> Stained glass window at St Mary's Catholic Church
St Mary's Catholic Church.
A simple tent housed the first Mass at the Grange (Hamilton) in 1848. A wooden church was built in 1856, and a decade later, a larger bluestone church was officially opened on this site.
The first Divine Service at Saint Mary's Catholic Church was held on 12 August 1866. In December 1868, Father Michael Farrelly conducted a funeral Mass for the father of Mary MacKillop, Alexander MacKillop, who died suddenly at Hamilton's Victoria Hotel on December 19.
Alexander was buried in the old Hamilton Cemetery on Coleraine Road, and his restored gravesite is located on a corner in the Catholic section about 100 metres from the main gate.
Stained glass windows and banners within Saint Mary's Catholic Church pay homage to Alexander and Mary MacKillop during their time spent in the district during the 1860s.
A number of extensions and renovations have taken place at Saint Mary's over the years in keeping with the needs of the Parish. The bell from the spire made a welcome return in 2002 after remaining silent for many years, and now operates with an electronic ringing device.