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