MULTI-DIRECTIONAL CROSS WHICH IS CLEARLY VISIBLE FORM ALL SIDES AND FORCEFULLY PROCLAIMS THE BUILDINGS MISSION. NEXT | |
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| THE UNUSUAL DESIGN OF THE CHURCH RELIES ON SEVERAL PLANES INTERSECTING TO ACHIEVE ITS EFFECT. THE FIRST OF THE TWO MAIN PLANES RISES TO A PEAK OVER THE ENTRANCE ALLOWING FOR A WEST WINDOW TO BE PLACED IN THE GABLE BENEATH THE DOMINANT CROSS. THE ENTRANCE ITSELF IS SET OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE WEST FRONT OF THE BUILDING. A COVERED DRIVE-THROUGH PORCH PROVIDES FOR FUNERALS AND WEDDINGS. THE SECOND PLANE RISES TO A PEAK ABOVE THE SANCTUARY WHERE IT IS MARKED BY AN UNUSUAL STEEPLE STRUCTURE. LARGE SQUARE WINDOW PANES PROVIDE A DOMESTIC FEEL TO THE BODY OF THE CHURCH. NEXT |  |
 | THE INTERIOR IS VERY LIGHT AND AIRY AS A RESULT OF THE LARGE WINDOW AREAS AND THE BLONDE BRICK USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH. ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE IS A STAINED GLASS WALL WHICH PROVIDES AN ARRSTING INTERNAL FEATURE. THE SANCTUARY IS BARE ALMOST TO THE POINT OF NUDITY. A MODERN TABLE ALTAR WITH A MATCHING AMBO AND CELEBRANT'S CHAIR FORM THE ONLY FURNISHINGS AND THE PLAIN CROSS ON THE BACK WALL THE ONLY ORNAMENT. THE NAVE IS DESIGNED TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE SANCTUARY WHILE MAINTAINING ACCESSIBILITY. TOP RELIGIOUS ORDERS |
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| RELIGIOUS ORDERS | |
| CONGREGATION OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERS (CHRISTIAN BROTHERS) |
BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS (DE LA SALLE BROTHERS) |
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| RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS | |
| ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL | OAKHILL COLLEGE |
