The Monastic Town: 1901 - 1950
Following Salvado’s death, New Norcia changed direction and, over the next fifty years, became less of a bush mission and more like a traditional European style monastic settlement. Education and community care for Indigenous people continued, but the emphasis shifted towards the educational and pastoral needs of the population of rural Western Australia. More monks were ordained priests and more time was devoted to prayer, intellectual pursuits and artistic work.
This process began with the arrival from Spain in 1901 of Salvado’s successor, Father (later Abbot and Bishop) Fulgentius Torres. Finding the Mission in decline, he sold land to raise development funds. He personally designed and supervised the building of St Gertrude’s Ladies College (opened 1908), and St Ildephonsus’ College for Boys (opened 1913), staffing the former with Josephite Sisters and the latter with Marist Brothers. In his fourteen years as Superior, Torres carried out significant improvements throughout the town. He paid particular attention to the interior decoration of the town’s buildings, bringing the Spanish woodcarver Juan Casellas and the monk-artist Fr Lesmes Lopez to New Norcia to create the many fine works that are now part of its rich heritage.
During Torres’ period as Abbot, Rome sanctioned the Bishop of Perth’s proposal to extend the area administered by New Norcia Abbey to cover 30,000 square miles.
Torres led explorations to the North West and in 1908 established the Drysdale River Mission (later Kalumburu) in the far north of the State.
Torres died in 1914, his health undermined by his travels up North.
The direction set for New Norcia by Torres was continued during the leadership of Dom Anselm Catalan, from 1916 to 1951.
Catalan was Abbot during a period of social upheaval with two World Wars and the Depression.
He stabilised the monastery during his time, but also added to the fabric of the town with the building of the Hostel – now Hotel – and greatly encouraged the work of Dom Stephen Moreno, New Norcia’s talented composer of religious music.