The Closing Mass for St Bernard’s Church on Sunday 18 April 2021
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St Bernard’s Catholic Church
37 Taft Street
Brooklyn
Wellington 6021
The Church in Brooklyn
- St Bernard’s, known initially known as St Anthony’s and functioning as a branch of St Mary of the Angels, became an independent parish in the first weekend of February 1961. It meant the end of nearly 70 years of dedicated service by the Marist Fathers who at this point retired in favour of the Diocesan Clergy.
- Coincidentally the official changeover ceremony occurred on 6 March 1961, exactly 57 years after the first Mass was celebrated in Brooklyn at the Healy Family home in Washington Ave.
- The first church was opened on 12 June 1911 by Archbishop Redwood.
- In 1946 the church building was disassembled and transported on horse-drawn lorries to it’s present location. It was re-erected on concrete foundations and extended.
- On October 16 1949 both the church and the new school were officially opened.
- To avoid confusion with two other parishes – St Anthony’s in Seatoun and San Antonio’s in Eastbourne – Father Hehir, with Archdiocesan approval, renamed the parish St Bernard’s. This was on 1 February 1962.