Contact with the Arrernte by the missionaries in the centre was made by the Luthern, Baptists, Methodists, Church of England, Presbyterian Church, Anglican and the Catholic Church. Father James Long MSC was the first Catholic Parish Priest to arrive and was succeeded by Father Patrick Maloney, MSC who concentrated on establishing a mission for Aboriginal people around Alice Springs. Along with Brother Ed Bennett and Frank McGarry he worked at their first base being Charles Creek and later established Santa Teresa the ‘little flower mission’ now known as Ltyentye Apurte.
In 1936 Mother Coincepta, provincial with Mother Brendan Forrest visited Alice Springs following a report made by Father Maloney stating that Arrernte people were dispossessed of their land, and living as fringe dwellers in sordid conditions.
On 5 February 1938, three Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Sisters arrived from Kensington, New South Wales; Sister Germaine Cawood,Sister columbanus Baker and Sister Stephanie McNally, and later in July that year were followed by Sister Adrian Smith, Sister Gemma McCullough and Sister Consolata McKay who helped to get everything organized.
Arltunga:
The little flower mission was located near Paddy’s rockhole at government direction, following the influx of some 2,000 soldiers into Alice Springs during world war II. The total population of the mission following its transfer from Alice Springs was about 200, comprised mainly of Alice Springs fringe dwellers. The mission at Arltunga became noted as a training ground for Aboriginals – the men as stockmen and the women as domestic servants. Despite much hard work, drought and consequent water shortages forced the transfer of the mission from Arltunga to its present site at Santa Teresa in 1955.
(Taken from Santa Teresa and East Aranda History – 1929-1988 By John Pye MSC O.A.M.)
Hear Our Call: Holy Father Pope John Paul II
When Pope John Paul visited Australia in 1986 he asked the Australian Catholic Church to arrange a national event where he could address the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. Alice Springs was chosen as the venue and the CLC played a major role in the organisation of the Pope's visit.
CLC Chairman Wenten Rubuntja was commissioned to paint a large canvas which was presented to the Pope along with a message shield calling for his help in seeking a just settlement for Aboriginal people.