New Norcia, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
New Norcia is a town in Western Australia
, 132 km (82 mi) north of Perth
, along the Great Northern Highway
. It is situated next to the banks of the Moore River
, in the Shire of Victoria Plains.
New Norcia is the only monastic town in Australia. A ground station
for the European Space Agency
is located 8 km south of the town.
mission to the local aborigines was started about 8 km to the north, led by the two Spanish Benedictines, Rosendo Salvado
and Joseph Serra. Within a year the mission was moved to where the town is today, and on 1 March 1847 the foundation stone of the monastery was laid. The place was named New Norcia, after Norcia
in Italy
, the birthplace of St Benedict. Unlike the Italian Norcia, which is pronounced "nor-chee-a", New Norcia is pronounced "new nor-sia".
The town of New Norcia has buildings in a Spanish style of architecture, along with some other historical sites. Among these are the two old boarding school
s, St Ildephonsus' and St Gertrude's (both now used for accommodation and various social functions), the Abbey Church (containing the tomb of Rosendo Salvado), an old mill, a wine press, a hotel, and the monastery itself. Tours of the town are operated daily by the Friends of New Norcia, who also organise the accommodation in the various buildings including the monastery retreat. The Benedictine
monk
s continue to occupy the monastery and are involved with most of the enterprises in the town.
The last Spanish Benedictine
monk of New Norcia died on 18 January 2010, aged 99. He continued to prepare the bread for the monks and olive oil almost upon his death.
The second pipe organ, of 13 ranks and much more modern in style, is located in the Oratory Chapel. This organ was built in 1983 by Belsham Pipe Organs.
St Gertrude's was completed in 1908, and St Ildephonsus' was opened in 1913. Until 1964 inclusive, St Ildephonsus' was run by the Marist Brothers
. From 1965 onwards, it was run by the Benedictines as St Benedict's College. In 1972, St Benedict's and St Gertrude's became co-educational, with the boys and girls sharing most of their lessons. In 1974, the two colleges became known jointly as Salvado College, but were still referred to individually as St Benedict's and St Gertrude's. In 1986, Salvado College became New Norcia Catholic College, which closed at the end of 1991.
There were also two aboriginal
orphanages that housed members of the Stolen Generation
; St Mary's (for boys) and St Joseph's (for girls), which closed in the early 1970s. The two buildings still exist. St Mary's is next to St Ildephonsus', and St Joseph's is next to St Gertrude's.
St Joseph's now houses the Museum and Art Gallery, which contains works by Australian and overseas artists, and displays describing the history of the area. In 1986, twenty six paintings were stolen by two robbers. Several weeks later, all but one of the stolen paintings were returned. They were badly damaged, but were eventually repaired.
From 1983 until 1997, the Territorial Abbey had been suppressed into the Archdiocese of Perth, and Spearritt worked as an administrator.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, 132 km (82 mi) north of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, along the Great Northern Highway
Great Northern Highway
The Great Northern Highway is a generally north-south Western Australian highway which links the state's capital Perth with its most northern port, Wyndham. It is in length, with being National Highway...
. It is situated next to the banks of the Moore River
Moore River (Western Australia)
Moore River is a river in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river near Walebing and flow westerly before joining with the Moore river East near Mogumber then flow in a Westerly direction...
, in the Shire of Victoria Plains.
New Norcia is the only monastic town in Australia. A ground station
New Norcia Station
New Norcia Station is a 35-metre ESTRACK radio antenna for communication with spacecraft in deep space. It is located south of the town of New Norcia, Western Australia. It was built for the European Space Agency. The station was officially opened on 5 March 2003 by the Premier of Western...
for the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
is located 8 km south of the town.
Establishment
On 1 March 1846, a BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
mission to the local aborigines was started about 8 km to the north, led by the two Spanish Benedictines, Rosendo Salvado
Rosendo Salvado
Dom Rosendo Salvado Rotea OSB was a Benedictine monk, missionary, bishop, and bestselling author, as well as the founder and first Abbot of New Norcia, in Western Australia.-Early life:...
and Joseph Serra. Within a year the mission was moved to where the town is today, and on 1 March 1847 the foundation stone of the monastery was laid. The place was named New Norcia, after Norcia
Norcia
Norcia is a town and comune in the province of Perugia in southeastern Umbria, located in a wide plain abutting the Monti Sibillini, a subrange of the Apennines with some of its highest peaks, near the Sordo River, a small stream that eventually flows into the Nera...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the birthplace of St Benedict. Unlike the Italian Norcia, which is pronounced "nor-chee-a", New Norcia is pronounced "new nor-sia".
The town of New Norcia has buildings in a Spanish style of architecture, along with some other historical sites. Among these are the two old boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s, St Ildephonsus' and St Gertrude's (both now used for accommodation and various social functions), the Abbey Church (containing the tomb of Rosendo Salvado), an old mill, a wine press, a hotel, and the monastery itself. Tours of the town are operated daily by the Friends of New Norcia, who also organise the accommodation in the various buildings including the monastery retreat. The Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s continue to occupy the monastery and are involved with most of the enterprises in the town.
The last Spanish Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk of New Norcia died on 18 January 2010, aged 99. He continued to prepare the bread for the monks and olive oil almost upon his death.
Ghost Stories
Many have claimed to have seen ghosts in this town. This is said mainly because of its religious nature and the fact the town graveyard is in the middle of the town. Claims of a pale girl seen on the top floor of the St Gertrudes Girls boarding house has been prominent with many sightings reported. Various other sightings of figures have emerged which adds to the interesting nature of the town.Pipe Organs
There are two very interesting pipe organs located within the monastery buildings. In the Abbey Church of the Holy Trinity is a large 35 rank German organ, built in 1922 by Albert Moser of Munich. The organ was designed in consultation with the Abbey Organist Dom Moreno.The second pipe organ, of 13 ranks and much more modern in style, is located in the Oratory Chapel. This organ was built in 1983 by Belsham Pipe Organs.
Colleges
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
. From 1965 onwards, it was run by the Benedictines as St Benedict's College. In 1972, St Benedict's and St Gertrude's became co-educational, with the boys and girls sharing most of their lessons. In 1974, the two colleges became known jointly as Salvado College, but were still referred to individually as St Benedict's and St Gertrude's. In 1986, Salvado College became New Norcia Catholic College, which closed at the end of 1991.
There were also two aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
orphanages that housed members of the Stolen Generation
Stolen Generation
The Stolen Generations were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments...
; St Mary's (for boys) and St Joseph's (for girls), which closed in the early 1970s. The two buildings still exist. St Mary's is next to St Ildephonsus', and St Joseph's is next to St Gertrude's.
St Joseph's now houses the Museum and Art Gallery, which contains works by Australian and overseas artists, and displays describing the history of the area. In 1986, twenty six paintings were stolen by two robbers. Several weeks later, all but one of the stolen paintings were returned. They were badly damaged, but were eventually repaired.
Abbots of New Norcia
- Rosendo Salvado, 12 March 1867 - 29 December 1900, died as abbot, aged 86 years
- Fulgentius Torres, 1902 - 6 October 1914, died as abbot, aged 53 years
- Anselm Catalan, 1915 - 1951 (resigned), died 29 July 1959, aged 80 years
- Gregory Gomez, 1951 - 1971 (resigned), died 31 May 1995, aged 91 years
- Bernard Rooney, 31 March 1974 - 15 June 1980 (resigned)
- Placid Spearritt, 29 January 1997 - 4 October 2008, died as abbot, aged 75 years
- John Herbert, 23 January 2009 to present
From 1983 until 1997, the Territorial Abbey had been suppressed into the Archdiocese of Perth, and Spearritt worked as an administrator.
See also
- New Norcia Cricket TeamNew Norcia Cricket TeamThe New Norcia Cricket Team was a team of mainly indigenous Australian cricketers who played in Western Australia between about 1879 and 1906. The team was established by the Abbot of the New Norcia settlement, Rosendo Salvado who was a regular cricket watcher and believed that the formation of...
- New Norcia StationNew Norcia StationNew Norcia Station is a 35-metre ESTRACK radio antenna for communication with spacecraft in deep space. It is located south of the town of New Norcia, Western Australia. It was built for the European Space Agency. The station was officially opened on 5 March 2003 by the Premier of Western...
Sources and External links
- New Norcia, Australia's only monastic town
- Text from the Old Catholic Encyclopedia
- Wikipedia article on the Old Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...