St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Wollongong
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Saint Francis Xavier in the Diocese of Wollongong
is the oldest church of any denomination in the Illawarra
region of New South Wales
, Australia
.
The church of St Francis Xavier is a handsome stone building in the pure Gothic style, richly ornamented and sufficiently large to contain 1,500 persons. Its estimated cost is 2,000 pounds.
The building was furnished in 1848 with a splendid Gothic interior. The interior has been greatly altered over the years and apart from the beautiful stained glass window behind the sanctuary and the ceiling over the nave, little exists of the original interior.
In 1951 St Francis Xavier's church was designated as the Cathedral for the new Diocese of Wollongong. Alterations were made in 1960, the 1970s and in 1985. A Marian
chapel was created from an old confessional
. Some of the aesthetic damage done to the church with the widening of the interior was softened with the cladding of the square concrete columns; arches were added between these columns to unify the space. The Stations of the Cross
were reorganised, carpet laid and the interior painted in tones selected to highlight the stained glass window.
On 16 March 2010 the dedication of the renovated Cathedral took place as it coincides with the anniversary of the death of Archbishop John Bede Polding, the first Bishop in Australia. It was Bishop Polding who commissioned Saint Francis Xavier's Church. Bishop Peter William Ingham
performed the dedication.
Father Ron Peters is the Dean of the Cathedral Parish in 2010.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wollongong
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wollongong is a suffragan Latin rite diocese of the Archdiocese of Sydney, established in 1951, covering the Illawarra and Southern Highlands regions of New South Wales, Australia.-History:...
is the oldest church of any denomination in the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
region of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
In 1836 the Catholics of Wollongong built a wooden chapel with seating for 250 people. The first Catholic school was opened in 1838. The pioneer priest Father John Rigney decided to build a larger permanent church in 1839.The church of St Francis Xavier is a handsome stone building in the pure Gothic style, richly ornamented and sufficiently large to contain 1,500 persons. Its estimated cost is 2,000 pounds.
The building was furnished in 1848 with a splendid Gothic interior. The interior has been greatly altered over the years and apart from the beautiful stained glass window behind the sanctuary and the ceiling over the nave, little exists of the original interior.
Renovations
The first addition was opened on 6 May 1906. The nave was lengthened by 7.6m, the original shingle roof was replaced by slate. Two galleries, one on each side of the sanctuary were added. In 1933 much damage was done to the interior with the church being widened.In 1951 St Francis Xavier's church was designated as the Cathedral for the new Diocese of Wollongong. Alterations were made in 1960, the 1970s and in 1985. A Marian
Marian
Marian may refer to:* Marian , people with the given name Marian* Maid Marian, companion of Robin Hood* Marian, an adjective for things relating to Gaius Marius...
chapel was created from an old confessional
Confessional
A confessional is a small, enclosed booth used for the Sacrament of Penance, often called confession, or Reconciliation. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church, but similar structures are also used in Anglican churches of an Anglo-Catholic orientation, and also in the...
. Some of the aesthetic damage done to the church with the widening of the interior was softened with the cladding of the square concrete columns; arches were added between these columns to unify the space. The Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
were reorganised, carpet laid and the interior painted in tones selected to highlight the stained glass window.
The Cathedral in 2010
In April 2009 the latest program of restoration was initiated with the replacement of the roof of the Cathedral with slate imported from Wales.On 16 March 2010 the dedication of the renovated Cathedral took place as it coincides with the anniversary of the death of Archbishop John Bede Polding, the first Bishop in Australia. It was Bishop Polding who commissioned Saint Francis Xavier's Church. Bishop Peter William Ingham
Peter William Ingham
Peter William Ingham is the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wollongong, Australia. He was born at Crows Nest, Sydney on 14 January 1941. He is the son of George and Marjorie Ingham. He was educated at St Leonard's Primary School, Naremburn, and St Pius X College, Chatswood...
performed the dedication.
Father Ron Peters is the Dean of the Cathedral Parish in 2010.