The Holy Name of Mary Church, Hunters Hill - The heart and focus of the Community The church was originally designed to be the chapel of the adjacent Villa Maria Monastery. The foundation stone was blessed by the Archbishop of Sydney and laid on 15 September, 1867. The church was a long time in the building. The first wedding took place in 1868 when the church still had no roof. Finally, it was formally blessed and opened by the Marist missionary Bishop Louis Elloy on 12 February 1871. The church is unique in Australia in its design and decoration. The Marists brought in plans from their place of origin, the rural areas around Lyon in South-East France. The stained glass and statuary are also French, as too is the beautiful marble altar which was installed in 1890. The altar was  moved from the eastern wall, separated from the tabernacle, and adapted to stand free in the centre of the sanctuary during the adaptations to the liturgy of the Second Vatican Council in 1971. Further restoration work was carried out in 2003 as well as conservation work on the outside. Today it is a much loved Marist parish where one feels “at home” in the spirit of Mary and the Eucharistic presence of her Son.  Fr Kevin Bates continues the long tradition of the Marist Fathers ministry for the Parish Community. The presence of the Marist Fathers has been ongoing since Villa Maria was established in 1847. Originally it accommodated Missionaries passing through to Oceania. Today the Marist family continues to thrive in Hunters Hill complete with two Marist Laity Groups. |
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