This weekend will be the actual centenary of the blessing and opening of Armidale’s Catholic Cathedral. The magnificent building is one of the city’s most prominent landmarks.
As a rule a higher percentage of Catholics worshipped each Sunday and they needed bigger churches. By May 1903 the newly consecrated Bishop Patrick O’Connor was aware that the Cathedral (which had been opened in 1872) was unable to accommodate the growing congregation. Several solutions were explored.
In 1907, after returning from a visit to Rome and Ireland, Bishop O’Connor consulted Sydney architects Messrs Sheerin and Hennessy who said it would be possible to extend the northern side of the Cathedral, but a new building would be a better option. Plans were drawn up and presented at a parish meeting early in 1909. The congregation voted in favour of a new building, which was estimated to cost about £15,000. Collecting was undertaken enthusiastically and work started when half the money was in hand. George Nott was the contractor, with a tender price of £21,380.
The foundations were already completed when Cardinal Patrick Moran (the Archbishop of Sydney) laid the ceremonial foundation stone at the front of the building on February 5, 1911. Work proceeded speedily, with the construction taking only 20 months. Tradition says that more than a million bricks were used. Cardinal Moran died in August 1911, and his successor, Archbishop Michael Kelly, was given the honour of blessing and opening the new Cathedral.
Festivities began on the morning of Saturday, October 5, when Archbishop Kelly and other dignitaries arrived on the overnight train from Sydney. Two mounted troopers led the procession from the railway station to the Town Hall for a Civic Reception which was the first of several speechfests. The Mayor (Ald. WD Solomons) apologised for the bitterly cold weather, and told everyone they should be grateful it was not worse.
A chilling, sleet-laden wind on the Saturday gave way to a beautifully fine sunny Sunday, when thousands of people came to Armidale for the official opening. Two special trains — one from Quirindi at the southern end of the diocese, and another from Glen Innes in the north — carried more than a thousand people to Armidale, where they were joined by great numbers of locals and other visitors, who had filled all the local hotels and lodging houses on Saturday night.
Some 5,000 people gathered for the ceremony on Sunday at 11 o’clock. The Cathedral spire flew the Union Jack and the Irish flag. Ecclesiastical visitors included three archbishops, four bishops and a great number of other clergy, who were part of the long procession from the old Cathedral into the new, where 2,000 people were packed in for the High Mass and related rituals.
Archbishop Kelly was the guest preacher, and was followed by Bishop O’Connor, who gave an update on the financial situation: the cost to date had been £28,000, of which £22,000 was previously reported, leaving £6,000 owing, which was reduced by £3,584 received from other parishes, the Catholic schools and the clergy, plus his own donation of £1,000. So £2,416 was still needed. As he spoke collectors moved through the congregation inside and outside the building, and the collection resulted in a surplus of £100. The new cathedral was thus opened free of debt.
After the ceremony Bishop O’Connor presided over a banquet in the Town Hall, which will filled with more than 500 guests (some reports say 600). Again there was a veritable speechfest, with great praise heaped on Bishop O’Connor and those who had contributed to the building. Archbishop Kelly made reference to the prevailing situation in Ireland, and then moved on to troubles in Sydney where many of his flock were still grouping in their own nationalities (Irish, German, English; Italian and French), but he wanted them all to learn English and to be united in their common faith and love of Australia.
Archbishop Delaney (Hobart) had been in the seminary with Bishop O’Connor and happily travelled to Armidale to be with his old mate. Dr Delaney said it was the first time he had been north of Sydney and regretted that many Australians did not travel widely through their own country. He also made a comparison of the significance of a city of 5,000 inhabitants in Australia compared with a similar population in Ireland. He said it spoke highly that £28,000 had been raised so quickly, while the usual ongoing expenses of running parishes were still met.
Coadjutor Archbishop Duhig (Brisbane) had been to Armidale in 1911 for the foundation stone ceremony and was thrilled to be back for the opening. He suggested the opening of the Cathedral free of debt was one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of the Catholic Church in Australia. Bishop O’Connor thanked everyone who had contributed and said work would go on: the old Cathedral would be demolished and rebuilt as a school, so he would need their help.
A long list of toasts and responses included some short speeches. John Hennessy (the architect) praised the high quality of the work carried out by George Nott (the builder). Frank Foster (the Labor Member for New England in the Federal Parliament) joked that his Government’s taxes could not be too heavy because $28,000 had been raised speedily. He asked them to keep three great ideals: Australia shall be free; non-sectarian; and for the white race. 100 years later we have just two of those as our ideals.
Evening devotions in the new Cathedral were crowded, with everyone commenting on the evening light shining spectacularly through the stained glass. On the Monday there was a garden party at De La Salle College (where O’Connor College now stands) for the visiting clergy, and a concert was held in the old Cathedral that night. Curiously, very few photographs from the events 100 years ago are in the public domain. A film of the events seems to be lost.
Celebrations will be held from Friday, October 19 to Monday, October 22 to mark the new Cathedral’s centenary.
