Little church and parish on the move

by KATHLEEN CASEY
CHRISTCHURCH — Mairehau parish is again on the move.
The small church at St Francis of Assisi parish has been relocated
near the road where the large Our Lady of Fatima Church stood before demolition.

The relocation of the small church will make room for additional buildings for a school that will grow considerably in the next few years.
The little church is now home to its biggest family — about
700. The first church on the property, it eventually became the
parish hall. It is expected to again become available for regular
Mass in late May.
The 100 tonne rimu church built in 1952 was at the higher end
of moveability in one piece, said Opus diocesan project manager
Herman Wisneyer.
The church is 300 square metres in area.
“The problem was the rain,” he said. “We had to build a new big gravel pad so the trucks could get it there.” The ground was
sodden after weeks of rain.
Before the turn of the 19th century, Christchurch’s original large wooden procathedral was moved from Ferry Rd to Barbadoes St without trucks.
Horses may have been useful in 2014, said Mr Wisneyer, to walk over the saturated ground!