Sacred Heart, Christmas Creek

Originally named St. Joseph’s, definitive details of the early history of the church at Christmas Creek are hard to come by. Mr Michael Cahill of ”Kildare” donated the three acre block on which the church stands in 1901. This block was originally owned by Mr John Cahill in 1884. It is uncertain as to the date the church was built; however, it is thought to have been constructed in the early 1900s, with voluntary labour from local parishioners and timber supplied by the Cahill Brothers.

The first burial in the cemetery was that of Mr Martin Sullivan in 1904, though there is no record of if this was before or after the church was built.

Fr. Enright officiated over the wedding of Mr Herbert William Markwell to Miss May Cahill on June 17^th 1914. This appears to be the first wedding in St. Joseph’s, Christmas Creek.

A choir loft was added to the church in 1917, with the building work being contracted to Mr Harry Smith and Mr Percy Neill.

The cemetery within the church grounds was consecrated by Archbishop Duhig on June 4^th 1918,. He was accompanied by Fr. Enright, arriving the previous afternoon and being met by a congregation of prominent parishioners. After a tour of the grounds, His Grace adjourned to ”Kildare” where he was a guest of Mr and Mrs Michael Cahill for the duration of his stay. Devotions were held that evening with Archbishop Duhig preaching an eloquent sermon on “the Love of Jesus and Mary”, and concluded with Fr. Enright officiating over a Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament for a crowded congregation. Mass was celebrated the next day at 8:00am with Archbishop Duhig delivering a sermon: “It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins”. The final religious ceremony of the morning was the consecration of the cemetery by the Archbishop, assisted by Fr. Enright.

In 1921 St Joseph’s, Christmas Creek was re-named Sacred Heart, Christmas Creek. At that time there was no set protocol, guidelines or paperwork needed to authorise and legalise the procedure.

In 1936, over 30 years after it had been built, the growing congregation made it necessary to enlarge the church. Plans were drawn by architects Cavanagh and Cavanagh. When first built there was no provision for a Sanctuary or Sacristy, and these were added. The main building was extended by six feet, new windows were added, a new altar and rails, the provision of a leadlight window above the altar, and re-painting inside and out. Porches to the front and side were also included. The building work was contracted to Mr W. Lesley.