St Denis Church, Joondanna
31°54′30″S 115°50′34″E / 31.9082°S 115.8428°E / -31.9082; 115.8428
LocationJoondanna, Western Australia
CountryAustralia
DenominationCatholic Church
Websitewww.stdenis.com.au
History
StatusParish church
DedicationSaint Denis of Paris
Dedicated25 August 1968[1]
Relics heldFragment of bone from Saint Peregrine Laziosi[2]
Architecture
Architect(s)Ernest Rossen
Years built1967
Specifications
Capacity500[3]
Administration
ArchdiocesePerth
ParishSt Denis / Joondanna[lower-alpha 1]
Clergy
Priest(s)Anthony Rathinam OSM[6][7]

St Denis Church is a Roman Catholic church in the Perth suburb of Joondanna, Western Australia.[6][7]

History of the parish

The parish of St Denis[lower-alpha 1] was created by Archbishop Redmond Prendiville in 1952 by separating it from the larger parish of Osborne Park; responsibility for the new parish was given to the Servite Order, which had recently arrived in Australia.[1][8]: 1  The first parish priest was Patrick Nolan.[1][lower-alpha 2] At the time, the new parish's church was a Nissen[9] or Quonset[1] hut on Wanneroo Road in Tuart Hill[10] (now Joondanna[9]) consecrated the previous year,[11] which also acted as a school.[1] In 1964, Nolan was replaced by Christopher Ross, who decided that a "proper" church was required.[12]

The parish was named after the third-century Christian martyr, Saint Denis.[13]

Design and features

The building was designed by Ernest Rossen[14][12] and Iris Rossen,[15] and is inspired by the Chapel du Ronchamp.[16] It was built in 1967[1][17] and consecrated in 1968.[1]

The church has a pipe organ. The instrument was originally built in 1957 for the chapel at St John of God Subiaco Hospital. That chapel was demolished in 1994 and the organ was removed and rebuilt at St Denis. It was damaged during a severe storm in 2010, but subsequently repaired.[18][19]

In 2010-11 a five-year plan to renovate the church building commenced:[20]

  • The crying room was converted to a gathering space.[20]
  • A new sound system was installed, including hearing units for those hard-of-hearing.[21]
  • Indoor toilets were installed.[22]
  • Reverse-cycle air-conditioning was installed.[23]
  • Solar panels were installed on the roof of the church and presbytery.[23][24]

In 2014 the tabernacle was moved from its original location on the side of the sanctuary to directly behind the altar.[25][lower-alpha 3]

In 2017 a memorial garden was built on the west side, between the church and the presbytery.[27][28]

Notes

  1. 1 2 The Archdiocese of Perth refers to the parish as "Joondanna",[4][5] but most other references call the parish "St Denis".
  2. ↑ Nolan also served as the first principal of St Philip's high school when it was opened by the Servites in 1958.[8]: 4 
  3. ↑ The tabernacle now behind the altar at the front of the church is not the original. The original 1968 tabernacle[26] is now at the rear of the church in a small memorial area.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Denis Church, Joondanna.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ross OSM, Christopher M. (12 January 2001), Servites in Australia - Part One (PDF), retrieved 26 October 2014
  2. ↑ Framed relic on display in the church, 2014-11-01
  3. ↑ Certificate of Approval issued by City of Stirling 2004-03-15, on display in the church 2014-11-01
  4. ↑ "Parishes & Clergy". Archdiocese of Perth. 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  5. ↑ Parish Localities E-L, Archdiocese of Perth, retrieved 26 October 2014
  6. 1 2 "Joondanna". Archdiocese of Perth. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Saint Denis Parish". Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  8. 1 2 Of Dreams and Realities, A history of the origins and development of Servite College (1958-1983).
  9. 1 2 "School history". St Denis School. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Cully-Stephenson Wedding". South Western Advertiser. 17 September 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Church Built From A Nissen Hut". The West Australian. 19 December 1951. p. 12. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  12. 1 2 Lau, Matthew (October 2018). "Joondanna Parish hits half-century in multicultural fashion". Catholic Archdiocese of Perth. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  13. ↑ "Parishes turn to saints for inspiration". The Record. 5 November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Plaque on St Denis Church, Joondanna
  15. ↑ Matthews, Leonie (Spring–Summer 2019). Creagh, Robyn; Giles, Fiona (eds.). "Ires Rosen: An Extraordinary Life" (PDF). The Architect. Australian Institute of Architects WA Chapter: 83. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  16. ↑ "44 - St Denis Catholic Church". Open House Perth. 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "St Denis' Church & Parish House". Heritage Council, State Heritage Office. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  18. ↑ "Western Australian Pipe Organs: St. Denis's Catholic Church". The Organ Society of Western Australia. 28 January 2011. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  19. ↑ "Western Australian Pipe Organs: St John of God Hospital". The Organ Society of Western Australia. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  20. 1 2 Spinks, Bridget (2 February 2011). "Servite overhauls Joondanna parish". The Record. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "New Sound System, Hi-Tech Hearing 'Loop'" (PDF), Voice of St Denis, St Denis Parish, 30 March 2013, archived from the original on 10 April 2013, retrieved 26 October 2014{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ↑ "Please Be Careful!" (PDF), Voice of St Denis, St Denis Parish, 18 May 2013, archived from the original on 17 May 2013, retrieved 26 October 2014{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  23. 1 2 "Saint Denis Parish". 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. ↑ "St Denis Catholic Parish Joondanna WA". Five Leaf Eco-Awards. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  25. ↑ "Placement of Tabernacle" (PDF), Voice of St Denis, St Denis Parish, 18 October 2014, archived from the original on 26 October 2014, retrieved 2 November 2014{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  26. ↑ "St Denis Catholic church, Roberts Street, Joondanna [picture] - 340427PD: Vestry, 1968". State Library of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  27. ↑ "Saint Denis Parish". March 2018. News. Retrieved 30 May 2018. Update March-2018: The memorial garden has been officially opened for several months
  28. ↑ "Westside Development". Saint Denis Parish. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
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