Featured image at top: Fr John Joseph Therry (painting by Paul Newton)

INTRODUCTION

This ‘history’ of the parish was undertaken at the time of the celebration of the parish centenary. The title is The Church by the Rocky River – St. Mary’s Corowa 1878 – 1978. It was written by Mr A.T. Roddy, B.A. and was ‘wholly set up and printed by Speciality Press (Albury) Pty. Ltd.’ It is reproduced here with minor editorial changes. (Click on each Chapter to open the text).

‘Convict Ship’ 2010 by Lucia Masciullo, painter & illustrator

The web manager has taken the liberty to add website links within the text and new photographs and images that add interest to the parish history, confident that A.T. Roddy would have done the same had they been available in 1978.

.  .  .

Chapter 1 – Catholicism Comes to Australia

Chapter 2 – Yass is made a Parish

Chapter 3 – Settlement along the Murray River

Chapter 4 – Goulburn has a Bishop and Corowa has a Church

Chapter 5 – The Missionary District of Corowa

Chapter 6 Early Pastors and a Brush with Bushrangers

[Ned Kelly and gang at Jerilderie]

Chapter 7 – The Days of Father Hickey

Chapter 8 – Corowa’s New Church

Chapter 9 – From Father Hickey to Father Lane

Chapter 10 – Three Country Churches are built

Chapter 11 – The Sisters of Mercy and Education

Chapter 12 – Monsignor Lane as Parish Priest

Chapter 13 – Wahgunyah Catholicism and the Mass Tree

…….