St Joseph's Church, Mt Victoria Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Joseph's Church, Mt Victoria, Wellington
The church, from its west entrance
Location	42 Ellice St, Mount Victoria, Wellington
Country	New Zealand
Denomination	Catholic
History
Founded	1885
Dedicated	2004
Architecture
Architect(s)	Studio Pacific
Administration
Parish	Mt Victoria
Diocese	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington

St. Joseph's Church is a modern Catholic church in Mount Victoria, Wellington, New Zealand. It opened in 2004 and is located near the Basin Reserve.

History of St. Joseph's Church
Architecture and Design
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
- The Bahaut Window
- Older Stained Glass
Important Statues
See also

History of St. Joseph's Church

Early Beginnings in Mount Victoria

The Catholic community in Mount Victoria started in 1885. A unique eight-sided wooden church was built on Buckle Street. It was located next to St Patrick's College, which also opened that year.

Later, a special place called a crèche (a nursery for children) and a hospital were built nearby. These were founded by Mother Aubert, a very important person in New Zealand's Catholic history.

Plans for a New Cathedral

In 1898, land was set aside for a new cathedral for Wellington. This was needed because the old St Mary's Cathedral had been destroyed by fire. However, building this new cathedral was delayed many times. This delay affected the plans for St. Joseph's Church, as the cathedral was also meant to be the main parish church.

Moving to a New Location

By 1945, the old eight-sided church on Buckle Street was in poor condition and had to be taken down. The parish then moved to the east side of the Basin Reserve. They used a renovated hall on Paterson Street as their church. This hall was next to the parish school, which was run by the Sisters of Mercy. This new location is very close to where the current church stands today.

The Modern Church Building

In 1984, Sacred Heart Basilica in Thorndon became Wellington's official cathedral. The land originally planned for the new cathedral on Tory Street and Buckle Street was taken over by the government for motorway construction.

Today, the area where the old octagonal church and the unbuilt cathedral were planned is part of the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. State Highway 1 now runs underneath this park through the Arras Tunnel.

The current St. Joseph's Church was officially opened in 2004. It replaced the converted hall that had served as the church for sixty years. The new church was built after the final route of Paterson Street was decided, which is part of State Highway 1 leading to the Mount Victoria Tunnel and beyond.

Architecture and Design

The church building is made from strong concrete and beautiful timber. The main worship area is designed like a large semi-circle, with seating for 300 people. The altar is at the front, in a flattened curved section.

The church has a special pool for full-immersion baptisms. There is also a separate chapel called the Blessed Sacrament chapel, which seats about 30 people. This chapel has a tall tower with a stunning stained glass window. This window, known as the "Bahaut window," is easily seen from Cambridge and Kent Terraces and the Basin Reserve.

The church also includes a large separate area for the community. This space is used for meetings and social events, bringing people together.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

St. Joseph's Church is home to some amazing Art Deco stained glass windows. These windows were made by the famous Harry Clarke studio in Dublin. They were brought to New Zealand for the Catholic Church's display at the 1939/1940 New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in Lyall Bay, Wellington.

These beautiful artworks include a glass crucifix, a glass image of Our Lady (Mary) with baby Jesus, and a round stained glass window (a rose window) of the Virgin Mary. These pieces are highly valued. The rose window of the Virgin Mary is now a special shrine in the church's worship area.

The Bahaut Window

The "Bahaut window" was created by artist Shane Cotton. It was a gift from parishioners Anthony and Nanette Bahaut. This window was made in Auckland at Glassworks Studios.

The images in the window tell a story about the journey of faith in New Zealand. They include:

Fish
Taniwha (mythical creatures from Māori stories)
Fantail (a native New Zealand bird)
An open bible
A large pot (symbolizing faith)
The fleur de lys (a French symbol, representing Mother Aubert and the Marists)
The alpha and omega (symbols for Jesus Christ)

Older Stained Glass

The church also has older English Victorian stained glass windows. These were made by the Atkinson Brothers studio and were originally in the first octagonal St. Joseph's Church. One important window shows St. Joseph himself and is located in the Blessed Sacrament chapel. Five other windows from this series were given to Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1984 when it became the main cathedral.

Important Statues

The large crucifix behind the altar was first placed in the original octagonal St. Joseph's Church on Buckle Street. The cross itself was made from Kauri wood, a native New Zealand tree. It was blessed in 1894.

A life-size statue of the Sacred Heart used to stand above the altar in the old octagonal church. This statue was given by someone who converted to the Catholic faith, as a thank you to God for their new faith.

St Joseph's Church, Mt Victoria facts for kids

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