Pilgrimage Site: Sts Peter and Paul Goulburn

Sts Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral in Goulburn stands as a magnificent sign of hope, resplendent in its beautiful restoration, says parish priest Fr Michael Lim.

“Every morning I walk inside for my prayers, and I don’t feel like I can take in all the beauty at once,” he said.

“As a pilgrimage centre, I really hope that people can spend a day or two here, just to be in amongst this restored splendour and experience the serenity and the ambience. They can see the architecture, the incredible stained glass, all the artefacts. It is all part of the spiritual aspect of the whole cathedral.”

Fr Michael said the act of pilgrimage was a journey of purification and increased knowledge of God.

“When we do a pilgrimage, we go to the essence of our faith – the passion, death and resurrection of Christ,” he said.

“Because of that, we have this magnificent cathedral, and the real beauty of the whole thing is the celebration of the paschal mystery at the altar, which is the centrepiece.”

Construction on Sts Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral began in 1872, and an extensive restoration was completed in 2022.

Fr Tony Percy said many features would be attractive to pilgrims, including the chapels, confessionals, and the magnificent pipe organ – crafted by renowned builder William Hill.

“It’s the only greenstone Church in the world, believe it or not; the rock was quarried just outside the city and is 440 million years old,” he said.

“This puts the building on a world stage. It’s the perfect place to come for the Jubilee Year 2025 with its great theme of hope.”

“You might like to come to the church here just to pray silently on your own, with groups, or with your parish,” Fr Tony said.

“You might like to pray at the magnificent 19^th century French stations that have been restored.”

The Stations of the Cross are a set of intricately crafted sculptural reliefs framed in finely carved oak, designed in the Gothic style. During the restoration, conservators discovered that beneath the faded exterior, the panels were painted in soft pastel colours. The quality of the ivory paint had preserved the colours, allowing them to be beautifully restored.

Fr Tony said a more recent addition to the Old Cathedral – the Way of the Family – was also significant.

“It’s a magnificent little piece, with scenes from the Last Supper through the resurrection of Christ,” he explained.

“We know the marriage and family is under great stress, and I am sure you will be very interested to see this beautiful statue of Mary Protector of Families with ten beautiful icons surrounding her.”

Both the ‘Way of the Family’ and the Stations of the Cross have accompanying audio recordings, helping pilgrims reflect and pray.

Fr Tony said Sts Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral was ideal for the pilgrimage experience of prayer.

“Family, Rosary, Sacrament of Confession, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Contemplative Prayer, Prayer of Silence and Stillness,” he said.

“It’s a wonderful place, wonderful opportunity, the Jubilee Year, and I invite you to come to St Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral for the theme of hope. It is ideally set up to help people have an encounter with Christ through the beauty of the building.”

Pilgrims of Hope embark on Jubilee Journey