First Canterbury Catholic Church

This was the site of the first rural Catholic Church, built in 1871 – Shands Road, Canterbury. The parish of this tiny church (Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament) stretched from The Conway (Kaikoura) to the Rangitata River! (Ashburton) The land was gifted by Patrick Henley and the first Father was named Chervier. If Chervier’s …