St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Paddington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Francis of Assisi Church |
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St Francis of Assisi Church in 2023
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| 33°53′19″S 151°13′54″E / 33.8886°S 151.2316°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Religious institute | Franciscans |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 23 March 1889 |
| Founder(s) | Cardinal Francis Moran |
| Dedication | Saint Francis of Assisi |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Completed |
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| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Italian or Tuscan Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1889 – 1918 |
| Construction cost | A£10,000 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Francis, Paddington and St Joseph, Edgecliff |
| Archdiocese | Sydney |
The St Francis of Assisi Church is a Roman Catholic church in Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. You can find it on Oxford Street.
Contents
Building the Church
The first stone for the church was laid on 23 March 1889. About 1,000 people came to this special event. Cardinal Francis Moran officially opened the new church on 22 June 1890. At that time, only the main part, called the nave, was finished.
Early Design and Changes
The church was designed in an Italian or Tuscan Gothic style. It had a grand front facing Oxford Street. The building used sandstone and red brick. It also featured colorful marble and Venetian glass mosaics. These mosaics showed symbols of the four Evangelists and the Franciscan Order's coat of arms. Sadly, these beautiful mosaics are now gone due to time and pollution.
Even after it opened, the church was not fully built. It quickly became too small for the many Catholic people in Paddington. So, in 1915, Archbishop Kelly decided the church needed to be completed. However, even the original plans would not make it big enough.
Expanding the Church
A new design was created by Bart Moriarty. This plan would be built in two stages. The first stage included the sanctuary, sacristies (rooms for priests), and transepts (the parts that stick out on the sides). The second stage would have meant tearing down the 1890 church to build a much larger main section. The foundation stone for this new part was laid in July 1917.
The cost to finish the whole building at once was too high. So, they decided to use the existing 1890 church as a temporary main section. The new parts (sanctuary, transepts, and sacristies) were opened on 16 June 1918. The first stage cost about A£10,000. The second stage was never built.
Today, the church is a mix of two designs. The main part (nave) is from the 1890 church by John Barlow. The side parts, sanctuary, and sacristies are from the 1918 design by Bart Moriarty. It turns out Moriarty's design was very similar to the Sacred Heart Basilica in Timaru, New Zealand. That church was designed by Francis Petre, and Moriarty had helped build it.
Modern Updates
After the Second Vatican Council (a big meeting in the Catholic Church), some changes were made to the church. These changes helped with new ways of celebrating services.
Renovations in the 1970s and 1990s
In the mid-1970s, a square wooden platform was added in front of the old sanctuary. This allowed people to sit closer to the altar during services. However, it also split the people into three groups. The square shape also didn't match the church's round arches and dome.
The sanctuary you see today was updated in 1990. A new semi-circular floor was added, matching the round arches above. A new altar and lectern (reading stand) were made from marble from the old pulpit. They matched the old main altar. The church was also repainted, and new lights were put in.
The new baptismal font (for baptisms) is made of brass and iron. Its base is the old font turned upside down! A new stained glass window shows the baptism of Christ. The original wooden pews (church benches) were cleaned and recoated. Some were changed to create a more "in-the-round" seating style. The main chair for the priest is new, but its design comes from old church furniture books.
The changes to the sanctuary, pews, marble work, and lighting cost about $60,000. Painting the whole building and other repairs cost more, but this was paid for over several years.
