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In the Beginning

when the Garden City of Pinelands was launched, from the Church’s point of view it was a “no man’s land.”

The few Catholics in Pinelands were considered to be in the parish of Maitland. As the area developed and numbers increased, it was attached to Mowbray. In 1946, Pinelands became an independent parish.

This independence had a “Gilbert and Sullivan” effect about it. The new parish had no church of its own.

Baptisms, marriages and funerals took place in St Patrick’s, Mowbray. On Sundays, Holy Mass was celebrated in the Pinelands Civic Hall.

In 1949, the foundation stone of the Church of Christ the King was solemnly laid.

This was third site which was offered to the Diocese. The first being in Central Square on which the Dutch Reformed Church now stands. The second, in Kings Way, which for some reason was not used.

When a third section of the Garden City was being developed, the present site was offered and accepted. Providentially ideal. It is down New Way and is easily seen from Forest Drive.

When the Church was built, it stood in solitary grandeur at the top of New Way, an “island unto itself.” The parish priest continued as Chaplain to what at that time was known as St. Joseph’s Sanatorium.

Some years later, the name was changed to St Vincent Pallotti Hospital when the founder of the Sisters’ Congregation was canonised.