The cathedral as it now stands was constructed in three main phases, with the first phase completed in 1865. Plans were drawn up for the replacement of the cathedral in the 1920s with a larger Perpendicular Gothic edifice. However, construction was interrupted by the onset of the Great Depression, leaving a new transept and sanctuary, with the aisle of the original cathedral as its nave. After being incomplete for 70 years, with portions of the cathedral requiring extensive repair work, funds were eventually raised in the late 1990s and early 2000s for the completion of the expansion. A new curved design for the expansion was created, and featured a second spire and underground parish centre. The cathedral closed for construction in 2006, and reopened in December 2009.
History
The first Roman Catholic church in the colony was St John's Pro-Cathedral on Victoria Avenue. The colony eventually outgrew this small church, and the local Bishop expressed an interest in constructing a "more worthy Cathedral".[2]
First stage: 1865 to 1930
The original cathedral building in 1894
The Benedictine Brothers from Subiaco and New Norcia had constructed the Bishop's Palace facing Victoria Square.[2] The square had originally been named "Church Square", and had been set aside for the construction of a Church of England cathedral.[2] However, the early Anglicans in the colony considered the location to be too far from the centre of the fledgling colony, and instead constructed St George's Cathedral on what is now St Georges Terrace.[2] Bishop Serra therefore applied to the Governor of the colony to cede the land in Victoria Square to the Roman Catholic Church, which occurred on 13 August 1859.[2]
Because of labour and fund shortages, construction of the cathedral progressed slowly. Benedictine masons would walk daily between their Monastery in Subiaco and the construction site. In January 1864, construction was suspended because of a lack of money.[2] Eventually further funds were raised and the building completed, for a total cost of £4,000.[2] The cathedral was blessed and opened on 29 January 1865.[3]
Benedictine Oblate Brother Joseph Ascione designed the cathedral in the Norman Gothic style.[2][3][4] The cathedral's walls were built from clay bricks from a property in Adelaide Terrace.[2] Between 1897 and 1910, alterations were made to the cathedral to emphasise its Gothic character, including the addition of a spire to its bell tower.[2]
Second stage: 1930 to 1999
The expansion of the cathedral underway in 1929The apse and transept of the 1930 portion of the cathedral
In 1924, Bishop Clune started an appeal to fund the construction of a larger cathedral.[2] Architect Michael Cavanagh designed the new cathedral in the Academic Gothic style.[2][5] Architect John Cyril Hawes described the proposed design as "bastard Gothic" and proposed instead a large Romanesque cathedral.[6] His plans were rejected, with the clergy instead opting for the Gothic design.[6] Hawes went on to design St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Geraldton.[6]
The foundation stone was laid on 25 April 1926.[3] Deteriorating economic conditions associated with onset of the Great Depression necessitated the scaling back of the project.[5] The original cathedral, less its sanctuary, was retained as the nave of an expanded cathedral.[5] Exposed metal bands were left protruding from the wall of the new transept, in preparation for completion of the cathedral in future generations.[3]
The expansion work was undertaken by builders A T Brine and Sons, and it was built from stone from the same quarry as the General Post Office building.[3] The sanctuary mosaics were made to designs found in the Book of Kells.[3] The stained glass windows were designed and created in the United Kingdom by John Hardman of Birmingham.[3] The marble altar from the original cathedral was relocated to the sanctuary of the expanded cathedral.[2]
The expanded, but incomplete, St Mary's Cathedral opened on 4 May 1930.[3][5]
Unfortunately the dream of completing St Mary's Cathedral is one that we must leave to future generations to complete.
—Archbishop Patrick Clune, upon the expansion's opening in 1930[7]
[The] new sanctuary and transept ... was connected to the body of the old cathedral, but nobody then or since has considered the amalgam to be a complete cathedral architecturally, aesthetically or liturgically.
In 1938 the cathedral's boys' choir was established, making it the oldest Catholic boys' choir in Australia today.[8]
In 1973, the central altar and lectern were added to the sanctuary and the redesigned sanctuary was consecrated on 12 August 1973.[3][9]
In 1995 the Heritage Council of Western Australia noted that the original 1865 portion of the structure was suffering from falling damp and cracking in the walls, and the mosaic floors in the sanctuary were also cracked.[2] Further deterioration of the cathedral by the end of the 20th century meant that decisions had to be made in relation to the repair and completion of the original design.[10]
Third stage: 1999 to present
St Mary's Cathedral and Catholic Diocese precinct 2019
In mid-1999, after a bequest of $2 million by the estate of Jim and Alice Hassell,[5] the Archdiocese announced that they intended to finally complete the 1920s expansion; however construction was not expected to commence until 2001.[11] Also, it took longer than expected to source funds for the expansion, delaying commencement of the project. In the 2005–06 Federal budget, $3 million was set aside for the expansion,[12] and a $2 million grant was received from the State government.[13]
The cathedral was eventually closed in August 2006 for the commencement of construction.[14] At this stage, the building was suffering from rising damp, a crumbling bell tower and structural weaknesses.[14]
In 2006, after the closure of the cathedral for construction, the remains of Perth's first bishops were found beneath floorboards in the aisle, marked only by a small cross carved in the boards.[14] As part of the restoration works, a permanent crypt for Perth's dead bishops was to be constructed underneath the altar.[14] The remains of Perth's first bishop, John Brady, were exhumed in 2011 from his grave in France and a few months later he was laid to rest in the crypt of St Mary's Cathedral.[15]
The expansion project was overseen by the Dean of the cathedral, Monsignor Thomas McDonald.[5] Part of the restoration works involved hoisting the entire roof structure temporarily so that existing columns could be replaced and the walls reconfigured.[16] The roof was then attached to a permanent steel structure.[16]
By March 2007, increasing construction costs and the need for extra repair work meant that the project costs had blown out by $5 million.[14] The costs had further blown out to $32.9 million by March 2009.[7]
The new design includes increased seating for 1,600 people, a new underground parish centre and improved disabled access.[13] It also adds a second spire to the church, which is not identical to the original spire because of a Heritage Council stipulation that the new spire not "shamelessly mimic" the existing one.[17]
The completed Cathedral was officially opened by the Archbishop of Perth, Barry Hickey on 8 December 2009, in a ceremony attended by the Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal George Pell, 33 bishops and 300 priests.
The new design by Perth architect Peter M. Quinn won three architectural design awards from the Western Australian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects: The Jeffrey Howlett Award, the George Temple Pool ward, and the Margaret Pitt Morrison Award for Heritage.[18][19]
Gallery
The old and new Cathedral
Original cathedral, circa 1890-1894
View along Murray Street to the cathedral, circa 1905
The cathedral with the spire installed, circa 1910
A service in the original cathedral in 1928
St Mary's Cathedral, Perth. Interior facing east in 2014
View from Victoria Square, 2006
St Mary's Cathedral, Perth, west front in 2014
Interior of cathedral, taken from the now-demolished original portion of the cathedral
St Mary's Cathedral, Perth. Interior of new section of the nave facing west in 2014
The exterior of the original portion of the cathedral, prior to the expansion work started in 2005
St Mary's Cathedral, Perth. Exterior of the new side from the north west in 2014
Exterior of the cathedral's transept in 2006 showing the incomplete section at the right
St Mary's Cathedral, Perth. View from the north showing old and new styles in 2014
↑ O'Brien, Odhran (2018). "Beyond Melbourne: Nineteenth-century cathedral building in the Diocese of Perth". Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society. 39: 49–54.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Banks, Amanda (17 December 2003). "Cathedral project on the move". The West Australian.
1 2 3 Ward, Peter (16 February 2001). "Heritage Watch". The Australian. p.43.
1 2 Catanzaro, Joseph (13 March 2009). "$7.5m cost blowout 'won't stop cathedral facelift'". The West Australian. p.14.
↑ Capp, Geraldine (15 June 2000). "Choir Sings Out For $170,000". The West Australian. p.15.
↑ Goody, Lancelot John (12 August 1973). Ceremony of dedication of the Cathedral Church of St. Mary, Perth (pamphlet held at Battye Library).
↑ Kleyn, Gary (23 November 2000). "No title". Business News. Perth, Western Australia. p.1.
↑ Casellas, Pam; Yonnene Pearce (19 August 1999). "Tom The Tease Says Sorry To Forgiving Elsie After 77 Years". The West Australian. p.2.
Winship, John A. (2010). Our Cathedral: a history of St Mary's Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia (paperback). Perth, Western Australia: Archdiocese of Perth. p.240. ISBN978-1-453-75519-8.
St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Melbourne, Australia. It is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Melbourne and the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne, who is also the metropolitan archbishop of the Province of Victoria.
The Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of Saint Patrick is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, and seat of its archbishop, currently Peter Comensoli.
St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, Canada, and one of the oldest churches in Toronto. It is located at 65 Bond Street in Toronto's Garden District. St. Michael's was designed by William Thomas, designer of eight other churches in the city, and was primarily financed by Irish immigrants who resided in the area. The cathedral has a capacity of 1600. John Cochrane and Brothers undertook the work on the stone and stucco ornamentation of the interior.
The Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, currently Anthony Fisher OP. It is dedicated to the "Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians", Patroness of Australia and holds the title and dignity of a minor basilica, bestowed upon it by Pope Pius XI on 4 August 1932.
The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Catholic church in Singapore, built in 1847. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the Civic District.
St. Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh, Northern Ireland is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland. It was built in various phases between 1840 and 1904 to serve as the Roman Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Armagh, the original medieval Cathedral of St. Patrick having been appropriated by the state church called the Church of Ireland at the time of the Irish Reformation.
St John's Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane and the metropolitan cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of Queensland, Australia. It is dedicated to St John the Evangelist. The cathedral is situated in Ann Street in the Brisbane central business district, and is the successor to an earlier pro-cathedral, which occupied part of the contemporary Queens Gardens on William Street, from 1854 to 1904. The cathedral is the second-oldest Anglican church in Brisbane, predated only by the extant All Saints church on Wickham Terrace (1862). The cathedral is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
The Cathedral of St Stephen is the heritage-listed cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane and seat of its archbishop in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. St Stephen's was only meant to serve as a temporary seat for the archbishop, and plans for a replacement were made with the Holy Name Cathedral, however the cathedral was never built.
St Mary of the Angels is a Catholic church on the corner of Boulcott Street and O'Reily Avenue in Wellington, New Zealand. It is the parish church for Wellington Central and one of the major churches of the city. The Marist Fathers have provided clergy for St Mary of the Angels since 1874 in succession to its founding and long-serving parish priest, the Capuchin Franciscan, Father Jeremiah O'Reily. The church was used by Archbishop O'Shea as his pro-cathedral (1936–1954). It was the site of the funeral of Suzanne Aubert in 1926 and is well known for its church music tradition.
Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church was a historic Roman Catholic church building in Mobile, Alabama, United States. It served as the parish church for St. Joseph's Parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile.
St Mary Star of the Sea is a Roman Catholic parish church in West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The foundation stone of the church was laid in 1882 and the building was completed by 1900. Since 2002, restoration has been ongoing to restore the church to its original state. Built with seating for over 1,200 people, it has been described as the largest parish church in Melbourne, in Victoria, or even in Australia.
Basilica of St Patrick is a Roman Catholic church located on Adelaide Street in Fremantle, Western Australia. It is one of five churches in Australia with minor basilica status.
Saint Mary's Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. The church is located at 911 North Broad Street in downtown Rome, Georgia, US.
Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The parish's origins date to 1837, when it was first named Holy Cross parish. In 1850 it was renamed Saint John the Evangelist parish, and is the oldest Catholic parish in the city and in Marion County, Indiana. Considered the mother of the Catholic parishes in Indianapolis, it played an important role in development of the Catholic Church in the city. Saint John's Church served as the pro-cathedral of the diocese from 1878 until 1906; its rectory served as the bishop's residence and chancery from 1878 until 1892. In 1900 the church served as the site of first episcopal consecration held in Indianapolis.
The second St Mary's Roman Catholic Church is a heritage-listed sandstone Catholic church at 163 Palmerin Street in Warwick in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Dornbusch & Connolly and built from 1920 to 1926. It is also known as St Mary of the Assumption Church. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Michael Francis Cavanagh was an Australian architect, primarily known for his work in Western Australia from 1895 to the late 1930s.
St Patrick's Cathedral is a heritage-listed Roman Catholic cathedral on James Street, South Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Toowoomba architect James Marks and was built from 1883 to 1935. The site of the cathedral was originally a church and school known as St Patrick's Church School. In 1899, the school was moved to make way for the building of the cathedral and in 1959 renamed as St Saviour's School. St Patrick's Cathedral was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Cathedral of St Michael and St John is a heritage-listed Roman Catholic cathedral at 107 William Street, Bathurst, Bathurst Region, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Charles Hansom and built from 1857 to 1861 by Edward Gell. It is also known as Cathedral of Saints Michael and John. The cathedral is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Bathurst. The property is owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 June 2012.
St Peter and Paul's Old Cathedral is a heritage-listed former Catholic cathedral and now parish church at 42 Verner Street, Goulburn, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Andrea Stombuco and Charles Spadacini and built from 1871 to 1890 by C. J. O'Brien and Wilkie Bros. It is also known as St. Peter and Paul's Former Cathedral and St Peter and Paul's Catholic Cathedral; Saints Peter and Paul's Catholic Cathedral. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 20 April 2009.
St Michael's Cathedral, Wagga Wagga is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga and the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia, currently the Most Reverend Mark Edwards OMI.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
