No. 1607 - Bruny Island - Alonnah - St Brendan's Catholic Church (1906)

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Alonnah is a settlement on the west coast of South Bruny Island. It was originally known as ‘Mills Reef’ but renamed in 1909. Alonnah is the partial Aboriginal name for Bruny Island: ‘Lunawanna-Alonnah’.

St Brendan’s Catholic church was officially opened and consecrated in March 1906. Part of the Mercury’s report of the ceremony is reproduced as follows:

“The new Roman Catholic Church, which is dedicated to St Brendan, was solemnly blessed on Sunday, 4th Inst. by the Right Rev Coadjutor Bishop Delany, D B , assisted by Rev Fathers O’ Lynn (Port Cygnet), Gillernn (Hobart), and Fleming (N S W ). There was a very large attendance of visitors, from Hobart, Franklin, and Port Cygnet, and as the day was beautifully fine, they expressed themselves well pleased with the day's outing to the picturesque island. Among the numerous visitors were -The Premier (Hon J W Evans) and Hon T M. Fisher, M L C….”.

“The Nubeena from Port Cygnet, contained nearly 200 passenger, the Waldemar, from Franklin, 130, and the Mongana, from Hobart, close on 100. The jetty presented a very busy appearance with the three steamers and their passengers”.

“The church is situate opposite the State school about a mile from the jetty, on a substantial road, and is a very neat structure, the main building being 30ft x 18ft the sacristy 9ft square, and the porch 6ft x 6ft…..The opening ceremony took place it 3 p.m. and a great concourse of people thronged to the church, which was crowded to the doors not more than half obtaining admission. At this stage the committee approached the altar steps, and presented an address to the Bishop, which was read by Mr. C. Dawson, the secretary”.

“The address extended to him a very hearty welcome home the Catholics of South Bruni. They fully recognised the importance of his visit, the occasion being the opening of the new church, which is dedicated to Saint Brendan, the sailor’s saint of Ireland, and which will stand in their midst as a sign of their holy faith….”.

St Brendan’s church and Bruny Island have a special connection with the establishment of a new Catholic religious Order; the Missionary Sisters of Service. In 1933, a newly-ordained young country priest, Fr John Corcoran Wallis, was visiting Mrs Kit Hawkins at Bruny when she asked: “Father, why can’t we have Sisters to teach our children? Doesn’t anyone care about us people in the bush?” Over the years a vision formed in Wallis’ mind of women going into rural and outback areas who would visit people in their homes, support, encourage, counsel, teach and empower them to nourish their families and communities. In 1944, a group of six women came together in Launceston, and became the foundation of the community of Missionary Sisters of Service.


Photograph: Colin Chick

Photograph: Tasmanian Mail (1912)

Photograph: eheritage.libraries.tas.gov.au - Object Number BIH_0001



Photograph: Colin Chick

Photograph: Southern Trove Tasmania, February 2018 


Photograph: Ralph Berry




Mercury, Wednesday 28 February 1906



Sources:

Mercury, Wednesday 28 February 1906, page 5
Tasmanian News, Wednesday 28 February 1906, page 4
Mercury, Monday 5 March 1906, page 4
Mercury, Thursday 8 March 1906, page 2
Tasmanian Mail, 14 November 1912, page 18

https://missionarysisters.org.au/about/



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