In 1924 a small wooden church was built in Peer Street near Villa Maria, a small wooden cottage on the site, purchased in 1917, having previously been used as a presbytery and Mass centre. The church was blessed and opened by Bishop Brodie on April 26, 1924 as the first Riccarton Church. It was the parish church until 1929 when the Riccarton parish centre was established in Puriri Street and the first church built there.
This church was later moved to become the first Sockburn church and is still [2007] part of the Sockburn parish centre.
