Richmond Parish
The Richmond Parish Days in the Diocese Report is yet to come...
Situated in the picturesque Coal River Valley, 20-minutes from Hobart, Richmond Parish is home to several historic Churches. In Richmond itself, sits St John the Evangelist Church, the oldest existing continuously used Catholic Church in Australia. Built in 1836, this sandstone Church overlooks the historic Richmond Bridge (1923) the oldest bridge in Australia. St John's School is across the road and the original Old School House situated in the Church grounds is the oldest Catholic School in Australia. The Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who are still represented today in our Parish Sister, opened this. Over the hills in Sorell, is St Thomas' Church, circa 1842. This quaint Church is also sandstone with stained glass windows. Both structures have strong links to the architecture of the Gothic Revival of Augustus Welby Pugin (1812-1852) and Robert William Willson (1794-1866). St John's Church underwent several structural additions in 1858 to be the beautiful example of religious architectural design we now see. In 1859, when the Church was officially reopened after the additions, Mr. Wilmot, making the toast of the day said, "This Church has become the greatest object of beauty and interest in an exceedingly pretty township".
Richmond Parish has a dedicated community, with Mass celebrated in both Churches every weekend and several times during the week. We have a strong active Pastoral Council, CWL, St Vincent de Paul, and a monthly Children's Liturgy. The Parish Finance Committee is committed to several restoration projects as well as the upkeep of the buildings that are so rich in the Catholic history of Australia. Currently under restoration is an oil painting by the renowned American artist Mather Brown, The Adoration of the Magi, work is expected to be finalised by spring 2007. While the next project is the restoration of the original three-panel stained glass window. The cemetery behind St John's has seen some restoration also and is on the Australian Heritage Commission as part of the National Estate. One particularly interesting grave is at the side of the Church. This small grave was rescued from the eroding hillside where it was in danger of falling down the riverbank. It is the resting-place of a four-month old baby named Henry Emmet Fitzgerald. He was the only son of Thomas Francis and Catherine O'Meagher. Thomas O'Meagher was an Irish exile to Van Diemen's Land who was granted a ticket-of-leave and married Catherine. However, he escaped his sentence and fled to New York where the Irish Exiles welcomed him. O'Meagher rose to be a General in the Union Army, and was Governor of Montana. The tragedy of the O'Meagher's tale is that the three family members rest on three different continents. One lies at Richmond, Tasmania. The Australian mother lies at rest in Waterford, Ireland; and the Irish patriot in the bed of the Missouri. A visit to St John's will tell how this situation eventuated.
The surrounding township of Richmond boasts several historic structures including the Richmond Gaol (1825). The old-world streetscape offers several examples of colonial architecture now housing Art Galleries, Tea Rooms and Gift shops. The Coal River Valley is part of the Tasmanian Wine Trail and offers some of the finest vineyards in Australia with tasting and cellar door sales. The larger town of Sorell, where St Thomas' is situated is a short 10-minute drive over the hills. It boasts a shopping centre and several original sandstone buildings of the colonial era, some now holding Antique shops and Tea Rooms. Sorell also has a rich history, including rural agriculture, convicts and bushrangers. The surrounding area has fruit farms, wineries and beaches.
Our Parish Priest, Fr Terence Rush is welcoming and always provides a relatable, stirring liturgy for Parishioners and visitors alike. We are open to hosting up to 25 pilgrims for Days in the Diocese and will be involved in the WYD Cross and Icon Pilgrimage. We look forward to welcoming you to our Parish and giving you a faith-filed experience in our charming, extraordinary Churches.