History of our Parish

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Bosco Engadine -

A History of St John Bosco Parish Engadine, Heathcote, Waterfall, Yarrawarrah and Woronora Heights 1947-2007

In 2005 Fr Peter Rankin, Parish Priest, asked one of our Parishioners, Michael Kenny, to lead a committee of ten Parishioners to compile this very detailed book in 2007. We will provide a summary of some of the more notible events during 1947-2007, and some of the more recent Parish history below. We commend this book to you as a detailed account of the rapid growth of our Parish to what it is today in a little over 70 years. Copies of the book are available from the Parish Office boscosecretary@gmail.com.

Parish Timeline 1947 to 2023 - the Parish future is in your hands and it will be what you make of it

1934: 9 August. Fr Thomas Dunlea appointed Parish Priest of Sutherland Parish, including Engadine/Heathcote
1937-39: Fr Dunlea starts taking in orphaned boys to care for them
1940: 17 July. Council evicts Fr Dunlea and his 27 boys under care, and he sets up a Tent City in the Royal National Park
1941: 4 May. Boys Town Foundation stone laid on the current site, with 27 boys in residence
1942: August. De La Salle brothers arrive to relieve Fr Dunlea of the day to day operation of Boys Town.
1947: Fr Dunlea appointed as Founder of Boys Town and Parish Priest of the new Engadine Parish.
1952: January/February. Fr Ciantar arrives in Engadine as the first Salesian Parish Priest and in charge of Boys Town.
1955-67: Boys Town Chapel used for Masses for the Engadine Parishioners
1954: 21 March. Church Hall built and blessed, for Parish social functions.
1958: Heathcote parishioners build Our Ladies Help of Christians Church in the Avenue, East Heathcote
1959-62: St John Bosco Primary School commences in the Church Hall on Woolies corner.
1963: SJB Primary School moves to new premises on its current site.
1967: 8 October. Shrine of St John Bosco Engadine blessed and opened.
1967: 28 December. Fr Ciantar died fairly suddenly.
1988: Heathcote Church demolished and rebuilt.

How did we become the Salesian Parish of St John Bosco Engadine

This time line has been compiled with the assistance of the above mentioned book. Some sections have been quoted without the usual references being provided. Many more interesting details are available in the book:

On 9 August 1934 the Archbishop appointed Fr Thomas Dunlea as priest in charge of the area of what we now know as the Sutherland Shire(excluding Cronulla). He was later appointed Parish Priest of what would in time become seven separate Parishes.
In the late 30's Fr Dunlea commenced taking in boys ranging from 8-18, often orphans, seeking shelter, food and friendship.
His Presbytery quickly became overcrowded as he started to copy the work of Boys Town in USA. He rented a separate house, non of which had necessary approvals.
By mid 40's the buildings were overcrowded, leaking and generally in poor condition. Neighbours began to complain about the boys' behaviour, and council resolved to close the house and evict the tennants.
Fr Dunlea managed to see the hand of God at work and he saw the word 'EVICTION' as an opportunity. On 17 July 1940, with World War 11 well under way, he rallied the support of the media and marched his 27 boys and their pets out of their Sutherland house into the Royal National Park to establish a tent city. The largest goat carried a placard carrying the name of Mr Cooper, the health inspector who signed the eviction notice. They used pots and pans as drums to attract maximum attention for the media.
A well know Sydney Jewish bookmaker heard of the eviction and assisted Fr Dunlea financially to establish Boys Town, now known as the Dunlea Centre. Forty one boys were in residence when the Boys Town foundation stone was laid by the Premier on 4 May 1941, on the current site.
In mid 1942 Archbishop Cardinal Gilroy, at the suggestion of Fr Dunlea invited the De La Salle Brothers to provide a presence at Boys Town. A similar strategy was used at Boys Town Nebraska where the Brothers provided the day to day running of the operation. It would provide much more care for the boys and enable Fr Dunlea to devote more time to his responsibilities as Parish Priest Sutherland, which included Engadine.
Four De La Salle brothers arrived in August 1942.
By 1947 differences began to emerge between Fr Dunlea, the De La Salle Brothers and the Fundraising Committee. Each party felt entitled to have its say in the running of Boys Town.
In mid 1947, at Fr Dunlea's suggestion, Cardinal Gilroy appointed Fr Dunlea as Parish Priest of the new Engadine Parish. The population of Engadine was 1,203.
In late 1951 the Archbishop invited the Salesian Provincial to take over Boys Town. The Provincial accepted the invitation and Fr Ciantar arrived in Engadine in January 1952. John Bosco, the founder of the Salesians, developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method that became known as the Salesian Preventative System. A follower of the St Francis de Sales, Bosco dedicated his works to him when he founded the Salesians of Don Bosco, based in Turin, Italy. Because the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, Turin Italy was chock-a-block with poor young people. They were either orphaned or abandoned and looking for work, and were exposed to all sorts of dangers. Don [Father] Bosco started to gather them together on Sundays, sometimes in a Church, in vacant lots, or even in open public spaces where they could play and where he could teach them about their faith. You can read more about Don Bosco and the Salesians on their website. However, with these few words you can see why the Cardinal invited the Salesians into Boys Town, Engadine.
Fr Ciantar, the first Salesian in Engadine, arrived in January 1952. On 3 February 1952 it was announced, with great sadness, that Fr Dunlea was to leave the Parish. Fr Ciantar was appointed Parish Priest and he came in like a whirlwind with amazing faith that enabled him to move mountains.

Establishment of our Churches

So, we became a Salesian Parish in 1952 and commenced our growth:

As stated in the above section, on 3 February 1952 it was announced, with great sadness, that Fr Dunlea was to leave the Parish. Fr Ciantar came in like a whirlwind with amazing faith that enabled him to move mountains.
In those early days Boys Town buildings were used for Masses, first in the Institute Hall, then George Nathan Hall and then Boys Town Chapel in 1955 . The Chapel served the Parish well until 1967 when the new church was blessed and opened.
In July 1953 Fr Ciantar obtained finance which enabled him to build a church hall on land Fr Dunlea had purchased in the centre of Engadine on the corner of the Princes Highway and Cambrai Avenue. Blessed on 21 March 1954 it was used mainly for social functions. From 1959 to 1962 it was used for the newly establish SJB Primary School, prior to its subsequent move to the current site in Banksia Avenue - more on this later. When vacated this property was sold to Woolworths where it built a supermarket and still occupies the same site today. So perhaps, rather than calling it Woolies corner it should be know as Bosco Corner!
In 1958, parishioners in Heathcote combined together to build their own church, Our Ladies Help of Christians Church in the Avenue, East Heathcote, because it was difficult to attend Mass in Engadine due to the lack of transport. It was a modest weatherboard building. In the 70's an entry porch added together with a ceiling to make the building more comfortable. It was built and painted by parish volunteers. I still recall seeing Fr Briffa's hands, bare of skin following him digging the trench for the plumbing the previous week.
In 1988 the Heathcote Church was demolished and rebuilt with a modern church in fitting with the newly constructed first stages of John Paul Village. The new building was paid for by John Paul Village on the land owned by the Parish, and dedicated on 3 September 1988.
During the period 1959 - 1962 all focus was on construction of the new Primary School on its current site.
By 1965 the Boys Town Chapel was overcrowded during Masses there. At a meeting of the Parish committee in 1966 Fr Ciantar announced the idea of a 'noble church' here in Engadine to serve as a centre for parish worship and a national shrine to St John Bosco. His plan was met with little support due to the tight financial position of the Parish - no room in the budget. Fr Ciantar responded to the doubters "have faith all ye of little faith! Don Bosco started to build his Basilica with only 2 coins in his pocket and we can do the same. If we believe, God will support us and we will have both a church and schools, everything we need. God always provides: have faith!"
The project proceeded, with no financial projections or budgets. Fr Ciantars' brief to the architect was 'Triumphant". Jesus triumphed over death and the shrine had to be triumphant. AND THAT IT IS, even so many years later it remains as a modern 'triumphant' building.
The shrine was blessed and opened on 8 October 1967, after being built in approximately eight months. These days it takes far longer than that to get the compulsory consultant reports and designs prepared, before another long period through the approval and tendering processes.
Fr Ciantar was very anxious and driven to see the shrine completed quickly. Unfortunately, Fr Ciantar died fairly suddenly at 73 years of age on 28 December 1967, just two or three months after completion and opening. His trust in divine providence was outstanding. His enthusiasm was infectious, and even his less enthusiastic supporters had to admit, later, that his vision was the correct one. Had a lesser church/hall been built there is little doubt that a further larger church would have been required within ten years.
It is a little ironic that the first time the church was packed to capacity was just a few months later for Fr Ciantars' funeral Mass.

Establishment of our Schools

Catering for our Youth

Catering for the Elderly - John Paul Village

The Mission in Action Fund

Our Parish Priests

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