Geraldton: St Francis Xavier Cathedral

“A poem in stone.” That is how the St Francis Xavier Cathedral is described.

The church was the dream of William Kelly, the first Bishop of Geraldton. He wanted a moderately-sized cathedral where the congregation could worship with a sense of personal participation. Priest-architect John Hawes delivered on that dream.

The style of the church is influenced by the 19th-20th century Arts & Crafts Movement which was born of a reaction against revivalist styles such as Neo-Gothic and Neo-Classicism. It was built in three stages between 1916 and 1938, when it was formally opened for worship.

We had no idea what to expect when we decided to stop by the cathedral on our way to the MHAS Sydney II Memorial. What we found charmed us and kept us engaged longer than we expected. I especially loved the striping around the interior … an homage to churches in Europe where the same effect is achieved through the use of different colored marble.

“Geraldton didn’t have the money for marble, so paint was used instead” explained Maureen, the delightful 92-year old volunteer who welcomed us to the church.

She and the other volunteers made our visit all the more memorable, sharing stories about the cathedral and pointing out special features — the carved names on the pillars … of pastoral station owners who donated handsomely to the building of the cathedral; the Jubilee windows that correspond to the cardinal direction points; the baptismal immersion pool with beautiful mosaic-work; the window in the floor with a view of Bishop Kelly’s burial chamber … excavated during the 2017 renovation of the cathedral as no one was sure if he had really been buried under the church; the crypt where the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows is located … dedicated to the soldiers who fell in WWI; the Geraldton bells … the largest church carillon in Australia; the way the sun beams come through the Star of Bethlehem in the Crib to bathe the Christ Child; and more.

I should also mention that there was a lot of laughter throughout our conversation with the volunteers … such a nice change from the usually solemn exchanges at places of worship. A little irreverence is good for the soul, I say.

We visit churches and other places of worship primarily to see the often amazing art and architectural features. St Francis Xavier Cathedral did not disappoint.Read more