Parish
Parish’s Name
- St Patrick’s, Warialda
Church’s in Parish
- Warialda: St Patrick’s
- Delungra: St Patrick’s Church, Gunee Street (blessed by Most Rev John Aloysius Coleman, DD – 7 May, 1939)
- Croppa Creek, St Anne’s Church (blessed and dedicated by Most Rev Henry J Kennedy, DD – 4 April, 1976)
- Collatai, St Therese’s Church
- Gravesend: St Sophie’s Church
Church’s Address
- 29 Geddes Street, Warialda
Parish established
- 12 January, 1938
Priests in the Parish
| Year | Priest |
|---|---|
| 1938-11/1945 | Rt Rev Msgr James Healy, VG |
| 11/1945-12/1952 | Very Rev Dean Thomas Leahey |
| 12/1952 till he died | Rev Fr Patrick Doherty |
| 5/8/1955- | Rev Fr J Lynham |
| Rev Fr Thomas Shanahan | |
| Rev Fr Thomas Crowley | |
| Rev Fr Witold Brymora | |
| Rev Fr Gerard Hayes | |
| 1997-1998 | Administered from Inverell by Fr Paul McCabe, PP |
| 1999-12/2000 | Rev Fr James Collins, SM |
| 01/2001-2008 | Rev Fr Jose S Adriano |
| 2009- | Rev Fr Bernard Frize |
Parish Associates
Brief Historical Notes
The Saint Patrick’s Church of Warialda was the first church in the Parish or Mission District.
The Foundation Stone of this church was laid by Rt Rev Patrick James O’Connor on the 31st day of May, 1914. Fr J Collender was PP and Fr Bernard O’Brien, the Curate.
The first wooden church was built so long ago that no one knows about the time of its erection. Fr Paddy Walsh collected much history about it but he was PP of Bingara and must have left such information up there.
The St Patrick’s Church School was the first school in Warialda. The Sisters of St Joseph taught the children in the old wooden church till the present school was built by Fr Paddy Walsh on the 21st of July, 1932. Contractor was Carneys White; builder was E Tomkins.
In July 1904 (not 1905 as stated in the ORDO), Sisters Camillus (Superior), Benchmans and Henrica (Provincial) opened the convent.
Sr Camillus died in Warialda on the 23rd of August, 1908; Sr Benchman died on the 27th of May, 1914. Their remains were buried at the local cemetery.
In 1941, the present Catholic Church of St Therese in Coolatai was brought from Cherry Tree Hill. It was erected by the Rt Rev Msgr James Healey who as then the PP of Warialda.
The Gravesend Church of Saint Sophie was built by Rev Fr Sam Buncell (who was the PP of Bingara at that time) on the 31st of May, 1925.
