WelCom May 2022
One hundred years on from its separation from Lower Hutt parish in 1922, the Catholic community at Johnsonville are celebrating their patronal feast in a special way this year, by looking back at how the community and parish have developed. A book is planned, along with displays, and a special Mass to be celebrated by Cardinal John Dew on Sunday 26 June at 2pm, followed by afternoon tea.
While this event is not a parish centennial, the organising committee is keen to attract the attention of former Johnsonville residents who may like to catch up with old friends and share memories.
Ss Peter and Paul feast day has had a special significance in Johnsonville since 1895, when Archbishop Redwood opened the first church there dedicated to these saints. Johnsonville then, was a semi-rural village on the Main Trunk railway line. It had recently become part of the Petone parish under Fr Donnelly, a key figure in getting the church built. The following year Johnsonville became part of the Lower Hutt parish where it remained until 1922.
In February 1922, the new parish of Johnsonville was separated from Lower Hutt. The first parish priest Fr Griffin, based at Johnsonville, was charged with the pastoral care of a widely-scattered Catholic community from Plimmerton to Ngaio, with churches at Pāuatahanui, Porirua, Ngaio, and Johnsonville.
In 1940, the northern parts of the parish were separated to form the parish of Plimmerton. A decade later, in 1950, the Onslow parish was formed, incorporating Khandallah and Ngaio. With post-war population growth, a new church at Newlands was built by voluntary labour in 1963, giving Johnsonville parish two churches. When the parish of Newlands was formed in 1967, the Johnsonville parish shrank again, remaining at its smallest geographically until 2016. That year, just six years short of its centenary, it merged with the former Newlands and Onslow parishes into the new Parish of St Francis of Assisi, Ohariu.
For enquiries about this year’s feast day celebrations, please contact Pat Collier at email: tchpat.collier@gmail.com or ph: (04) 478-6230 (hm) or mobile 0212943960.