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Stone of eternity, Richard Goodwin

eng

Includes references

Stone of eternity

Richard Goodwin

In the early 1970s an Irish-born Dominican priest designed and supervised the building of a church for the Catholic parish of Doubleview in Perth, Western Australia. Fr Bonaventure Leahy OP, who had trained in building studies in Dublin in the 1940s, meticulously planned every aspect of the structure, its site and its fabric. He had completed other Dominican buildings across Australia and New Zealand in the previous two decades. Leahy's masterstroke at Doubleview was his choice of a WA quartzite rock known as Toodyay stone as the primary building material, deployed in vast curved walls. His design was revolutionary for the times, boldly accommodating the reforms to Catholic liturgy implemented by the Second Vatican Council. Painstakingly, Leahy conceived all elements of a structure that everyone, from the dedicated stonemasons who helped build it to all those who still admire it today, considers a masterpiece.As a modern place of worship, this church has few rivals in terms of elegance, beauty and a bold reflection of Christian attitudes.This book was commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of the building's completion and opening in May 1973. It details the conception and implementation of its creator's vision, describes the key biographic threads of Leahy's life (1920-1990) and includes interviews with contractors and parishioners who worked on the project.The 15 chapters of Stone of Eternity are well illustrated with contemporary and historical photographs and sampled documents. Readers will learn about the church's unique architecture, artworks and fittings, some of the remarkable people who accompanied Leahy on his mission and the priest's divine inspiration, humility and personal sacrifices. According to leading Dominicans around the world, Doubleview's Our Lady of the Rosary church has often been described as the most beautiful in the southern hemisphere. Publication proceeds will aid ongoing preservation of the building

adult

Stone of eternity, how a gifted amateur architect created one of Australia's finest churches