New Norcia, Western Australia

New Norcia (/ˈnɔːsiə/) is a town in Western Australia, 132 km (82 mi) north of Perth, near the Great Northern Highway. It is situated next to the banks of the Moore River, in the Shire of Victoria Plains.

New Norcia
Western Australia
New Norcia Benedictine monastery
New Norcia
Coordinates30°57′10.8″S 116°11′27.6″E
Population101 (2016 census)[1]
Established1847
Postcode(s)6509
Location
  • 132 km (82 mi) N of Perth
  • 56 km (35 mi) SE of Moora
LGA(s)Shire of Victoria Plains
State electorate(s)Moore
Federal Division(s)Durack

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.[2][3]

A significant diversion of the Great Northern Highway, known as the New Norcia Bypass, diverted heavy traffic away from the buildings and town and was completed in 2017.[4]

Establishment
New Norcia in 1860

On 1 March 1846, a Benedictine mission to the local native Aboriginals was started about 8 km (5 mi) to the north, led by the two Spanish Benedictine monks, 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 town, which is pronounced "nor-cha", New Norcia is pronounced "new nor-sia".

Town

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 schools, 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.

The town has attracted interest and tourist visits for most of its existence and as a consequence a number of guide books and histories have been produced.[5][6]

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.[7]

The Benedictine monks continue to occupy the monastery and are involved with most of the enterprises in the town. The last Spanish monk of New Norcia, Dom Paulino, died on 18 January 2010, aged 99. He had worked in the monastery bakery, as a shoemaker, and 'in retirement' in reviving the production of olive oil..

Today New Norcia is increasingly respected in Australian culinary circles for its quality bakery (built in 1886) offering bread, nutcake and biscotti.[8] Also maintaining olive oil production and locally made wines, port and ale can be purchased at the community or from special outlets.[9]

New Norcia Hotel
New Norcia Hotel

Originally known as the New Norcia Hostel,[10] the New Norcia Hotel is an operating business in the community.[11][12]

Abbey

The abbey was founded by a Spanish Benedictine, Rudesindus Salvado, on 1 March 1846. After three years spent among the local Aboriginal people, Salvado came to the conclusion that they could be converted to Christianity. Salvado was appointed the first abbot of New Norcia on 12 March 1867. Following his death on 29 December 1900, Father Fulgentius Torres OSB was elected abbot in 1902.

There are currently 7 monks living in the monastery. They pray together seven times a day.

Abbots

Source:[13]

  • 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[14]
  • Anselm Catalan, 1915–1951 (resigned),[15] died 29 July 1959, aged 80 years
  • Gregory Gomez,[16] 1951–1971 (resigned), died 31 May 1995, aged 91 years
  • Bernard Rooney, 31 March 1974 – 15 June 1980 (resigned)
  • [Placid Spearritt, appointed apostolic administrator of the community 1983 -1997]
  • Placid Spearritt, 29 January 1997 – 4 October 2008, died as abbot, aged 75 years[17]
  • John Herbert, 23 January 2009 to present.

Abbey buildings and pipe organs

The abbey buildings are on the eastern side of the current highway alignment through the town.

There are two pipe organs located within the abbey buildings. In the Abbey Church of the Holy Trinity is a large German organ, built in 1922 by Albert Möser of Munich, with 34 speaking stops. The organ was designed in consultation with the abbey organist, Dom Stephen Moreno.[18]

The second pipe organ, of 11 speaking stops and much more modern in style, is located in the oratory chapel. This organ was built in 1983 by Bellsham Pipe Organs.[19]

Colleges
St Ildephonsus' Boys' School

There have been a range of colleges situated in the town, associated with the monastery. They are situated on the west side of the current main road alignment which passes through the town.[20] In 1972, St Benedict's and St Gertrude's become co-educational with student from both colleges sharing classes in 1974 became known jointly as Salvado College. Each building was 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. The colleges were among those investigated by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse for historical accusations.[21][22] There were 65 claims of abuse made about New Norcia, of which 26 were about a single perpetrator.[23][24] In 2016 a trial in the District Court of Western Australia testimony was presented about the behaviour by monks at St Benedict's college during the 1960s and 1970s, including taking indecent photographs of boys, hitting boys, push them up against brick walls and other indecent acts. While the allegations were recognised as truthful, the identity of the perpetrator was disputed with the jury finding the alleged person not guilty.[25]

St Gertrude's

St Gertrude's was completed in 1908.[26][27]

St Ildephonsus

St Ildephonsus' was opened in 1913.[28] It operated until 1964 as St Ildephonsus' under the Marist Brothers order.[29][30] From 1965 onwards, it was run by the Benedictines as St Benedict's College.

Orphanages

There were also two Aboriginal orphanages, St Mary's (for boys)[31] 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 Native School and Orphanage had its origins in the 1860s. In the twentieth century St Joseph's was administered by the Benedictine Missionary Sisters of New Norcia[32]. The buildings of St Joseph's have been converted into the New Norcia Museum and Art Gallery. Beside displaying many Christian relics and historical paintings, the gallery hosts an exhibition of finalists for the Mandorla Art Award, the only Australian award solely for Christian religious artworks based on Bible scripture themes.[33] In 1985 the first winner of the prize was Theo Koning with Re-creation based on the theme Creation from the Book of Revelation 15:3.[34] 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.[35]

Grounds and heritage trail

With decreasing numbers of active colleges, and changes in the organisation of the town, some buildings and sites have been restored and incorporated into a heritage trail within the town. The following buildings are among the heritage buildings situated on the site of the monastery, which is registered on the Register of the National Estate and classified by the National Trust of Australia WA:[36][37][38]

  • Some heritage buildings at New Norcia
  • Abbey Church, contains the tomb of Dom Rosendo Salvado
  • St Gertrude's
  • Interior of St Gertrude's
  • Handball court
  • Blacksmith workshop

See also
European Space Agency – New Norcia Station

Books about New Norcia
  • Beckett, T (1966), New Norcia : its history and development, 1846-1966, retrieved 27 November 2014
  • Bérengier Théophile. New Norcia : History of a Benedictine Colony in Western Australia 1846-1878. Translated by Peter Gilet. Northcote, Vic.: Abbey Press is an imprint of Morning Star Publishing, 2014.
  • Carmichael, Charles H. E. A Benedictine Missionary's Account of the Natives of Australia and Oceania : From the Italian of Don Rudesindo Salvado (Rome, 1851)
  • Carter, Anne Murphy, Elizabeth. Rich Harvest, a : St Gertrude's College - New Norcia. Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, 2006.
  • Monachus; Benedictine Abbey of New Norcia, Western Australia (1946), New Norcia : historical guide to all its institutions, Benedictine Abbey, retrieved 27 November 2014
  • Flood, James Rev (1908), New Norcia : the remarkable Aborigines institution of the Australian Commonwealth situated in the state of Western Australia ; a monument of Benedictine courage, patience and charity, Burns & Oates, retrieved 27 November 2014
  • Green, Neville, and Lois Tilbrook. Aborigines of New Norcia, 1845-1914. Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians, V. 7. Nedlands, W.A.: University of Western Australia Press, 1989
  • Salvado, Rosendo; Stormon, Edward James; New Norcia Benedictine Mission; Salvado, Rosendo; Storman, Edward James (1977), The Salvado memoirs : historical memoirs of Australia and particularly of the Benedictine mission of New Norcia and of the habits and customs of the Australian natives, University of Western Australia Press, ISBN 978-0-85564-114-6
  • Lennon, Stephen; Benedictine Abbey of New Norcia, Western Australia (1991), The Story of New Norcia : the Western Australian Benedictine mission (7th ed.), Benedictine Community of New Norcia, ISBN 978-0-646-06140-5
  • Massam, Katharine, A Bridge Between: Spanish Benedictine Missionary Women in Australia, Canberra: Australian National University Press, 2020.
  • Hutchison, D. E. (David Eric); Hutchison, David (1995), A town like no other : the living tradition of New Norcia, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, ISBN 978-1-86368-132-2
  • Rios Román, and William Gimenez. (1924) History of the Benedictine Mission and Abbey 'Nullius' of New Norcia. Edited by Peter Hocking. Reservoir Vic.: Morning Star Publishing, 2017.
  • Russo, George. Lord Abbot of the Wilderness : The Life and Times of Bishop Salvado. Melbourne: Polding Press, 1980.
  • Smith, John H., (compiler.); Benedictine Abbey of New Norcia, Western Australia (issuing body.) (2014), Rosendo Salvado, commemorating 200 years : 1814-2014, New Norcia, Western Australia Benedictine Community of New Norcia, retrieved 27 November 2014CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "New Norcia (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  2. ABC Dimensions - New Norcia and the European Space Agency
  3. Press Release about the European Space Agency information about the New Norcia dish
  4. https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/BuildingRoads/Projects/Regional/greatnorthernhwy/Pages/newnorciabypass.aspx New Norcia Bypass - 1st May 2017
  5. Smith, John H; Benedictine Abbey of New Norcia, Western Australia (2008), The story of New Norcia : the Western Australian Benedictine mission (8th ed.), Benedictine Community of New Norcia, ISBN 978-0-646-49721-1
  6. Monachus; Benedictine Abbey of New Norcia, Western Australia (1946), New Norcia : historical guide to all its institutions, Benedictine Abbey, retrieved 6 June 2012
  7. Friends of New Norcia
  8. New Norcia bakery Archived 17 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  9. New Norcie products
  10. "NEW NORCIA". The Sunday Times. Perth. 20 November 1927. p. 20. Retrieved 27 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. Strano, Angelo; Coleman, Kim (1969), The New Norcia Hotel, s.n, retrieved 27 November 2014
  12. Randall, Warwick (1987), "Great pubs. -The hotel at New Norcia, Western Australia, and the township-", This Australia, 6 (4): 40, retrieved 27 November 2014
  13. New Norcia Cemetery
  14. "OBITUARY". Kalgoorlie Miner. WA. 6 October 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. "LORD ABBOT OF NEW NORCIA TO RETIRE". The Catholic Weekly. Sydney. 28 June 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 28 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. "NEW LORD ABBOT ELECTED". The Catholic Weekly. Sydney. 9 August 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 28 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. Obituary of Abbot Placid Spearritt
  18. The Organ Society of Western Australia
  19. The Organ Society of Western Australia
  20. In sources and descriptions of the 1950s the colleges are referred to as "mission colleges and orphanages".
  21. "New Norcia Benedictine community among worst child sex abuse perpetrators". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 February 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  22. Wearne, Phoebe (6 February 2017). "Catholic Church officials admit widespread child sex abuse to Royal Commission". PerthNow. Seven West Media/Australian Associated Press. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  23. Clarke, Tim (17 February 2017). "WA at the evil heart of child abuse". The West Australian. Seven West Media. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  24. "Analysis of claims of child sexual abuse made with respect to Catholic Church institutions in Australia". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Commonwealth of Australia. February 2017. pp. 133–135. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  25. Clarke, Tim (21 February 2016). "The hidden shame of St Benedict's". The West Australian. Perth: Seven West Media. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  26. Byrne, Francis; New Norcia Catholic College (1988), 80th anniversary, St. Gertrude's College, New Norcia, 1908-1988, New Norcia Catholic College, retrieved 27 November 2014
  27. Carter, Anne Murphy, Elizabeth; Murphy, Elizabeth (2006), Rich Harvest, A : St Gertrude's College - New Norcia, Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, ISBN 978-0-646-46628-6CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. "ST. IDELPHONSUS' COLLEGE. NEW NORCIA". The Southern Cross Times. XI (277). Western Australia. 4 January 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 26 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. St. Ildephonsus' College (1960), St. Ildephonsus' College, New Norcia, Western Australia : prospectus, St. Ildephonsus' College, retrieved 27 November 2014
  30. Braniff, Valerian (2009), St. Ildephonsus' College, New Norcia 1913-1964 : an educational, religious and social history ([Rev. ed.] ed.), Schools of Education and Social Enquiry, Murdoch University, retrieved 27 November 2014
  31. "Native Orphanage for boys". The Daily News. Perth. 22 July 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 27 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. Massam, Katharine (2020). A Bridge Between: Spanish Benedictine Missionary Women in Australia. Canberra: Australian National University Press. ISBN 9781760463519.
  33. "About - The Mandorla Art Award". The Mandorla Art Award. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  34. "Past Winners - The Mandorla Art Award". The Mandorla Art Award. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  35. "Compass: Restoration (RPT)". abc.net.au. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  36. Livings, Simon (1987), "The New Norcia Heritage Trail. -in Western Australia-", Heritage (Australian Heritage Society), 6 (1): 20–21, ISSN 0155-2716
  37. Western Australia. Heritage Trails Secretariat (1986), New Norcia Heritage Trail : the development of the Benedictine settlement at New Norcia, Western Australia, Heritage Trails Secretariat, Western Australian Heritage Committee, retrieved 27 November 2014
  38. Heritage Trails Network (W.A.); Heritage Council of Western Australia (1999), Heritage Trail, New Norcia : the development of the Benedictine settlement at New Norcia, Western Australia, Heritage Council of Western Australia, retrieved 27 November 2014

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