Fundo - St. Patrick's Parish (St. John's, Newfoundland) fonds

St. Patrick's Parish originated in its founding to Bishop John Thomas Mullock's purchase of a piece of land at Riverhead (old West End of St. John's), in 1852, on which he intended to build a church, school, and convent to serve the spiritual and educational needs of the area. However, the evolution of the parish was slow, extending over a period of several years. The foundation stone for the parish church was first laid in 1855 in connection with the celebrations surrounding the consecration of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. However, construction did not proceed after this ceremony, although St. Patrick's Convent was established at Riverhead the following year for members of the Presentation of the Most Blessed Virgin Congregation (Presentation Sisters). It has been suggested that a lack of funding and skilled manpower were to blame for the delay in the construction of the parish church. In any case, a provisional wooden church was erected on the present site of the Deanery (September of 1860), to service the needs of the parishioners until the church proper was completed. On 26 June 1864, Bishop Mullock laid the cornerstone (as distinct from the foundation stone) of the present-day church. However, progress on the structure was sporadic. It was finally opened for public worship and consecrated on 28 August 1881.

Under the denominational education system, the Presentation Sisters and the Irish Christian Brothers were active in the parish as administrators of St. Patrick's Convent and Holy Cross schools (these institutions are still in operation today, but are no longer run by religious congregations and are now co-educational). St. Clare's Mercy Hospital also exists within the boundaries of St. Patrick's, and the parish clergy are responsible for its ministry.

St. Patrick's established a Parish Council in 1975 and, in cooperation with the Pastor, it plays a leading role in determining policy for the Parish, including the approval of budgetary expenditures and renovations. In addition to the Parish Council, numerous lay societies play a part in the administration of parish activities. Societies that have been or still are active within the parish, include the Holy Name Society, the St. Anne's Sodality, the Legion of Mary, the Women's and the Men's Committees, the Youth Group, the Altar Boys' Society, the Children of Mary, the Christian Doctrine Society, the League of the Sacred Heart, the Knights of Columbus, and the Catholic Women's League (this list is not exhaustive). All societies are required to report to the Parish Council as the principal body responsible for co-ordinating parish affairs.

At the time of its founding, the parish's boundaries encompassed the West End of St. John's, then known as Riverhead. Although the boundaries have been altered over time with the establishment of additional parishes in St. John's, St. Patrick's still takes in most of the old West End of the city.

Due to insufficient documentation, it is difficult to identify the priests who attended to the needs of the parish in its earliest years of operation. Michael Walsh, Thomas Coady, William Walsh, John Conway, and John Scott were associated with St. Patrick's Parish before 1873. Pastors who have served St. Patrick's Parish since 1873 include: John Ryan (1873-1908?); J. J. McDermot (1909-1915); Henry T. Renouf (1915-1920); William Kitchen (1920-1932); Thomas J. Flynn (1932-1945); Ronald McDermot Murphy (1945-1970); Charles K. Greene (1970-1973); William K. Lawton (1973-1977); David P. Morrissey (1977-1984); and James Doody (1984- ).