When I stepped back from Council, I did so with clarity and optimism — not just about where our cities were headed, but about the role planning could play in shaping our future. For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of planning, politics, and community, as a mayor, consultant, and researcher. I’ve seen the power of good planning to create liveable, inclusive, future-ready places. I’ve also seen how easily it can be derailed by short-term thinking — and how costly that can be for clients, communities, and councils alike. Greiss Planning exists to bring clarity, rigour, and steady leadership to the approvals process, so good projects can move forward with confidence.
Stay in the loop!
At a Glance
• First Catholic Mass in Macarthur held on 1 September 1822 at present day Mawson Park
• Early interdenominational episode at the unfinished St Peter’s Anglican Church
• Establishment and relocation of St John the Evangelist Parish
• Bicentenary Mass of Thanksgiving marking two centuries of faith and community
A Storm, a Hilltop and a Beginning
On Sunday 1 September 1822, on what was recorded as a wintry, wet and stormy day, the first Catholic Mass in Macarthur was celebrated in Campbelltown at the site of present day Mawson Park. It is a simple image to imagine: a small gathering of parishioners, a determined priest, and the beginnings of an enduring faith community in what was then a fledgling settlement.
As the rain intensified, Father John Joseph Therry and those gathered sought shelter in the nearest available structure, the unfinished St Peter’s Anglican Church. The Anglican rector, Thomas Reddall, was reportedly displeased. Yet the matter went no further. In reflecting on this episode, I am reminded that our city’s history is rarely neat or uncomplicated. It is layered with human character, conviction and, at times, quiet forbearance.
Establishing a Parish
Campbelltown continued for many years without a completed Catholic church. In 1825, land was donated on a hilltop at the corner of Broughton and George Street. It would take time, patience and perseverance before a permanent structure emerged.
Father Therry offered the first Mass at St John’s on 27 July 1834 while the church remained under construction. The building was not officially opened until 1841, when the Church of St John the Evangelist was inaugurated with a Solemn High Mass celebrated by Father Murphy, the Vicar General of New South Wales.
These milestones reflect more than bricks and mortar. They speak to the steady formation of community life. Churches in early colonial settlements were not only places of worship. They were centres of gathering, moral instruction, charity and social cohesion.
Responding to Community Need
As the township evolved, practical realities shaped decisions. The hilltop site proved difficult for many parishioners to access. In response, a new and more accessible location was selected in Cordeaux Street, adjacent to the presbytery. The new church was officially opened on 22 May 1887.
This decision illustrates a theme that continues to resonate in public life: institutions endure when they respond to the lived experience of their communities. Accessibility, proximity and care for parishioners were not abstract concerns. They were practical expressions of stewardship.
Over time, St John the Evangelist Parish became woven into the social fabric of Campbelltown. Generations have marked baptisms, marriages, funerals and moments of thanksgiving within its walls. The parish’s history runs parallel with the growth of our city itself.
Sunday 1 September 1822 saw the first Catholic Mass in Macarthur, held on a wintry, wet and stormy day in Campbelltown, at the site of the present-day Mawson Park.
Those words capture a moment that, while modest at the time, would echo across two centuries.
Faith and Civic Identity
When I attended the Mass of Thanksgiving on 28 August 2022 to mark the bicentenary of that first celebration, I was struck by the continuity of faith and the quiet resilience of institutions that have served across generations.
Campbelltown is a diverse and multicultural city. Our strength lies in the coexistence of many faiths and traditions. Yet each tradition carries its own narrative of endurance and contribution. The story of St John the Evangelist Parish is one such narrative. It reflects perseverance through incomplete buildings, relocations and the steady evolution of the township around it.
In acknowledging this history, we are not simply commemorating a religious milestone. We are recognising a chapter in the civic development of Campbelltown. Faith communities have long contributed to education, welfare, social connection and moral discourse. Their presence has shaped our public life in ways both visible and subtle.
I was grateful to the Most Reverend Brian Mascord DD and the priests of the Diocese for the invitation to attend the concelebrated Mass. Such occasions remind us that leadership, whether civic or spiritual, carries a responsibility to honour those who came before and to support those who will follow.
Reflection
Two hundred years is a brief moment in the life of a continent, yet it is a substantial chapter in the story of a city. From a storm swept gathering in 1822 to a bicentenary celebration in 2022, the journey of St John the Evangelist Parish mirrors the growth and maturation of Campbelltown itself. In remembering these milestones, we strengthen our sense of place and continuity. We are reminded that institutions endure not through perfection, but through persistence, adaptation and service to community.
Read the original Mayoral Minute here: 11. First Catholic Mass in the Macarthur