SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL
BEGINNINGS OF THE PARISH
In tracing the origins of the Catholic Church in Pretoria one needs to go back to the latter part of last century.
Up to 1870 the Catholic Church was prescribed in the old S.A. Republic (the present Gauteng). The law states categorically that, “No other religion but that of the Dutch Reformed Religion was allowed”. So it was only after this law was repealed in 1870 that the Catholic Church could even begin to function in this area.
Fr Biban OMI made tentative steps to start a congregation in Potchefstroom shortly after this.
BISHOP CHARLES CONSTANT JOLIVET
It was Bishop Jolivet who brought the Catholic Faith to Pretoria. He was born in Brittany, France and ordained a priest in the Missionary Order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1849.
He was named Vicar Apostolic of the Natal Vicariate in 1874. Initially his ecclesiastical territory included Natal, Griqualand West, the Orange River Colony and the South African Republic.
It is to Bishop Jolivet’s credit that during his lifetime (he died in 1903) he extended the influence of the Catholic Faith throughout this territory. A daunting task indeed when one realizes that the means of transport at his disposal were horseback, post cart or ox wagon.
Early in 1877 when the administration of the President Burghers of the S.A. Republic showed signs of collapse and was annexed to Britain by Sir Theophilus Shepstone of Natal, Bishop Jolivet took advantage of the situation to establish the Catholic Church in the area. He made the journey to Pretoria with General Strickland, and they arrived early in June, 1877. The Bishop was given hospitality by Mr De Vogel, the Postmaster General.
The entry in the Bishop’s diary for Friday, 8th June, 1877 reads; “Feast of the Sacred Heart. My chalice and vestments having arrived, I can for the first time say Mass in Pretoria on this happy day. The Baron (De Leyls, Belgian Consul) serves my Mass. On the same day I address a petition to Sir Theophilus Shepstone to obtain a site for our future Mission Buildings”.
A further entry in his diary for August 6th reads: “Sir Theophilus agreed with me that the military should not be allowed to camp near the town. One of the erven was granted and the other exchanged for another (the one at the corner of Potgieter and Bloed Streets and given to the Church by M.W. Pretorius)… NOW I THINK I HAVE GOT POSSESSION OF THE BEST POSITION IN PRETORIA. DEO GRATIAS”. This even marks the birth of the Catholic Church in Pretoria.
Prior to the completion of the first Church, a temporary building – just a summer house – was used for services. It was situated on the spot which later became the front entrance to Loreto Convent, Skinner Street.
The building of a more permanent structure began immediately. The work on this building was directed by the first Parish Priest of Pretoria, Fr Andrew Walsh, who was architect, builder and contractor.
On the fouth Sunday of advent 1877, Bishop Jolivet blessed this little church. He made the following entry in his diary: “I say Mass for the first time in the Hall – Chapel – School, our first brick building in Pretoria”.
The next event in this History is the arrival of the Loreto sisters on 17th May, 1878. They had travelled from Ireland to Durban by boat, to Pietermaritzburg by stage coach and from there to Pretoria by ox wagon.
The leader of the band five sisters was Sr Margaret Mary Jolivet, sister to Bishop. One can view the beginnings of Catholicism in Pretoria as a partnership between a brother and a sister.
When the nuns arrived their little convent was not ready for them so they were accommodated by Dr and Mrs Ingram. They must have been delighted to discover that Mrs Ingram had been educated at Loreto Convent Navan, where they had come from! They were the first religious sisters to come to work in what became the Transvaal.
During the first Anglo Boer War (December 1880 to March 1881) the Convent buildings and grounds, which now included the whole block, were converted into a laager where the women and children of Pretoria found sanctuary while the town was besieged by the Boers.
About 600 soldiers were camped on the grounds of the Convent. Typhoid broke out and one of its victims was mother Margaret Mary Jolivet, first Superior of Loreto Convent, Skinner Street. She was given a military funeral and buried in the grounds of the Convent.
THE SECOND CHURCH, 1877
The Church build in 1877 soon became inadequate for the needs of the community. Another was built, which was opened by Bishop Jolivet on Rosary Sunday, 7th October, 1877. A description of the opening of this Church as recorded in the Archives of Loreto Convent, Skinner Street reads as follows: “The Church of the Sacred Heart thus opened in a handsome building in the Norman Ecclesiastical style of architecture, crowned at the North with an octagonal turret, surmounted by an ornamental cross. The height of the cross is about 75 feet. The nave is 62 feet long and 32 feet wide. It can accommodate 250 worshipers. The chancel is raised above the main building and is 16 feet by 18 feet; the altar is at the South and of the chancel and is raised. It is approached by steps. The main entrance is big porch on the North east end, immediately opposite which is the baptistry. The passage, between the porch and baptistry is covered by a gallery for the organ and choir, easy access to which is gained by winding stairs placed in the turret.
The total cost of the Church was £1200. One of the congregation, a Mr Harrington, subscribed £500.
The design was Dr Jolivet’s and was ably carried out by Mr Leslie in the bricklaying and masonry work, and Messrs Williams and Gorto did the carpentery.
It is the oldest Church in the Transvaal.”
We are told that while Bishop and Clergy wre vesting for Pontifical High Mass, Zingarilli’s “Laudate Dominum” was sung by Mrs Hampson and choir. Mozart’s 12th Mass was sung with Miss Kennedy at the Organ and choir composed of members of the Pretoria and Johannesburg choirs. Fr Stephen Hammer was the conductor. The Bishop preached on the text on the text, “Terrible is this place! This is none other than the House off God! This is the Gate of Heaven!”
The year before this, the Bishop succeded in having his vast Vicariate divided, and the South African Republic became a prefecture under Monsignor Monginoux.
Johannesburg was in the process of being born, following the discovery of gold. Many were doubtful as to whether the initial momentum of growth would last. “It was expected Johannesburg would not last. After a few months or at most two years it will have disappeared.” How ironical in retrospect.
Pretoria became the spiritual godmother of the City of Gold, with the clergy of Pretoria sent to supply the spiritual needs of the faithful as the population of Johannesburg mushroomed. When the first Bishop was appointed in 1903, Johannesburg became ecclesiastical centre of the Transvaal.
THE THIRD CHURCH, 1933
Ever since the turn of the century, there was talk of building a bigger and better church in Pretoria to replace the one built in 1887. When Fr Tom Ryan OMI became Parish Priest in 1908 he started a fund for the purpose of building and “edifice worthy of the Administrative Capital of South Africa”. His vision was opted by those who came after bim, especially Fr Ives Saccadas and Fr Quinlivan, both OMI.
The realization of this dream was thwarted by developments on the political and economical fronts – World War I and the economic recession that followed. Strange to say, it was during the Great Depression when money was extremely scarce that Fr Foley was advised “to build now”.
He took this advice and received no fewer than 29 tenders for the construction. The 13th tender on the list was the one accepted. It was submitted by Alexander Bennet of Johannesburg, total cost £26 500. Mr Bennet had just completed the building of the Metro Theater in Johannesburg. At the time Fr Foley was short of £7 000, and as he was reluctant to go into debt, he decided to build the Nave of the Church only. The rest could wait.
The first sod for the foundation of the Church was turned at a special ceremony on 21st August, 1932. A representative of each family of nine children was invited to be present at this ceremony. There were 24 such families!
The blessing and laying of the foundation stone followed on the 1st January, 1933. This ceremony was performed by Bishop D. O’Leary assisted by Frs Brady and O’Callaghan OMI. The foundations walls to the height of a feet had been built around the existing Church while it was still in use. On January 5th, the old Church was demolished and the Convent Hall was used as a temporary Church until the end of the year.
The opening of this magnificent new Church took place on 10th December, 1933. Once again the ceremony was conducted by Bishop O’Leary assisted by Frs Brady, O’Callaghan and Whelan. The choir sang the Mass of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and the special offertory piece, “Haec est dominus Domini” was composed especially for the occasion by Fr C. de Hovre OMI. Twenty four Prelates and Clergy formed the procession. The sermon was preached by the Rt Rev Bishop MacSherry of the Eastern Province. He chose as his text: “Surely the Lord is in this place. This is none other than the House of God and the Gate of Heaven”.
In 1939, Fr L. Peron OMI, then Parish Priest, saw to the building of the Sanctuary and the Sacristies. This part was completed in 1940.
In 1948 the Johannesburg Diocese was divided. Bishop J.C. Garner of the Cape Town became the first Bishop of the Pretoria Vicariate. With his appointment the church of the Sacred Heart became the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. This ecclesiastical territory was then assigned to the Secular Priests to develop. The first three Secular Priests arrived shortly after this. They were Fr J. Hughes, Fr F. Mason and Fr F. Ward.
With the establishment of the Hierarchy in 1951, the Diocese of Pretoria was raised to become the Metropolitan Archdiocese.
In the meantime the nest phase to the completion of the Cathedral began in the 1949 when the Transept on the West was completed and the building was separated from Loreto Convent. This completed the outside. The plan as drawn up by the architect Brendan Clinch was kept to so that the building has a harmonious unity. The final cost was £50 000.
The internal choir gallery and baptistry was completed in 1964.
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE CATHEDRAL OF THE SACRED HEART, PRETORIA
This is the third church to be built on this site. The first Church was built in 1877 to be replaced by the second building in 1877. The present building was built in several stages, the first of which was the Nave completed in 1933.
The architect of the present Cathedral was Mr Brendan Clinch of the firm Kalenbach, Kennedy and Furney of Johannesburg. Mr Alexander Bennet, also of Johannesburg, was awarded the contract for the building. His estimate in 1932 was £26 500. It was No 13 out of 29 tenders.
Built on the plan of a Latin cross, the design of the Church is French Gothic. This is reflected in the shape of the window and the lines of the interior. It also has Norman features, apparent in the buttresses and the shape of the arches over the doors.
The façade surmounted by twin truncated towers gives the building solidity and dignity. The sides are divided into eight buttresses which take up the truss of the roof. The contours of the ground have been use to advantage in the plan.
Both the interior and exterior of the building are constructed out of pre-cast concrete, made to resemble soft carved sandstone by Plastering Industries (Pty) Ltd, Johannesburg. The outside bocks are composed of natural green marble chips and natural cement, the inside blocks from the natural red sand and natural cement. No oxides or artificial coloring matter were used.
The interior is lined with simple shafts. These are crowned by moulded capitals from which the main ribs rise and spread, forming stone tracery spandrel. They are intersected by small cross ribs which form coffers. The inside of the coffers is filled with highly absorbent acoustic board.
The side altars are made to blend in with the rest of the interior. Each is mounted by decorative columns surmounted by a canopy of stone tracery. The statues of Mary and Joseph were carved by James Gardner ARCA (Lond) MIA.
The absence of aisles brings the side altars in to the Nave of the Church, which is of greater width than usual. This simple plan is more economical than the earlier Gothic plans. Justification for this break with tradition is claimed on economic grounds, and the strength of modern roofing materials.
The ceiling decoration resembles smoked oak beam. It is constructed from fibrous plaster.
The Cathedral is perhaps best known for its very beautiful stained glass windows. Those in the Nave of the Church we designed and executed by Messrs Gourley and Watson of Herbet Evans & Co, Johannesburg. The large North Window portrays Christ weeping over Jerusalem. In the tracery above is an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The artist kept several principles in view in designing these beautiful windows: their relationship with the general architectural scheme; the absence of unlimited time and funds; and the all important need for direct simplicity of statement.
Each group has a background in which the colors of the Sacred Heart, red and yellow, predominate. These colors run in a band throughout the entire scheme. Each window is surmounted by a tracery containing a symbol of the incident depicted below.
These windows are very carefully designed, blending both stained glass and leaded lighting. All the faces, bands, feet and small details are genuine stained glass, having been painted and fired according to a process going back before the middle ages. The rest of the composition is carried out in leaded light.
Standing on the sanctuary and looking North, the windows on the sides of the Nave of the Church illustrate the following scenes from the Gospel: The Annunciation, the Nativity, the Holy Family, the Marriage Feast of Cana, Mary Magdalene anointing Our Lord, the Good Shepherd, Our Lord teaching Martha and Mary, the Good Samaritan, Our Lord and Little Children, the Widow’s Mite, the Agony in the Garden, and the Resurrection.
The window over the High Altar is made entirely of stained glass, having been painted by hand and fired in a kiln. The artist was Miss Kathleen Quigley of Johannesburg. Originally she came from Ireland.
The Stations of the Cross depicting scenes from the passion of Jesus are in bas relief. Apart from the fact that they were salvaged from the Church built in 1887, their origin is unknown.
It seems that the organ also came from the 1887 Church. It was rebuilt by the organ builders Cooper, Gill and Tomkins (Pty) Ltd, Johannesburg. In 1964 the Organ Gallery was built and the organ considerably enlarged by Christian Gamser of Pretoria West.