History

1848Leichhardt area part of the parish of St Augustine’s Balmain
1857Father John Joseph Therry purchased 12 acres of land in Elswick Street, to bethe Balmain Catholic Cemetery.
1864Father Therry died and was buried at Elswick Street
1869Catholic Cemetery opened, Mortuary Chapel built.
1870–1875School conducted in Mortuary Chapel by a lay teacher.
1887Elswick Street becomes part of the new parish of St. Fiacre’s Leichhardt.
1888Chapel enlarged.
1896The present Church was built as a Church/School.
1897Two Sisters of St. Joseph open St. Columba’s School.
1898Cardinal Moran blesses and opens new Church/School.
1918St. Columba’s School enrolled 182 children in two classes.
1926Infants block built.
1933Balmain Catholic Cemetery closed.
St. Columba’s becomes the parish church of North Leichhardt.
Father Geer appointed first parish priest.
1936St. Joseph’s Infants School enlarged.
1939Presbytery built and blessed by Archbishop Gilroy on 22nd October.
1940Father Geer dies, Father C. Murphy becomes parish priest.
School enrolments now increases to 477 students. St.
Joseph’s Infants = 147 and
St. Columba’s = 330
1952Father Lynch becomes parish priest.
1953Present administration building opened at St. Columba’s. The church is no longeris used as a school.
1955Father Meredith becomes parish priest.
1956St. Joseph’s Convent opened.
1965St. Columba’s secondary classes (girls only) move to local secondary school.
1968Church sanctuary altered to conform with new liturgy.  School enrolments 432.
1969St. Joseph’s Infants School transferred to St. Columba’s
1971Downstairs of present infants block completed.
1978Top storey added to infant block. School enrolments 386.
1983Golden Jubilee of parish.
1988Father Butler becomes parish priest on Father Meredith’s retirement.
1993Parish Diamond Jubilee. School enrolments 202.