St Mary’s new cathedra and furnishings installed and blessed

By Josh Low

A new cathedra (bishop’s seat) and suite of furnishings now adorn the sanctuary at St Mary’s Cathedral.

Blessed by Archbishop Julian at Sunday Mass on 8 September, the new furnishings were designed by Queensland based architect Sidney Rofe and fabricated by Wayne Mavin & Co Bespoke Joinery in New South Wales.

Of all the new furnishings, the cathedra is of particular importance. According to the Ceremonial of Bishops, it is a sign of a bishop’s teaching office and pastoral power, as well as a sign of unity of believers in the faith he proclaims as shepherd of the flock.

Along with the cathedra, a new presider’s chair and corresponding prie-dieu (prayer kneeler), six armed chairs, six stools, four ordinary prie-dieu, and four credence tables were made.

A parclose screen was also installed to fill in the archway between the Cathedral’s sanctuary and former Nun’s Choir.

Archbishop Julian described the furnishings as “marvelous works of art”, and thanked those involved in their design, planning and production.

Sidney Rofe, who was also involved in the 2022 restoration work at St Mary’s Cathedral, designed the new cathedra, parclose screen and furnishings.

“The cathedra in particular, is based on a very common model that’s used in churches around the world, which all actually relate back to the coronation throne in Westminster Abbey,” he explained.

“I took that idea, but then expanded it by making the back of the chair a lot taller to give the chair more presence in the space. Because the space is quite big, you want the chair to stand out.

“I also decided to not make the back solid but open it up at the back and the sides.

“There’s this delicate balance there between making the chair look more present, more noticeable in the space, but not too heavy and cumbersome,” he said.

Archdiocesan Master of Ceremonies, Michael McKenna, said all the joinery in the furnishings had been crafted in solid Tasmanian Blackwood and required detailed carving work and finishing in French polish.

“The new cathedra incorporates a beautifully detailed and carved heraldic achievement (coat of arms) which can be removed and replaced upon the appointment of a new Archbishop.

“It is hoped to replicate similar plates for each of the former bishops for a permanent display in the Cathedral on the new parclose screen reflecting our episcopal heritage.

Mr McKenna added that the cathedra signifies the Bishop’s commitment and stability, while its size and physical presence express symbolically the immense weight that is placed on his shoulders as the chief shepherd of the particular Church.

“The new sacred furnishings draw heavily from the building’s gothic character reflecting an overall cohesiveness as parts of the whole, expressing an inherent interrelatedness between the members who will use them,” he said.

“In all it has and is a great privilege to lead the restoration work at the Cathedral and guide our efforts to preserve and enhance the liturgical patrimony of the Archdiocese for future generations of Tasmanian Catholics.”

Sidney Rofe said that as a practising Catholic he believes churches should be places of great beauty that convey a deep sense of the sacred and the transcendent realities of our faith.

“Whilst the things we make and the buildings we build at the end of the day are just materials, which might be here today and gone tomorrow, the thing is that they’re all means that we use to help make the faith more real, not only to ourselves, but to the wider world.

“[They] draw us deeper into an understanding of transcendent realities. And so that becomes a real inspiration to create beautiful things, great works of art, great works of architecture.

“In our approach to worship, our understanding of how we worship God, we shouldn’t be afraid of making beautiful things and making grand ceremony because it’s all for the greater glory of God. That’s sort of the reason behind why I do what I do,” he concluded.

The former cathedra is presently situated in the Joseph Chapel of the Cathedral until Christmas, after which it will be moved to the Archdiocese’s Heritage and Archives Office with other elements of the furnishings which accompanied it.