"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
Most Rev Archbishop Julian C. Porteous DD
Julian Charles Porteous was born on June 5, 1949, Sydney and baptised in Rose Bay Parish. He is the eldest of five children, having two brothers and two sisters.
Archbishop Porteous has family links to Tasmania. His forebears arrived in Tasmanian from England in 1853. His great grandfather and great grandmother were both born in Hobart, within one kilometre of St Mary’s Cathedral. His grandfather was named Manful Charles Hobart Granger. Archbishop Porteous completed his primary education in Melbourne, Singapore and Parramatta before he undertook secondary schooling with the De La Salle Brothers at Oakhill College, Castle Hill.
Archbishop Porteous entered St Columba’s Seminary, Springwood, in 1968, then continued studies for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College, Manly, from 1971. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Sydney on September 7, 1974.
St Mary’s Cathedral Hobart has been a spiritual abode to many generations over 130 years. Our forefathers of faith have contributed with blood, sweat and tears to the construction of this spiritual edifice. As one of the oldest Cathedrals in Australia, it stands as a testimony to the profound faith in the Lord and His beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Thousands of children of God have been baptised and welcomed into God’s family at St Mary’s Cathedral. Many have come before the Lord with their joys and sorrows and struggles in life seeking consolation, peace and serenity. Each day, people gather around the altar of the Lord at this Cathedral to catch a glimpse of the divine through the Eucharistic meal. They are nourished and received grace after grace through the Sacramental life of the Church. Over the years scores of young men and women have given their life to God fully through Holy Orders and religious life.
On a regular basis, all students of the five Catholic colleges and schools of the parish quench their thirst in the wellsprings of grace that the Lord offers them through this outstanding spiritual monument. With such spiritual heritage I, Fr Shammi Nilantha Perera, as the Administrator of St Mary’s Cathedral, extend a warm welcome to all who wish to visit and worship.
Fr W.A. Shammi Nilantha Perera - Administrator
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10
ABOUT OUR BOOKSTALL
Our bookstall in the Cathedral Centre is open Monday-Friday 9am-3pm as well as after Sunday 10.30am Mass.
We are happy to supply sought after items such as baptism cards, Confirmation and First Communion cards as well as sympathy and Ordination cards.
The bookstall also stocks current contemporary writing, missals, bibles, calendars, sacramental gifts and many assorted statues, medals etc.
The small proceeds from our bookstall go towards the upkeep of the Cathedral Centre.
The experience of most Catholics is that they were baptised into the Catholic Church as babies. However, there are people who may be drawn to the Catholic Church at other stages of their lives. The Catholic Church welcomes all who come seeking answers to their questions, spoken and unspoken. Are you thinking of becoming Catholic? Would you like to know more about the Catholic Faith?
SUPPORT THE CATHEDRAL RESTORATION FUND
Help us preserve our Cathedral for generations to follow by making a pledge or remembering us in your will. Click the icon to enquire or donate now.
FORMED HAS BEEN UPDATED! (please use Chrome browser)
Because of its phenomenal growth, formed.org has moved to a new technology platform. Now over 4,000 titles of award-winning Catholic content, children’s programming, audio talks, e-books and more, are available on almost any internet-connected device (PC's, tablets, smart phones and smart TV's etc.) The new platform was produced after consultation and feedback from the users (now over 900,000) across 5,000 parish communities. The new platform has improved performance and an enhanced search tool. It allows offline playback and you no longer have to remember a password because access is now simply through your e-mail address.
For existing subscribers just Visit formed.org then click 'Sign In' and enter your email address. You will be sent an e-mail and when you click on the link in the email you're in! No more passwords! You can stay signed in even when you close your browser or your device is off. When you go back to formed.org just click on 'sign in' and you can start watching again. As long as you don't sign out, the content will remain available to you. If you do sign out, then to get back in just go to formed.org again and click 'sign in' and an e-mail will be sent to you and click – you're back in.
For parishioners wanting to join our FORMED group account the process has become even easier than it was.
Go to formed.org and click 'Sign Up' on the next page select "I Belong to a Parish or Organization"
Find our parish by name, "St Mary Cathedral 164 Harrington St Hobart TAS" Enter your email address and you will be sent an e-mail - and you're in! Diving into the beauty of the Faith has never been easier: at home, on the go, or from any internet connected device. Discover thousands of books, audio talks, movies, documentaries, and studies... there is something for every member of the family to help them grow closer to Christ and His Church.
Dear Friends in Christ,
Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. (Acts 9:4-5)
November 20, 2019 will be the world day of prayer for persecuted Christians, formally called Red Wednesday. This year's theme is "Stand up for faith and freedom." Together with 8 Cathedrals across Australia , St Mary's Cathedral in Hobart will be holding a special prayer service from 7-8pm followed by light refreshments. Our focus this year will be on persecuted Christians from Sri Lanka, Iraq and Syria. This prayer service will be led by Archbishop Julian Porteous and Fr Shammi Perera, and Elia Moussally (representing the Syrian and Iraqi Christian community) will be sharing their reflections on their local experiences.
I personally invite all of you to attend this prayer service and to bring a plate to share afterwards. Let us continue to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters across the world.
Stay blessed in Christ!
Fr Shammi
Regular events
Each Friday : 4.30-5.30pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Cathedral
Each Saturday : 11am Novena - Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Each Sunday : 9.45-10.15am Children's Catechesis (8-11years)
Classes in “Inspiring Faith” Catechesis for children aged 8–11 years will continue on Sundays to 8 December at the Cathedral Parish Centre (Level 1) 9:45 – 10:15am. For more information contact Jo 0407 876 913 or
On Sunday mornings, parish children are invited to participate in the following:
Children 0 – 4 stay with parents
Children 5 – 7 Children’s Liturgy during Mass
Children 8 – 11 Catechesis before Mass (as above)
