About Us
The parish of St John 23rd is a faith community with the Eucharist at its heart. Inspired by John XXIII’s prophetic opening of the windows of the Church, we welcome the fresh air of the Holy Spirit, inviting every person to share in the responsibility of enriching the life and faith of our community by sharing their gifts and talents.
Our Story
Initially, our community gathered for Sunday Eucharist at Holy Cross Primary School on Meurants Lane, Glenwood. Our new church on Perfection Avenue, Stanhope Gardens, was completed in March 2007, and formally dedicated to God’s glory on 2 June 2007.
Established on the 6th of October 2002, our parish serves the suburbs of Glenwood, Stanhope Gardens, Parklea, Newbury, and Kellyville Ridge.
We have three parish schools: St John XXIII Catholic College (K-12), Ambrose Early Learning Centre (Pre-School), and Holy Cross Primary School (K-6).
Early Settlement
The history of SJ23, affectionately known, dates back to the Aboriginal tribe Darug settling on the Western Cumberland Plain around 40,000 BC.
In 1791, Governor Phillip settled 12 people in the area now known as Prospect Hill to develop it. From the 1880s, residential lots were released in the Mt. Druitt, Rooty Hill, and Marsden Park areas.
Aboriginal Settlement
The Aboriginal people of the Western Cumberland Plain referred to themselves as the Darug. After thousands of years of Aboriginal occupation and 150 years of agricultural use, the area looks vastly different today.
Governor Macquarie granted land to local Aboriginals Colebee and Nurragingy in 1819. The impact of white settlement led to competition for land and resources, but an Aboriginal presence remains in Blacktown today.
Governor Macquarie’s Native Institute aimed to civilize Aboriginals, but it wasn’t successful. However, his foresight in granting land led to the establishment of settlements for Aboriginal families.
Five families settled adjacent to the land grants, leading to the area being known as ‘the black town’ from 1822.
Development
When private housing development was proposed for the North West sector, it prompted discussions about expanding St Bernadette’s Parish to include the area now known as Glenwood.
Initially, plans for a Catholic Primary School and multi-purpose building didn’t materialize. Instead, Holy Cross Primary School was established on Meurants Lane in 1999.
In October 2002, the boundaries of St Bernadette’s Parish were adjusted, forming the new parish of Glenwood-Stanhope Gardens, under the title of Blessed John XXIII.
Blessed John XXIII Catholic Primary School opened in 2005, followed by St Mark’s Catholic High School in 2007. By 2009, our community was fully operational with the inclusion of our Early Learning Centre and Catholic Out of School Hours Care. In 2009, Blessed John XXIII CPS and St Mark’s High School merged under one leadership team, forming the Catholic Learning Community of Blessed John XXIII and St Mark’s Catholic College.
On the 27th of April 2014, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were canonized as Saints, leading to our community being known as St John XXIII.
In 2022, with agreement from the parish, community, and the diocese, the Catholic Learning Community of St John XXIII & St Mark’s Catholic College was rebranded as St John XXIII Catholic College.