New Norcia

In 1846 two Spanish monks, Rosendo Salvado and Joseph Serra, established a Benedictine Monastery 132km north of Perth. Within a year it was moved 8kms to where the mission stands today. In honour of the birthplace of St Benedict, Nursia in Italy, the mission was called New Norcia. 

Assigned to the first Bishop of Perth, RT Rev John Brady, the two Spanish monks were sent to create a mission in the central area of the diocese. Joined by a French Benedictine novice, Dom Leander Fonteinne, and an Irish Catechist, John Gorman, they set off to create a mission that would help bring Christianity to the indigenous population of the Victoria Plains. The initial months were harrowing, and Fonteinne returned to France after accidently shooting John Gorman to death.

The first fifty years of the mission were overseen by Bishop Rosendo Salvado.  His mission was based around the notion of creating a Christian, self-sufficient village for the indigenous population based on agriculture. This, however, did not happen after the decimation of the indigenous population through the accidental introduction of diseases to the local population in 1860.  Following this devastating blow to the parish community, Bishop Salvado decided to focus on the education of indigenous children.  These children were brought from all over the state to New Norcia to be taught. 

Bishop Salvado did much to enhance the success of the mission, including several fundraising tours to Europe.  Through these tours he was able to purchase land, construct new buildings and buy livestock and much needed equipment for the mission.  In his 83rd year, on one of his tours to Rome in 1900, Bishop Salvado died.  His beloved community brought his body back to New Norcia, where he was buried. 

After Bishop Salvado passed he was replaced by Fulgentius Torres.  The mission took on a more European feel.  Although education and community care for the indigenous population was continued, the mission started to place emphasis on the rural community.  Torres built two colleges, St Ildephonsus for boys and St Gertrude's for girls.  Torres brought in Josephite Sisters to staff the girls school. During Torres' period, Rome sanctioned that New Norcia Abbey would extend its parish administration to cover 30,000 square miles.

When Torres died, Dom Anselm Catalan became the Bishop.  He led the mission through two world wars and maintained a stable town.  He built a hostel to house visiting parents of children from the schools. Dom Catalan also supported the talent of religious music composer Dom Stephen Moreno.

From the 1980s New Norcia has found itself having to cater to tourists, visiting groups and those wanting to spend a little time in a monastic retreat. New Norcia is the only monastic town in Australia.

The buildings of New Norcia are primarily in the old Spanish style, though some of the architecture is Edwardian, Gothic and even Art Deco. In the mission there are the mission buildings, St Gertrude's and St Ildephonsus, the Abbey Church, an old mill, a wine press, hotel, a museum and art gallery. The old boarding schools of St Gertrude and St Ildephonsus are now used as accomodation for large groups of visitors. The New Norcia Hotel, which was once a hostel, has rooms for people visiting the town. 

In order to keep the mission self-sufficient, the monks still produce many products.  The olive press established in the 1850s is still used to produce olive oil.  Using the original wood-fire oven, the New Norcia Bakery produces artisan breads, New Norcia nutcake, pan chocolatti and almond biscotti. They bake seven days a week.  Since 1917 New Norcia has produced its own wines, and now helps in the creation of an ale.

Astonishingly, an art gallery in New Norcia has a one-of-a-kind painting in Australia.  The gallery houses mostly Italian and Spanish post-Renaissance art reflecting the history of the mission. In 1986 the community also purchased one hundred modern artworks, all with a religious theme.  The most significant piece in the gallery was purchased in 1999, and is housed in The Raphael Room.  The picture is entitled "Head of an Apostle" and was commissioned by Pope Leo X in the 16th century.  The work was completed in the workshop of Raphael. 

There are many strange stories about New Norcia.  In December 1947, a huge bushfire swept towards the mission.  The prevailing southwest winds drove the fire relentlessly, and attempts by the monks and indigenous Australians to stop it failed.  In desperation, the monks took the painting of  "Our Lady of Good Counsel" from the church and placed it facing the oncoming fire.  They knelt and prayed and, as they did, the wind changed just in time to save the mission. It was later discovered that a local man called Moonangka had lit the fire deliberately, hoping it would engulf the mission.  Bishop Salvado forgave him and, when Moonangka heard about the painting and prayers, he became a convert. 

The graveyard of New Norcia is literally in the centre of town, and it is here that reports have been made of a ghostly monk walking around.  A pale-faced girl has been seen in one of the windows of St Gertrude's when no-one should be in the building.  The girl is said to be one of the school students  who died at the school when she was ten. There have been reports of strange poltergeist-like behaviour in the New Norcia Hotel. One of the most persistent and often sighted phenomena is that of a nun in blue who is said to fly around the clocktower of the mission just as the clock strikes midnight. 

I have visited New Norcia many times. The first thing that strikes me is how isolated it is, and I can only wonder in awe at the thought of heavily-clad monks making their way through the harsh bush terrain of Western Australia.  New Norcia is still an oasis in a very remote part of the state.  It's quite magnificent to just come upon this mission with its amazing architecture and products.  When you go into the art gallery, which is housed in a humble building, and stand in front of a painting created by Raphael's workshop, you feel astonished.  I would recommend any visitor to Western Australia travels to New Norcia.