Avondale church fire: Parishioners prepare for return a year after devastating fire | NZ Herald
The blaze broke out on July 14, 2025, at St Mary’s Catholic Church on Great North Rd in Avondale. Photo / Hayden Woodward
A year after a devastating fire at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Auckland’s Avondale, restoration is underway.
A blaze ripped through the main building early on July 14 last year. Eventually, police arrested and charged Sinele Katoa, 42, with arson.
Katoa, who had undiagnosed schizophrenia and was acutely psychotic on the night of the fire, was found not guilty of the offence by reason of insanity.
The church was left with around a $2.5 million shortfall for a full rebuild, with an insurance payout only covering around half of the cost.
The church has released a video update 12 months on, showing the progress it has made.
Now, an empty concrete slab is where the main building used to stand.
Church members Bill and Betty, who have been attending the church for around 45 years, said it has been a very tough time not being able to come together.
“There used to be quite a few older parishioners in the old church. We knew each other; we’ve grown older with each other. Then all of a sudden, the place where we love to go pray together - gone,” Betty said.
Neighbouring churches invited parishioners to join their communities while work was being done.
The community has been renovating a hall on the original site so members can gather there.
Father Andrew Matthew said members of the community and local businesses were helping.
“Great people are giving us great donations. It is very expensive to renovate a building of this size.”
Father Matthew hoped to have the hall ready for Sunday Mass by the end of the month, despite it still needing work.
“We need to re-roof, and we still have to do some exterior painting. We need an alarm system, a sound system. Cabinets still have to go in. So there’s quite a lot of work still to do, but they can be easily done over the next month.”
Betty was excited to see the progress: “It can’t happen soon enough for us to get back in”.
