St Hyacinth's Catholic Church in Waihola (now relocated to Dunedin, under the name of Mary Queen of Peace) in New Zealand was built in 1899 by Polish emigrants

. In the 1870s, British-colonised New Zealand embarked on an extensive programme of local infrastructure development, mainly railways, telegraph lines, roads, drainage of wetlands, and construction of new settlements. For such large-scale plans, in addition to funds borrowed from London, workers, skilled for the intended work, were needed, emigrants from Europe. Thus, in the 1870s, emigrants began arriving mainly from northern Europe, including Prussians and Poles oppressed in the Prussian partition. In particular, many Polish emigrants, mainly Catholics, came to New Zealand from Kashubia and Kociewie. They tried to stick together, work and live close to each other. Due to the extension of the railway line from Dunedin to Gore, many Poles with Prussian documents started to work in the Waihola area. Initially, a Catholic priest visited them once a month, after their homes. In 1899, in Waihola close to the railway station, a wooden church dedicated to (Polish Dominican St. Jack Odrowaz) St. Hyacinth, with a capacity for about 300 people, was opened. The main builder was J. Agnew, and the main carpenter August Orlowsky, who did all the repairs in the following years. The first child baptised in the Church in 1900 was: Hyacinth Wisnesky. It is believed that one of the immigrants from Palmerston brought a picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help with him from Poland in 1872 . It was donated and still hangs in the church today. Before the Second World War there were few Polish settlers in Waihola. The older Catholics died or moved to other regions of New Zealand for work, their children went to the larger cities of the country for work.

In 1948, because of the small number of Catholics in Waihola, the Church authorities decided to move the Church to a place where it was more needed to Broad Bay in Dunedin. In its new location on the peninsula it was given the new invocation of Mary Queen of Peace. The original stained glass windows were destroyed in the 1960s by local stone-throwing boys. After the Second Vatican Council, the altar was moved towards the faithful in 1968. In the 1990s, the local Polish community began efforts to restore the church. In 2001, the stained glass windows were restored. To this day, further renovation work is taking place, with the participation of the Polish community. Currently, Mass is celebrated in the church every third Sunday of the month.

For more information about the Polish Emigrants' Church in New Zealand .

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