Archbishop James GooldPrint Page

Originally known as the Mortuary Chapel, the Holy Souls Chapel commemorates Archbishop James Alipius Goold, who laid the first stone in 1880. Archbishop Goold is buried beneath the chapel and a brass memorial plaque marks his resting place.

The two front spires of St Patrick`s Cathedral was completed, up to its first stage, as a memorial to Bishop Goold's escaping an assassination atttempt in Brighton in 1882. 

Archbishop Goold was appointed Melbourne’s first Bishop. In 1850 he laid the foundation stone of St Patrick’s church, designed by Samuel Jackson, architect of St Francis. But after gold was discovered in 1851, Melbourne boomed and it was clear that a larger Church was both needed and could be afforded by Catholics. After a further attempt at a larger church (almost complete in 1858), he accepted the extraordinarily impressive plan of English architect William Wardell for a grand gothic cathedral and from 1858, the great cathedral began to take shape.

The decision was strongly opposed by the laity and particularly the clergy many of whom were already finding difficulty in raising funds for local projects, and the new building was started without a public ceremony. In his correspondence and pastorals for two decades Goold appealed for generous donations for the cathedral, and in 1874 from Rome he directed Fitzpatrick to divide the metropolitan area into sections for systematic collection. Although the cathedral project remained for years a focus for opposition, it was praised by the Catholic press and subscriptions were generally filled.

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