Site 15: St Aloysius Church

The original Jesuit thatch and clay house built in 1851 had a small chapel, a common room which served also as a library and dining room, a sleeping room and a kitchen and a storeroom.  A bake house was built separate from the main house. The thatch and clay house was located to the left just before the imposing stairs of the St Aloysius Church now stand.  In time though, both this domestic chapel, and college chapel could not maintain the needs of the growing college and parish.  In 1864, at the annual Corpus Christi procession, Father Michael Ryan, the vicar general, laid the foundation stone for the new church.

Extensive construction began in September of 1864, with the church being built in stages.  The first stage comprised the sanctuary and part of the nave, with a wooden partition closing it off; this stage was completed in 1866.  After some delay for lack of funds, the second stage was completed in June 1871. This stage comprised the walls of the body of the church (but not up to their full height) and the tower. A temporary roof closed in the structure. The third stage involved the completion of the church to the state it is in today. The roofing joists were placed in position, the walls raised to their present height, and the (Welsh) slate roof added. The church was substantially completed on 7^th February 1875.   

The design reflected the Gothic Revival which became popular in Western Europe in the 19^th Century. It expressed the Gothic concern for “upwardness”, that is striving towards heaven and God.

Al the stonework for the church came from the three quarries on the Sevenhill property.

The original plans called for two transepts to be added, and the tower was to be double its height, with a belfry and spire.  Today, we produce a wine called the ‘Spire’s Lament’ Viognier, which symbolises the unrealised dream of completing the church.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Br Franz Waldmann SJ was responsible for an extensive amount of stone carving in and around the church. On entry into the Saint Aloysius Church, you will note the beautiful mason work surrounding the archway. In his later years, and before he finished the carving of this entrance, Brother Waldman began to go blind.  Another brother in the order helped him to finish the decorative designs by touch.  Yet another brother, Brother Hines SJ, in the 1970s continued the masonry work, completing the right-hand side of the archway.  An astute eye will notice the subtle differences in each of the brothers’ styles.

On entering the Church, you’ll notice the magnificent Mintaro slate floors.  An architectural marvel, the designs were provided by architects Robert Page and Mr McMullen for the structuring of the roof, after adverts were put in the Adelaide paper. 

Brother Schneider SJ, a first-class carpenter, built the altar, confessionals, doors, and benches, as they stand today.  Under the watchful eye of Mr McMullan, Brother Schneider made the principles for the roof, moulding planks together on the ground, and by a system of watering and moving pegs that held the planks under tension, the mounded beams were gradually arched.