St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 45, 10 November 1904, Page 20

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne

Ron™ C ? S^iMM man 7 bu ! 1( ! m^ which visitors to the Congress will take a special interest (says the ' Austral Light.'), and to which, the* JHelboutne Catholics will point wnii more than ordinary pride, is the great Cathedral where the solemn functions connected with the Congress will be carried out. The magnificent site where Dip present Cathedral stands was occupied, first, by a small weatherboard ip«in.» S) W h Served as a church till 1850 ; then ibOOO was spent on an oblong structure, which it was thought would give ample room to the then small congregation, ihis, in turn, was succeeded by pa.rt ol a church which was to be the future Cathedral Again, the rapidly-growing population opened the eyes of vie ecclesiastical authorities to the necessity of a grand Cathedral worthy of the Catholics of Melbourne. In 18'5S the eminent architect, Mr. W. W. Wardell arrived in Melbourne, and was entrusted with the responsibility of designing the present St. Patrick's on condition that he would embody the part of the building then in course of erection. On the Bth of December, the Peast of the Immaculate Conception, 1858 the 'first contract was signed, the ground was cleared and a fresh start was made. Dr. Fit/patrick, V.G., whose remains lie in the Mortuary Chapel, beside those of the first Bishop of Melbourne, undertook the heavy financial responsibilities inseparable from such a huge work. From that day until he was called to his reward, in 1890, he spent over £150,000 on the building. On the death of Dr Fitzpatrick, the present Archbishop of Melbourne set himself the task of completing the. Cathedral. Within the short space of seven years he expended the large sum of £67,376, and on the 31st of October, 1801, handed over by solemn consecration, St. Patrick's to the Almighty tree from human liability, making the total cost £217,370. A few items on the magnitude of the Caftlherfral may be of interest The length along the nave and sanctuary is 3HI leet ; length along transepts, 185 feet ; width across nave and aisles, 82 feet. The total area of St. Patrick's is 35,000 a,quare feet, s.o that it is larger than many of the historical Cathedrals in older lands. The pardonable pride in such a massive and majestic buildinp is not confined to the Catholic body A Protestant gentleman some years ago paid a graceful tribute to this noble monument of Catholic faith and generosity: 'St. Patrick's Cathedral is a pile which looms above Melbourne, the first object starting into sight as we ppproach the city from any quarter ; a structure massive, isolated, and grand, like the communion it represents. . . . were this land blighted at its. present stage as Greece has been, there would remain many magnificent temples erected to the service of Mammon. Thanks to the Roman Catholics, and them alone, there would be one temple dedicated to God.' . i