As a bronze plaque beside the entry states, this Church was Dedicated on 1st January 1858, by Father Peter Hughes, and rededicated by Bishop Greg O'Kelly at the 150 year 'Sesqui Centenary' Celebration on 27th January, 2008.
"The Foundation Stone was laid and blessed on 4 June, 1856 by Fr Peter Hughes, Parish Priest of Willunga, assisted by Fr J Snell CP of Morphett Vale. Progress on the building was slow work and it took another 18 months before the building was opened." [ex-Willunga Parish website: Normanville History.
"The Bishop of Adelaide, Bishop Murphy, in 1856 he and the other trustee priests Frs Ryan, Smyth and Fallon, purchased from Richard Connor, 'two acres more or less', being part of Section 1007, for five pounds for the purposes of building a church." [ex-Church Histories website: St Peter's, Normanville, SA.
On the southern side of the Church is wooden 'stump', with a new bronze plaque on it, which reads:
"Saint Mary of the Cross
Mary Helen MacKillop 1842-1909
Canonised October 17, 2010. First Australian Saint.
Co-founder of the Institute of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart
an Australian Catholic Teaching Order.
The Sisters of St. Joseph attended this Church and established in Yankalilla the Institute's first Branch Convent and School outside of Adelaide, in October 1867.
This was the Institute's first experiment in opening a Catholic Convent and School in a country town.
It is believed St. Mary MacKillop visited Yankalilla in 1869.
Dedicated by Most Reverend Philip Wilson DD JCL
Archbishop of Adelaide, November 9, 2010".
On the side of the 'stump' is an etched brushed stainless steel plaque, that is rather hard to read, which explains it was an 'Original Gate Post' circa 1842.
At the rear of the church (to the east) is the Churchyard Cemetery, with a brick Columbarium.
Mass Times: 1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays: 10.30am
2nd, 4th Sundays: 8.30am
Phone: (08) 8556 2132
Visited: 0729 - 0750, Wednesday, 30 May, 2018