As St John’s Pro-Cathedral is closed for renovations, Archdiocesan Archivist Sr Stibi, who is organising the restoration, looks at its fascinating history
On the Feast of St John the Evangelist, 27 December, 1843, building commenced on the Church of St John the Evangelist with the turning of the first sod, on land granted by Governor Hutt. This land was designated Perth Lots C9, 10, 11. The foundation stone was laid on 16 January 1844. The building was completed in June 1855. A portico was added by 31 May 1856.
In 1844, Government Blue Book recorded the construction of the Roman Catholic Chapel, Perth at a cost of £500.
The building was executed under the authority of the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church Property who, at 16 January 1844, were John Smith of Perth, Edward Barron of Guildford, John Scully of Bolgart, W M Smith of Fremantle and Bishop John Brady.
The Blue Book describes the Chapel in 1844 as capable of holding 120 persons with the usual number attending being 60. In 1845 and 1846, the usual number in attendance was 50. The Blue Book also states that in 1844 and 1845 there was a Free School in the Roman Catholic Chapel.
The Blue Book of 1848 stated that the Roman Catholic Chapel at Perth was capable of containing 180 persons with 130 normally attending.
In 1846, Mother Ursula Frayne describes the only Catholic Church in the Colony:
“The church – what was it like? Imagine a room about thirty feet long by fifteen feet wide and twelve feet high; a shingle roof, through which the sun, moon, and stars could be distinctly seen; a few planks laid loosely on the ground did duty as flooring; door spaces, but no doors; window spaces but no windows; an old wooden counter, the gift of a retired shopkeeper served for an altar. A faded green tablecloth, with yellow corners, did duty as an antependium, and a strip of calico, unhemmed, was the only altar-cloth. Such was the church and its furniture; yet, poor as it was, it bore testimony to the undying faith of the Irish Catholics, for it was the offering of a few Catholics. Some gave their time and labour, others gave materials, while a few gave their mite in cash.”
Also from the writing of Mother Ursula Frayne RSM it appears that in 1846 there was a long low ‘lean-to’ on the north side of the building, which was remodelled later into two classrooms.
There is now no trace of this building but the doorway. On the south side of the building was a room for the priest’s lodging, which also became classrooms in August 1846.
This room is still attached to the building and used as a sacristy. Beside the church was a belfry.
St John’s Pro-Cathedral: a building of many firsts
27 December 1843 – The building of the Church of St John the Evangelist was begun. It was the first Catholic Church built in Western Australia.
11 January 1846 – Sunday – The first Pontifical High Mass in Western Australia was celebrated by Bishop John Brady.
25 January 1846 – The first profession of a Sister of Mercy – Sister Mary Ignatia de la Hoyde – took place.
26 January 1846 – The first Requiem Mass was said for the first Priest to die in Western Australia – Fr Maurice Bouchet CSSp.
2 August 1846 – Requiem Mass for the first sister of Mercy to die in Australia – Mother M Catherine Gogarty.
13 September 1846 – Reception ceremony for the first Mercy Novice to be received in Australia – Sr M Evangelista O’Reilly.
25 December 1846 – The first Christmas is described in Valiant Women by Geraldine Byrne – “On Thursday at Midnight, there was a Pontifical High Mass in the Church, at which ten little girls, in simple white dresses, made their First Holy Communion. Christmas Day, Bishop Brady celebrated his third High Mass at the Convent. There was a second High Mass in the church at the usual hour. People seemed unwearied in their attendance that First Christmas Day.” The sacristan was Sr M Ignatius de la Hoyde who “exerted all her ingenuity in decorating the Church and the altar.”
6 January 1849 – Ordination of the first priest to be ordained in Western Australia – Fr Timothy Donovan.
Bishop Serra petitioned Pope Pius IX to place the Diocese of Perth under the special patronage and invocation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Holy Father, on 30 April, 1854, with his own hand, granted the request.
The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX on 8 December 1854.
On 17 June 1855, Bishop Serra recorded the change of title of the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the first Baptism Register as follows:
“In the year of Our Lord 1855 on the seventeenth of June, on the Third Sunday after Pentecost at the same time as the church of Perth under the title of St John the Evangelist was extended, now with renewed altar, after the excellent Apostolic Bull promulgated at Rome on the eighth day of December 1854 defining the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Most Excellent and Most Reverend Doctor of Divinity, Joseph Mary Benedict Serra OSB greatly desirous to advance to the maximum the honour of the Mother of God, and in acknowledgement [of the dogma] dedicated the church under the title of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
In October 1859, Bishop Serra made a report to Rome on the property of the Diocese of Perth:
In Perth: Brick Church with shingles; roof 80 ft long and 40 ft wide, including the sacristy and choir of the Mercy Sisters on the two wings, could be valued at present at £450 sterling.
Gold bronze tabernacle-1400F [approx £120] and 6 big candlesticks and cross made of bronze, gilded in gold, cost a further 1123F in Paris [approx £100].
Three very beautiful and similar statues in marble of Our Lady, Saint Joseph and Saint Benedict were donated, as also were a great quantity of sacred furnishings, including pontificals of all colours, chalices etc.