OUR PARISH HISTORY

Bishop Pompallier, the first Bishop in New Zealand in 1828, was still Bishop of Auckland when Catholics in the Cambridge area began to meet together for Mass, prayer, catechism, and building a parish community. When Bishop Croke took over the Diocese in 1870, he wasted no time in acquiring a parcel of elevated land above the town in what is now Anzac Street; it boasted a dilapidated structure, once a post office, that became the first chapel, in which these enthusiastic and committed Catholics gathered for worship, and to form and develop a Catholic Parish.

An itinerant missioner, Father Vinay, brought Mass and the Sacraments to the small Catholic population, who continued to be served intermittently in this way for 21 years. Nevertheless, the lay faithful (as they would be described today, though without perhaps recognising the sacrifice and determination contained within that word ‘Faithful’) remained loyal and true, so that on the 24th January 1877 a new chapel was opened – a wooden building, 50 feet x 25 feet. It was surrounded with a white wooden picket fence to keep out wandering stock.

In 1908, Father Hollbrook became the first full-time Parish Priest and was followed by others, but their tenure of the Parish was of short duration, such was the shortage and demand for priests…it is a story that has a familiar ring to it for us 21st century Catholics.

The arrival of Father John Kirrane in 1916 heralded a new era for St. Peter’s Parish. He was responsible for the care of the Parish for 13 years, and this brought some stability. The wooden Church now over 50 years old, borer ridden and too small for the growing congregation was demolished and the present brick building was opened by Bishop Cleary on 21st March 1926 on the existing site. With Father Kirrane’s clear direction this impressive structure was indicative of the robust community now well-established in the town and surrounding district.

Subsequently the Church has been altered and enlarged on two further occasions: in 1959 under the direction of Father Frank Quinn and in 1980 under Monsignor Tom Hogan. An adjoining Parish meeting room was blessed and opened in 1988.

Following seismic testing, our present building has been assessed as Grade D within the earthquake prone categories, and the Council requires us to provide a church that meets today’s safety standards. A feasibility study was commissioned in 2018 looking at options:

1. Strengthen the Church as per the Engineer’s Report
2. Strengthen and renovate the existing Church
3. Build a new Church
4. Build a new Church and Presbytery (existing one was built in 1915) making maximum use of the site

Following a Parish-wide consultation a decision was made in favour of Option 4.

In 2026 the present church celebrates 100 years, and it has been suggested that a fitting centennial project would be to have the new Church complex opened that year.

The design concept to the left proposed by Paua Architects (the winner of a design competition) offers the vision of what we are now and what we can leave for the next generations of parishioners. It will continue the story of who we can become as a community – a people united through our worship of God and service of our neighbour.