St Peter's Cathedral Basilica
London ON

Welcome,

We are the Cathedral for the Catholic Diocese of London and our Bishop is Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B. We are also a parish church for a diverse and vibrant community. We exist in the heart of London, Ontario although many parishioners travel a distance to join us. Ideas and challenges, both old and new, are discerned through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus as we hear the word of God proclaimed and celebrate the Eucharist.

Fr. Jim Mockler

 

https://www.cathedral.dol.ca/  

 

St. Peter's is located at the corner of Richmond and Dufferin Streets
in the heart of beautiful downtown London, Ontario.  

Administrative:

Buliding Property Committee
Cathedral Connections
Communications
Finance Committee
Parish Office Assistant
Parish Pastoral Council

Liturgical:

Altar Servers
Holy Communion Ministers
Hospitality
Lectors
Music Ministry

Other Groups:

Altar Guild
Cathedral Tours
Christiam Meditation
Concerts Committee
Small Christian Cummunity
Snack and Chat

Other Organizations:

Catholic Women's League
Knights of Columbus
Secular Franciscan Order

Outreach:

Community Outreach
Legion Of Mary
Parish Visiting
Prayer Shawl Ministry
St. Vincent de Paul Society  

A Brief History of St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica

At the dedication of the Cathedral in 1885 Bishop Walsh said: “This cathedral is the expression in stone of the great zeal and love for religion of the noble clergy and generous laity of the whole Diocese and of their cordial union and co-operation with their Bishop, and it will stand for ages an eloquent and enduring monument of their faith, hope and charity.”

In the early 1800s, when the settlement of London was just beginning, Mass was celebrated in the homes of Catholic families by visiting priests. When Bishop Alexander Macdonnell of Kingston — Ontario’s first Catholic bishop — visited London, Upper Canada in 1827, there were only a few Catholic families in the tiny settlement at the forks of the Thames. The first Catholic church in London was built in 1834 on the south- west corner of Dufferin Avenue and Richmond Street. It was a simple log structure with an earthen floor and was dedicated to St. Lawrence.

The original log church was destroyed by fire in 1845 and was replaced by a frame building on the same site. This second church also burnt down in 1851. The third church of St. Lawrence was built on the north-east corner of Dufferin Avenue and Richmond Street, on land granted by the Crown to Bishop Macdonnell. Completed in 1852, the new church was built of white brick and stood on what is now the front lawn of the present Cathedral, facing Richmond Street. When the Diocese of London was created in 1856, this church, now renamed St. Peter’s, became the cathedral church of the new diocese.

The present Cathedral was built between 1880 and 1885 under the leadership of Bishop John Walsh. It was designed by Joseph Connolly, a noted architect of the day. The total cost was $155,000. The Cathedral was dedicated on June 28, 1885, the vigil of its patronal feast. The towers, the stained glass and the interior decoration remained uncompleted.

The work left unfinished in 1885 was completed in stages. The first stained glass windows, made in Innsbruck, Austria, were installed in 1889. In 1926, the remaining windows were completed, together with Stations of the Cross and the paintings. In the same year, the Casavant organ was installed. The Cathedral was completed in 1958 under Bishop John Cody, who added the towers, a carillon of twelve bells, the Lady Chapel and a new Sacristy.

In 1961 the Cathedral was given the rank of Minor Basilica — an honour now no longer granted to cathedrals. In 1967, after the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), the sanctuary was renovated and redesigned to meet the requirements of the revised liturgy.

In 2002, an extensive program of repair and restoration was begun, including replacement of the original slate roof.

Interesting Facts:

1. London’s great fire of 1845, destroyed the first mission church.

2. On February 15, 1880 Bishop Walsh made a public announcement, that a new Cathedral was to be built. A subscription list was opened at this time and within a week, the generous donation of $2,500 had been subscribed by London’s Christian community.

3. In a crypt beneath the Sanctuary, lies the coffin of Monseigneur Jean Marie Bruyère, who died on February 13, 1888. He is the only person to be buried within the Cathedral.

4. The twelve bells that make up the Carillon, were made in Holland and dedicated by Bishop Cody on May 15, 1958. Each bell was named after one of the 12 Apostles. The bells are inscribed with a saint’s name and a holy verse.

5. 2 of the Stained Glass Windows in the Cathedral were donated by the London Militia, to honour a local soldier, a member of St. Peter’s parish, who was killed in the Boer War at the battle of Modder River.

6. The armorial bearings of the Rector of St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica, London, Ontario, is shown below.

Design and photography by Dominic Tang

Historical content provided by Larry Lewis (Sacristan)