The present Church was built and blessed in the year 1930, but it was only in 1931 that the Holy Rosary Parish was separated from Subiaco Parish and became the new Nedlands Parish.
At this stage the Church had a financial debt so the Church could not be Dedicated (or Consecrated) because of the pre-Vatican II regulations, further, it was found that the Church was too small for the growing congregation so an extension was built in 1936 resulting in even more debt. During this time, Pontifical Masses and various Blessings were celebrated within the Church but a Dedication Mass was not possible under the prevailing Pre-Vatican II regulations.
Bishop Peter Quinn was appointed Parish Priest of Nedlands on the 1st September 1969. In August 1971 renovations were carried out to the Sanctuary of the Church to comply with the new liturgical reforms of Vatican II, in particular that the Celebrant at Mass would now face the congregation, which meant a repositioning of the main Altar.
When the work was completed Bishop Quinn Solemnly Consecrated the Holy Rosary Church on 7th October 1971 on the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary. This date celebrated 40 years of the Parish (1931) and also the 400th Anniversary of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (1571).
The Archdiocese Record Newspaper reported that the Church “was packed every day” leading up to the Dedication Mass on Thursday 7th October 1971. After the Mass there was a small social get-together for visiting clergy, religious, parish councillors and choir members, and following this, on Friday evening, 250 people attended the parish dinner and dance at Dalkeith Hall.
The Dedication of a Church is a Solemnity that is a Feast of the Lord, so it will be appropriate to celebrate a Dedication Anniversary every year. The Dedication Anniversary Mass can also be celebrated on the first weekend, so Saturday 9th October 2021 at the 6pm Mass was earmarked to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the Parish and the Church with a celebration in the Parish Community Centre after the Mass.
We were privileged to have Bishop Justin Bianchini as the principal celebrant for this Dedication Anniversary Mass and about 250 parishioners attended including five priests who had ministered in Holy Rosary Nedlands in the past.
