Religious Orders

There have, over recent years, been three other religious orders resident within the parish boundaries, all of whom have larger communities just beyond. Two of these, the Marist Brothers and the Christian Brothers, have schools and are still with us, while the third, the Franciscans, who are no longer with us, still have the monastery in Hillsborough Road. All three have lived in small communities in the area and have been actively associated with them parish.

The Franciscans

The first of the three to arrive were the Franciscan Friars, who came during the mid-70s and setup a House of Formation for new entrants to the Order, rather than having them travel to Australia. They took over the parish house, then located in Lurline Avenue, which they named “Serra House”, and it became home for a community of five Friars under the leadership of Father Simon Bourke, who helped out with priestly duties. Unfortunately, the house proved too small for the purpose for which it was intended and when more suitable property became available, they moved to another area, which was a pity, as they were popular while they were with us and their way of life was good example.

The Marist Brothers

The Marist Brothers came a bit later, toward the end of the 1970s, following the closure of Marcellin Hall through lack of numbers. They set up the house on the corner of Oslow Avenue and the Drive as a place where young Brothers went following Noviciate, while they were undergoing their teaching training. Over recent years, however, it has become a Provincial Centre, used by the Provincial of the Order and his assistant and others with specialist roles to play, as well as by visiting Brothers from outside Auckland or from overseas.

The Christian Brothers

The Christian Brothers, the most recent of the Religious to arrive in the parish, came during the 1980s. Brother Lawrence Wilkes, who was active in the parish for many years, had recently moved south to retire and Brother Norman Gillies  joined the Parish Pastoral Council in 1990.