History

Four years after the arrival of the First Fleet at Botany Bay on November 30th, 1792, five settlers two of them having been granted land between Prospect Creek and Hassall Road, Wetherill Park petitioned Governor Phillip for a Catholic priest to serve their spiritual needs. This petition, containing the first recorded mention of the Catholic faith in Australia, was unavailing. The request was ignored and it was almost 30 years before the first Catholic priest was officially sent to Australia to minister to the increasing Catholic population.

Up until the 1860's, the Catholics of Smithfield were served by priests from Parramatta, and attended religious services at St. Brigid's, Blacktown, St Michael's, Baulkham Hills and Temporary Church of the Reservoir, Prospect. By the early 1870's the population of Smithfield grew to 300 where, assuming, a large proportion were Catholics, for in 1875 Archbishop Polding decided to buy land for a Church, School and Presbytery in Smithfield.

A temporary chapel was later built and the first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day 1875. Under the guidance of priest, Dean Rigney, a new brick church was built at Smithfield and the church was dedicated to St. Gertrude. Parish priest Dean Rigney opened this new church in 1884. Ten years later, the Dean who was still in charge built additions to St. Gertrude's the sanctuary and the sacristy. St Gertrude's was blessed and opened on August 18th, 1895 by the Auxiliary to Cardinal Moran, Bishop Joseph Higgins.