St Thomas Church

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Although I now regularly visit Jindabyne, I have found out about the Moonbah Church only recently. I was watching an archival film received from Poland with footage from the Strzelecki Festival from February 1991. In the film, the Master of Ceremonies Stefan Mrowinski talks a lot about raising funds for the Moonbah Church restoration. I decided to find out more about this Project. During my last few trips to Jindabyne in July 2011, I met with people who provided me with more information about the Church, its renovation and Father Wally, the 10th Anniversary of his death being on 22 July. I spoke to Father Peter Miller who took over from Father Wally, butcher Gunther, George Barry and other people from the Parish. The biggest source of information, however, were two ladies from the Pendergast family – Neen and Bonita.

I have known Neen for quite a long time. In her role as a Councillor, she represented the local Snowy River Shire Council during a number of the Kosciuszko Festivals. Both Neen and Bonita knew Father Wally very well. 80 year old Neen, remembers old times in glorious detail, while younger Bonita fondly recalls more recent times involving pilgrimages organised by Father Wally.

Fr Wally with pilgrims in Rome. Unknown photographer

Nowadays the church is kept locked. However, Father Peter took me there a few times, once with Bogusia Filip and Krzys Malek, and a week later I showed this beautiful place to Urszula and Tony Lang who, with great interest, examined historic graves, massive aged pine trees, with the muffled sounds of the nearby Moonbah River in the background.

„Charming church – said Urszula – we should marry Strzelecki and Adyna here!”

Before the church was built, holy Catholic mass was celebrated in private homes – at the Thompsons in Linwood, or at the Barrys, in Barrymore. People from neighbouring villages used to arrive for Sunday service on Saturdays. The priest heard confessions and people would fast from midnight till the early morning. Those ‘religious weekend stays’ were called "missions".

At the back of the Moonbah Church is a memorial plaque which commemorates the first holy mass on Mt Kosciuszko conducted by the Bishop of Maitland on 23 February 1913. The Archbishop of Sydney delivered the Sermon and the Blessing. My friends' (Tom's and George’s) grandfather George Barry, local farmer, served at the altar. Amongst those gathered – almost 200 people - was 9-year-old Elizabeth Thompson (Neen’s mother) with her parents. "I remember my mother complaining that her name was not listed on the memorial plaque while George’s was!” Amongst the children was also 2-year-old called Clorine Crawford whose father broke a leg that day on Mt Kosciuszko.

I asked how the worshippers had gone up to Mt Kosciuszko. Neen said that her parents had gone on foot, others on horseback, or in carriages, and the Archbishop probably came by car. I asked “But what was the occasion for organising the mass at Mt Kosciuszko?” Neen joked that possibly the priests had wanted to feel even closer to God by conducting the mass on the highest peak, or maybe the 23 February was a special holiday? This would have to be investigated. Nevertheless, at that time, the Mountain began to be more popular, not only because of its tourist value but also its spiritual significance.

Neen remembers how she and her brother used to ride to school on horseback. However, on Mondays, they had to go to morning mass first. “Many times my mother begged Father Ryan to let me attend the mass wearing trousers. He always said NO! I had to change into a dress for mass, and afterwards, back into trousers, then straight on horseback and quickly to school. Ha, ha, ha, times have changed now” – Neen laughs. The biggest attendances at the Moonbah Church occurred during World War II. Local farmers would come in carriages for the mass and a picnic afterwards. The holy masses were conducted every four to six weeks. At that time, the Parish was based in Cooma with two priests having to attend six churches in the Area.

St Thomas church as seen from Sacristy. Photo Bogusia Filip

Ernestyna with Fr P. Miller at St Thomas. Photo B. Filip

It was in the St Thomas Church in Moonbah, that Neen Kidman and Dave Pendergast were married. I asked Neen where she met her husband-to-be? She replied: „I can’t even remember not knowing him. He was always around”. Since early childhood they used to go dancing together and then played tennis together. At some point, the time had come to get married....on 17 March 1952 („nuptial mass at 9.30am – Neen recalls). During Lent, getting married was forbidden and it is interesting that Neen and Dave were granted a special dispensation from the Bishop because of St. Patrick’s Day. After Mass, a small party took place in the nearby Parish Cottage. Neen recalls with pride that she made sandwiches and baked cakes for 100 people herself. They were married by Father Bircher, first priest of the then newly-established Jindabyne Parish. I asked Neen about their honeymoon destination? “Brisbane. Dave used to live there for quite some time during World War I and he wanted to re-visit some of the places there”.

Neen was a social worker throughout her whole life. She devoted herself to the needs of the Community. She organised her first event after graduating from College and it was a big Catholic ball in March 1947. She raised four children. She has five grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. „So the Pendergast name carries on” – she says. In 1972, she co-organised a big Pendergast family re-union. Almost 400 people came. The program included, amongst other attractions, bush races. Shortly before Father Stefanski’s arrival in Jindabyne, in March 1989, Neen turned a new page in her life when she was elected as an Independent Councillor to Snowy River Shire Council. Every Councillor was obliged to participate in three formal monthly meetings and deal with many enquiries and matters on a daily basis, mainly over the phone. It never stops ringing.

Neen has been participating in the Aboriginal culture celebrations, NAIDOC WEEK, for many years. Once she even went to Darwin to take part in them. This year, together with an Aboriginal man called Rod Mason, she raised one of the flags in the NAIDOC ceremony at Berridale. During the afternoon BBQ in Dalgety, she spent time chatting with her Aboriginal peer from the Ngarigo tribe, Aunty Rae. They have been friends for many years... and they have a great respect for each other. What does Neen think about Aboriginal people? „They are easy to upset, one has to be careful with them. They make up their own mind about things, but what they say is true - lots of people do not like it, but it is true. We took their land, we treated them badly.”

Church & cottage as seen from the entrance gate. Photo B. Filip

Neen's and David's wedding at St Thomas church. From Neen's archives

Neen got to know Polish people better after Father Wally become the Catholic Parish Priest in 1990. Shortly after his arrival, he organised the very first Strzelecki Festival. The focal point was the Blessing of the Paul Edmund Strzelecki Statue in February 1990. On this occasion, a special exhibition was also organised. Polish Ambassador (Antoni Pierzchala?) asked Neen to store some artwork in her shed. In return for this favour he gave her a gift - a bottle of vodka - which she has till this day. Being a frequent driver, she rarely drinks alcohol.

Hoping to raise more funds for the renovation of the Moonbah Church, Father Stefanski organised a lottery. The main prize was a red car - a Niki - donated by the small-engine Car Factory in Bielsko-Biala in Poland. The Niki was brought to Australia by an Engineer called Zdzislaw Rychlik, who, after 20 years, contacted me recently on my Puls Polonii email, and asked me who had won this car and what the outcome of the renovation had been? Bonita told me that the car had been won by a local Greek businessman called Denis Depopoulos, who, already owning a big car, sold the small Niki to somebody else in Canberra. Nowadays, Denis lives in Cooma. Bonita promised me to speak to him some time in the near future to try and find out who he sold the Niki to.

I need to mention that one evening, when I was watching the Strzelecki Festival archival movie at Vaski Lodge in Jindabyne, I met some people (a man and his son of Polish background, and his daughter-in-law to be, of Estonian background). I heard the girl’s (Jessica’s) giggle: „OMG, my Grandad from Canberra has this type of car. Something has broken in it but apparently it is still running”. It would be a nice surprise if it turned out that it was the same Polish car won by the Greek businessman and later bought by Jessica’s Estonian grandfather. Let’s be patient, maybe we will find out soon.

Neen and David Pendergast's wedding portrait. From Neen's archives.

Neen and Aunty Rae at Berridale NAIDOC celebrations. Photo Puls Polonii

Another important question. Who was the St Thomas Church renovation funded by? Obviously, the Poles made a contribution, but other people and organisations, including the Heritage Council, contributed too. After the church restoration (conducted mainly by Polish craftsmen from Canberra and Queanbeyan!) holy masses were held roughly once a month. As it was not possible for one priest to be able to attend at all the Catholic Churches in the area every week, masses were not held every week. As a result, the attendance fell below 10 %. The majority of the Faithful had cars and preferred to drive to Jindabyne. St Thomas Moonbah became a place for Special Celebrations only – Weddings, Baptisms, and obviously Funerals. The church is open not more than 20 times a year. What a pity!

The Puls Polonii Cultural Foundation is wondering whether it would be a good idea to organise next year’s Kosciuszko Festival in Moonbah, ie for a one-day picnic. It could even be organised together with the Irish community! As I mentioned before, both Polish and Irish stories meet there. Could we use a bit of poetic licence and write a play about Paul Strzelecki and Adyna Turno’s wedding? It would be a fantasy of course, as they were never married. They didn't see each other for forty years but still kept in touch, and still had feelings for each other, apparently. Perhaps the time has come to re-unite them in front of the altar. Writers’ collaboration is welcomed!

Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek
Translated by Sabina ¦wierczek & Urszula Lang
Photos by Bogumila Filip, Puls Polonii & Archives

Same story in Polish - just click here