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Other
History Photos
History of the Cathedral
Father Fay
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The parish began in June of 1885
when the Right Reverend Louis d’Herbomez, OMI, vicar apostolic of the
mainland of British Columbia, appointed Father Patrick Fay to care for
the two settlements of Granville (‘Gastown’) and Hastings. Father Fay was
chaplain to the Canadian Pacific Railway workers. He said the first Mass
on the Feast of the Holy Rosary, 1885. |
Keefer's Hall
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Regular Masses were held in Blair’s
Hall on Abbot Street and in Keefer’s Hall, at Alexander and Water Streets. |
Old Church
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Old Church with
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added bell tower
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In 1886 there were 69 Catholic families
in the "parish" and the need of a permanent church was obvious. The people
decided to build. In choosing a site for the new church. Father Fay looked
south from the waterfront, up the slopes of the uncut forest, and
pointed to the tallest tree. The land was acquired and a wooden church
was built. Records indicate that the first Mass was said in it on Rosary
Sunday, 1889. It was later enlarged and a bell tower was built. |
Father McGuckin
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New Church
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In the year 1898, Father J.
M. McGuckin,
OMI, was pastor. He decided to build a larger and permanent church;
and on July 16, 1899, the cornerstone of the present church was laid. It
was opened on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 1900,
and was regarded as the "finest piece of architecture west of Toronto and
north of San Francisco."
In 1916 the "Church of Our Lady of
the Holy Rosary" was declared a Cathedral. |
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Church Plans
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Built in the form of a cross, the
Cathedral dimensions are:
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161 feet long
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104 feet across at the transepts
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62 feet across the nave and the aisles
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62 feet from the floor ceiling
217 feet to the top of the larger
steeple
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Holy Rosary
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Cathedral
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Holy Rosary
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Cathedral
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The Cathedral, was built in 490
days, is Gothic in style with the pointed arch, vaulted ceiling, clerestory
windows, buttresses, and large stained-glass windows.
Holy Rosary Cathedral is built of
sandstone from Gabriola Island on foundations of local granite. The Cathedral
was designed by T. E. Julian and H. J. Williams. R. P. Forshaw was the contractor.
A number of renovations have taken
place through the years. In 1983-1984 restoration work was done in preparation
for Pope John Paul II's visit to Vancouver on September 19, 1984. From 1995-1997, the Cathedral was re-roofed and the interior was repainted.
In 1999 the Cathedral
organ was restored by Casavant Frères. |
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