Before a Catholic mission was started in the city, local Catholics had to travel to St Michael the Archangel Church in Chatham. In 1888, a mission was started when Fr Thomas McMahon arrived in the town. The mission was supported by the local Arathoon family. In 1890, construction started on a small building that housed a school and church. It was funded by the Fauld family. It opened in 1893 and later became known as McMahon Hall.[2]
In 1902, the church was extended. In 1934, a new school building was built. It is now called Scott Hall. In 1972, new school buildings were built on Greenfield Road. This meant that only the junior school was left on the old site. In October 1988, more school buildings were built at the new site, and the junior school was moved there. Without a school there, some of the old buildings were demolished and a car park created. In 1990, the church was extended again, this time, with a narthex being added. Between 1999 and 2003, the two halls were refurbished.[2]
Parish
The church has three Sunday Masses, they are at 6:30 pm on Saturday and 9:30 am and 11:30 am on Sunday.[3] There are also Daily masses at 10 am, with two masses on Holy Days of obligation.
