Christmas Mass has been celebrated at St Mary’s Cathedral since 1865, with a few breaks for works to be done on the building. The last break was from 2006 to 2009 when the Conservation and Completion of our magnificent Cathedral were undertaken.

Much has changed since Mass was first celebrated at St Mary’s. The first Masses would have been in Latin and been very much a clerical affair; people said their private prayers while the clergy went about their activity on the Sanctuary. Now our Liturgies are in English with the participation of everyone. Many women and men play important roles in the Liturgy.

The one hundred and fifty-four years that St Mary’s has been around has seen dramatic change, but we have an even larger perspective on the sweep of history. The world has gone through many transformations in the two thousand years since our Lord and Saviour walked this earth. The first Christians were a persecuted minority and celebrated the Eucharist in homes mainly in Greek.

Today we celebrate in many different languages throughout the world, in churches of varying sizes. In some places, we are a majority, in others a persecuted minority. How we celebrate would be very different from that of our early Christian brothers and sisters, but it is still the same Eucharist, the same Lord who gathers his flock around his table to ‘break open the world’ for us and to feed us on his Body and Blood until he day his Kingdom comes.

The Australian Church is journeying towards the Plenary Council and we do not know where the Spirit will lead us. As the church continues her journey through time there will be change to come. The Church has changed through the millennia to faithfully proclaim in different cultures Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Christ has been, and always be, the head of His Church and He enables us to continue our journey of faith together in faith, hope, and love.

You and I play our part in the story in this time and place. Others before us had their entrance and their exit from the stage. Others after us will enter and exit. Over all this history Jesus is Lord.

Many people have played their part in St Mary’s eventual history. Many continue to make our Cathedral parish the welcoming community it is. Thank you for your support. There are many ways to support the Cathedral. If you would like to play a part with a donation to our Cathedral Appeal, know that it will be appreciated and put to good use.

May the Lord Jesus, who shed His light on humanity at Christmas, and whoever lights our way, bless you and yours.

Very Rev Dr. Sean Fernandez
Dean and Administrator,
St. Mary’s Cathedral, Perth