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Sevenhill St Aloysius Catholic church
South transept window. Church foundation stone sanctuary & nave 15 Aug 1864 by Fr John Smythe, opened 1866 on land donated by Franz Weikert, walls of shale & sandstone quarried on property, stonework carved by Brother Francis Waldman. Tower foundation stone 8 Jun 1871 by Fr Julian Tennison Woods, consecrated 7 Feb 1875, north transept 1910, south transept opened 16 Nov 1997. Jesuit priest, Fr Kranewitter, with Brothers Schreiner & Sadler had settled at Sevenhill in 1851 in a wattle and daub hut. A two-storey stone building opened Apr 1856 to serve as a boys boarding school and a seminary to train diocesan priests, closed 1885.
“The Right Rev. Dr. Sheil left Kapunda on the afternoon of Friday to dedicate the sanctuary of St. Aloysius's Church, Sevenhill. His Lordship stopped on Friday night at Clarevale, the residence of Patrick McNamara. . . On the afternoon of Saturday the Catholics and many Protestants assembled at St. Patrick's, Undalya, to escort the Bishop to Sevenhills. A procession was formed, in which were not fewer than 300 horsemen and between 30 and 40 vehicles of every description. The residents of the Village of Sevenhills had erected a triumphal arch, on which were beautifully worked in evergreens the crosier and mitre — emblems of the episcopal office. On the College grounds two other arches were erected by the students, who displayed great taste in their design and ornamentation. . . . At least 1,000 persons were present on Sunday to witness and assist at the dedication of a portion of St. Aloysius' Church, an event long and ardently desired by all present.” [Weekly Chronicle 24 Nov 1866]
“The church, which was first used about eight years ago, has been greatly enlarged since . . . The front is very tastefully built of white freestone, and the tower at the western end is at present 70 feet high, but will be raised at a future time. The eastern gable is surmounted by a large stone cross 7 feet in height, and the roof is of slate.” [Evening Journal 9 Feb 1875]
“Fr. Kranewitter . . . first he went to Clare with the handful of Silesians, but a few months later with two newly arrived Austrian lay-brothers, he moved to land about four miles away and on this land stands the Church . . . of Sevenhill. They established St. Aloysius' College here which gave higher education to hundreds of Catholics in those early days, and gave the See of Adelaide its first Bishop and Archbishop.” [Northern Argus 18 Nov 1948]
“Father Kranewitter . . . lived with the Brothers till 1856 in a hut made of clay and stout poles, with a thatched roof. . . In September, 1851, the first vines were planted, the stocks being brought by Bro. Schreiner from Bungaree. . . The immediate sphere of the work of Father Kranewitter and Father Tappeiner in these years was in and round a triangle drawn from Clare to Saddleworth in the south, then north from Saddleworth to the Burra, then south west from the Burra back to Clare. A wooden church was built at Bumburney, near Clare, where the working of copper mines had drawn some Catholic Germans, and Mass was said there as well as at Mintaro (seven miles east) in the house of Peter Brady, at Undalya (sixteen miles south and east) in the house of Patrick McNamara, at Saddleworth (about the same distance, more east) at the house of Patrick Manning, and at the Burra, first at Howley's cottage in. Porter Square, then at Knevett's in Chapel Street. . . A two-storey building of local stone, with a serviceable large garret, built by the Brothers, assisted by hired labor, was finished by April, 1856, so as to allow of the opening of St. Aloysius' College, Sevenhill. . . In 1868 a second wing was added to the College, and by 1875 St. Aloysius' Church, Sevenhill, had been built, as it stands at present, complete, except for its spire. It was built of local material, in fine Gothic style, large enough for a cathedral church, from .drawings supplied at Sevenhill, by the Brothers with the aid of hired work men. All the stone cutting and carving was done by Br Waldmann, the principals supporting the roof, the doors and other furnishings by Br. Schneider.” [Southern Cross 30 Oct 1936]
Sevenhill St Aloysius Catholic church
South transept window. Church foundation stone sanctuary & nave 15 Aug 1864 by Fr John Smythe, opened 1866 on land donated by Franz Weikert, walls of shale & sandstone quarried on property, stonework carved by Brother Francis Waldman. Tower foundation stone 8 Jun 1871 by Fr Julian Tennison Woods, consecrated 7 Feb 1875, north transept 1910, south transept opened 16 Nov 1997. Jesuit priest, Fr Kranewitter, with Brothers Schreiner & Sadler had settled at Sevenhill in 1851 in a wattle and daub hut. A two-storey stone building opened Apr 1856 to serve as a boys boarding school and a seminary to train diocesan priests, closed 1885.
“The Right Rev. Dr. Sheil left Kapunda on the afternoon of Friday to dedicate the sanctuary of St. Aloysius's Church, Sevenhill. His Lordship stopped on Friday night at Clarevale, the residence of Patrick McNamara. . . On the afternoon of Saturday the Catholics and many Protestants assembled at St. Patrick's, Undalya, to escort the Bishop to Sevenhills. A procession was formed, in which were not fewer than 300 horsemen and between 30 and 40 vehicles of every description. The residents of the Village of Sevenhills had erected a triumphal arch, on which were beautifully worked in evergreens the crosier and mitre — emblems of the episcopal office. On the College grounds two other arches were erected by the students, who displayed great taste in their design and ornamentation. . . . At least 1,000 persons were present on Sunday to witness and assist at the dedication of a portion of St. Aloysius' Church, an event long and ardently desired by all present.” [Weekly Chronicle 24 Nov 1866]
“The church, which was first used about eight years ago, has been greatly enlarged since . . . The front is very tastefully built of white freestone, and the tower at the western end is at present 70 feet high, but will be raised at a future time. The eastern gable is surmounted by a large stone cross 7 feet in height, and the roof is of slate.” [Evening Journal 9 Feb 1875]
“Fr. Kranewitter . . . first he went to Clare with the handful of Silesians, but a few months later with two newly arrived Austrian lay-brothers, he moved to land about four miles away and on this land stands the Church . . . of Sevenhill. They established St. Aloysius' College here which gave higher education to hundreds of Catholics in those early days, and gave the See of Adelaide its first Bishop and Archbishop.” [Northern Argus 18 Nov 1948]
“Father Kranewitter . . . lived with the Brothers till 1856 in a hut made of clay and stout poles, with a thatched roof. . . In September, 1851, the first vines were planted, the stocks being brought by Bro. Schreiner from Bungaree. . . The immediate sphere of the work of Father Kranewitter and Father Tappeiner in these years was in and round a triangle drawn from Clare to Saddleworth in the south, then north from Saddleworth to the Burra, then south west from the Burra back to Clare. A wooden church was built at Bumburney, near Clare, where the working of copper mines had drawn some Catholic Germans, and Mass was said there as well as at Mintaro (seven miles east) in the house of Peter Brady, at Undalya (sixteen miles south and east) in the house of Patrick McNamara, at Saddleworth (about the same distance, more east) at the house of Patrick Manning, and at the Burra, first at Howley's cottage in. Porter Square, then at Knevett's in Chapel Street. . . A two-storey building of local stone, with a serviceable large garret, built by the Brothers, assisted by hired labor, was finished by April, 1856, so as to allow of the opening of St. Aloysius' College, Sevenhill. . . In 1868 a second wing was added to the College, and by 1875 St. Aloysius' Church, Sevenhill, had been built, as it stands at present, complete, except for its spire. It was built of local material, in fine Gothic style, large enough for a cathedral church, from .drawings supplied at Sevenhill, by the Brothers with the aid of hired work men. All the stone cutting and carving was done by Br Waldmann, the principals supporting the roof, the doors and other furnishings by Br. Schneider.” [Southern Cross 30 Oct 1936]