No. 1194 - Riverside - St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church (2022)

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Riverside is a suburb north of Launceston on the west bank of the Tamar River. It falls within the West Tamar local government area.

St Francis of Assisi is the first Catholic church to be consecrated in Tasmania for a number of years. The building is not a new church but a former Anglican church, St David’s, which was built in 1963.

The church of St Francis of Assisi dates back to 1956 when the Trevallyn-Riverside parish was created and a Mass centre was established near Cormiston Road. Later a church hall was built at Pomona Road below the Franciscan Friary. In 1982 the hall was enlarged and renovated and the church became the centre for the Riverside parish. The Pomona Road church was sold in 2021 to facilitate the purchase of St David’s on West Tamar Road, which is conveniently located near St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School.

The newly acquired church was renovated and reopened in March 2022. It was consecrated on 11 September 2022 by Archbishop Julian Porteous. The grotto of “Our Lady of Grace” was blessed three days before the consecration. A new presbytery has been built at the rear of the church.







Sources:

Catholic Standard, Volume 9, Issue 18, 18 September 2022

https://hobart.catholic.org.au/2022/09/12/joyous-celebration-at-st-francis-church-consecration/







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