No. 1661 - Sandy Bay - "Forteviot" - Guilford Young Chapel - The Society of Christian Doctrine

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Forteviot is a significant historic house built in 1899 for Alexander John Harley (1854-1905), headmaster of the Macquarie Street State School. The house is named after Forteviot, a village in the Perthshire region of Scotland, the birthplace of Alexander Harley’s father. The large Victorian-style house, located at Sandy Bay, on the shore of the River Derwent, was designed by architects Robert Flack Ricards and Douglas Salier.

In 1958 Forteviot was purchased by the Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart. For a brief period the house was a base for Sacre Coeur, a prayer community of lay women who promoted educational, missionary and parish work of the Catholic Church. In 1961 Forteviot was purchased from the Archdiocese by the Society of Christian Doctrine.

The Society of Christian Doctrine, widely known as the Preca Community, is an international society of Catholic lay volunteers. It was founded in Malta in 1907 by St George Preca. The community consists of celibate men and women who dedicate their lives to teaching catechism, spreading the Word of God, and providing faith formation to children, adolescents, and adults. The Preca Community has a well-established presence across several Australian States including Tasmania.

The Society of Christian Doctrine in Tasmania was formally established on 11 November 1961. Under Maurice Mifsud’s leadership, the Society initially worked from the old St John’s Catholic church at Glenorchy.

Following a meeting between Archbishop Young and Maurice Mifsud, the Archbishop offered the Society “Forteviot” at Sandy Bay to establish a permanent Hobart Preca Centre. In 1963 a further outreach programme began at St Camillus de Lellis Catholic church at Warrane.

In the late 1960s, at the Archbishop's request, the Sandy Bay house hosted courses to introduce laity and religious orders to the new scripture and Church teachings of Vatican II. The Society presently focuses on nurturing smaller faith-seeking groups, youth sacramental preparation, and family outreach under local leadership.

Given Archbishop Guilford Young’s close association with Society of Christian Doctrine in its formative years, it is fitting that the small chapel at Forteviot is named in honour of the Archbishop. The chapel is located on the ground floor of Forteviot.


Forteviot at Sandy Bay. Photograph: Cody Harwood

The chapel at Forteviot is named after Archbishop Guilford Young who was supportive of establishment of the Society of Christian Doctrine in Hobart

The Guilford Young Chapel. Photograph: Cody Harwood

The Guilford Young Chapel. Photograph: Cody Harwood


The Guilford Young Chapel. Photograph: Cody Harwood

Alexander John Harley (1854-1905), headmaster of the Macquarie Street State School, who built Forteviot in 1899. Photograph supplied by Cody Harwood

St George Preca, founder of the Society of christian Doctrine - source: https://www.facebook.com/preca.george


Archbishop  Sir Guilford Young - source: Archdiocese of Hobart

St Camillus de Lellis Catholic church at Warrane

St John the Baptist Catholic church at Glenorchy from where the Society of Christian Doctrine initially worked.  Source:  "From Tiny Potatoes"


Sources and links for further information:

Harwood, Cody;  Associate Member of the Society of Christian Doctrine; Unpublished manuscript on the history of Forteviot House. 

Catholic Standard, 20 October 2015, Volume 2, Issue 16, 'Society of Christian Doctrine, Quiet Achievers in the Community".

Verrier, Cecily; From Tiny Potatoes: A Great Parish Grew, (booklet) EMS & ENS Printing, Hobart, 1999.

https://precacommunity.org/where-we-are/beginnings-in-australia/hobart/

https://hobart.catholic.org.au/vocations/lay-religious-orders/society-of-christian-doctrine/

https://www.facebook.com/preca.george

https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20070603_preca_en.html






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