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 Catholic church in Wellington, New Zealand. It opened in 2004 and is located in the Mount Victoria area, close to the Basin Reserve. This modern church serves the local community.

The Church's History
Church Design and Architecture
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
Important Statues
See also

The Church's History

Early Beginnings in Mount Victoria

Catholic people have worshipped in Mount Victoria since 1885. That year, a wooden, eight-sided church was built on Buckle Street. It was next to St Patrick's College, which also started in 1885. Later, Mother Aubert built a special home for children and sick people nearby.

A New Cathedral and Parish Changes

In 1898, land was set aside for a new cathedral. This was after St Mary's Cathedral burned down. Building the new cathedral kept getting delayed. This delay affected the local church, as the cathedral would also be their main parish church.

By 1945, the old octagonal church on Buckle Street was very old and had to be pulled 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, run by the Sisters of Mercy.

The Present Church Building

Sacred Heart Basilica became Wellington's main cathedral in 1984. This happened after the land for the planned new cathedral was taken by the government. This land is now part of the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park.

The current St Joseph's Church opened in 2004. Everyone was very happy! It replaced the old hall that had been used as the church for sixty years. The new church was built after the final plans for Paterson Street were made. This street is part of State Highway 1.

Church Design and Architecture

The church building is made from concrete and timber. The main worship area is designed like a large semi-circle. It can seat 300 people. The altar is at the front, in a flattened area.

There is a special pool for baptisms where people can be fully immersed. There is also a separate chapel for quiet prayer, which seats about 30 people. This chapel has a tower with a beautiful stained glass window. This window is called the "Bahaut window" and can be seen from far away. The church also has a large area for meetings and social events.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

Art Deco Windows

The church has amazing Art Deco stained glass windows. These were made by Harry Clarke's studio in Dublin. They were brought to New Zealand for the 1939/1940 New Zealand Centennial Exhibition. This exhibition was held in Lyall Bay, Wellington.

These beautiful windows include a glass crucifix and a glass image of Our Lady (Mary) with baby Jesus. There is also a round stained glass window, called a rose window, showing the Virgin Mary. This rose window is very special and serves as a shrine to Mary in the church.

The Bahaut Window

The Bahaut window was a gift from parishioners Anthony and Nanette Bahaut. It was made in Auckland. The window shows many images. These include fish, taniwha (mythical creatures), fantail birds, an open bible, and a large pot. The pot stands for faith.

It also shows the fleur de lys symbol of France. This represents Mother Aubert and the Marist Fathers. The alpha and omega symbols represent Jesus Christ. All these images tell the story of the Christian faith's journey in New Zealand.

Victorian Stained Glass

The church also has English Victorian stained glass windows. These were made by the Atkinson Brothers. They were originally in the first octagonal St Joseph's Church. A notable one is the window of St Joseph in the Blessed Sacrament chapel. Five other windows from this series were given to Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1984.

Important Statues

The large crucifix behind the altar was first put in the original octagonal St Joseph's Church. The cross itself is made from Kauri wood. It was blessed in 1894. A full-size statue of the Sacred Heart stood above the altar in the old church. It was given by someone who became Catholic, as a thank you to God.

St Joseph's Church, Mt Victoria facts for kids

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