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 Fr Nivard Jourdan O.S.F. 1868-73 |
He was baptised Jean-Louis Jourdan in Puy di Fenestrelle, high in the Italian Alps, in 1836. When he became a Franciscan, Father Jourdan took the name of St Bernard's younger brother, Nivard. He came to Auckland in 1870. Until 1867 he worked in the Bay of Islands. He arrived in Shortland (now Thames) on 18 October 1867 with seven pounds seven shillings in his pocket. By now he was fluent in both English and Maori. He stayed with Mr Joseph Mulligan who was building the Victoria Hotel, near the wharf, and it was there that the first Masses were said. The Italian saint, John Bosco, had said that the church of Thames would be completed without difficulty! Within a few months the church building was finished. One third of it was paid by people who did not belong to the Roman Catholic Church. Fr Jourdan left for the Chinese Mission in 1873. He died there in 1882. |
Various views of St Francis Church, Shortland - with convent, school and presbytery.
On 13 March 1868 a committee was set up to establish a hospital in Thames. They met in the Roman Catholic Chapel in Willoughby Street. Father Nivard was the secretary.
In 1869, a building of four rooms was built on the corner of Mary and Baillie Streets. Father Nivard was its first President.
| "Even the bell," wrote Father Nivard, "is the gift of
Protestants." Father Nivard was admiring the bell as it lay on the ground. Bob Farrell, Master of the Loyal Orange Lodge, descended on the group. "It won't ring", said Bob. "It's wrongly hung". He fixed it, and the priest handed him a sovereign. "I'm an Orangeman to the backbone," said Bob, "so I'll give you this sovereign for your church." And the two became firm friends. In the early years, the bell was also used as the Thames fire alarm. |  "Dionsyius" |
Priests of Thames
| 1868-73 Nivard
Jourdan OSF 1869- J. Murphy 1869-73 Francis del Monte OSF 1869-731873-74 James Norris 1874-78 Stephen Chastagnon 1878-98 Patrick O'Reilly 1899-01 William Mahoney 1902-14 Patrick O'Reilly 1894 John Golden 1898 Joseph Darby 1904-08 John Broomfield 1908-12 Gilbert Tigar OP 1909-10 John Carran | 1912-36 Ferdinand
Dignan 1920-21 John Brennan 1921-22 John Doherty 1928-30 William O'Meara 1930 James Tully 1931 John Sheehan 1932-36 Michael McCormack 1936-72 Edward Lyons 1936-40 John Sheehan 1939 Francis Quinn 1940-44 Walter Clarke 1945-49 John Mackey 1950-54 Brendan Connolly 1955-57 George Marinkovich | 1958-62 Peter
Derrick 1960 Francis McHale 1962-65 Patrick Kenny 1966-67 Ray Green 1967-71 Michael Armstrong 1971-73 J. McCrory 1973 Jude McCarthy 1974-77 Canice Gormley 1977-87 Jude McCarthy 1987-88 Bruce Bolland 1987-91 Theo van Lieshout 1992-93 Chris Hamblin 1994-96 Jack Agnew 1997-98 Jim Ross SM |
 Fr Francis del Monte 1869-73 |
 Fr James Norris 1873-74 |
 Fr Stephen Chastagnon 1874-78 |
 Mgr Patrick O'Reilly 1878-98, 1902-14 |
 Fr William Mahoney 1899-1901 The first N.Z. born priest |
 Fr John Golden 1894 |
 Fr Herbert Gilbert Tigar O.P. 1908-12 |
 Fr John Carran 1909-10 |
 Fr Ferdinand Dignan 1912-36 |
 Fr Edward Lyons 1936-72 |
 Fr Theo van Lieshout 1987-91 |