St Jo's Primary School, Port Chalmers ex students

Story

In 1898 Mother Mary MacKillop, and two Josephite Sisters, arrived into Dunedin on the request of Fr. McMullen the parish priest of Port Chalmers. They were there to do ‘God’s work with God’s children’. Mary is now recognized as one of the Catholic Church’s newest saint - Saint Mary MacKillop and is also known as Saint Mary of the Cross.

When they arrived they found the old school, then called St Mary’s School, to be less than adequate. It was an old shed-like house and in a sad state of disrepair. The Sisters called upon the divine inspiration of St Joseph to help repair the old and cold house to make it more habitable. The new school, St Joseph’s Primary School, was opened at the end of January 1898.