There is some wonderful stained glass in St Christopher’s. The stained glass windows of the original church have been retained, and new windows were added during the extension. These are the work of Stephen Moore. PLAN
22. NORTH WESTERN WINDOWS
From left, and closest to the balcony, the windows depict various saints: Mary McKillop and Maximilian Kolbe, Oliver Plunket and Gregory the Great, Teresa of Avila and Gerard Majella, Thomas Aquinas and Augustine.
23. LOWER NORTH WINDOWS
There are two tiers of windows in the nave walls. The lower windows on the North side are complex, but appear to depict (from left): St Brigida and Benedict’s Rule ‘Pray and Work’; the chalice and pelican legend; the texts ‘Trust in God’ and Love of Christ’.
24. NORTH EASTERN WINDOWS
The Eastern windows of the North Wall show: St Peter Cranel(?) and St Anthony; St Pius X and St Stephen; St Clement and St (King) Charles; St Mark and St Matthew; St Paul and St Peter.
25. NORTH WALL FROM EAST
The windows form a grand display! We notice the two statues at left, and access to the Northern chapel at right.
26. NAVE ROOF
The nave roof is a shallow gable with horizontal panels at the side.
27. NAVE SOUTH WALL
The South wall has another two statues, an extra pair of windows in the upper tier, and access throught to the sacristies and crypt at left.
28. SOUTH EASTERN WINDOWS
The saints depicted in the South Eastern windows are: St John (of Capistrano?) and St Joseph; St John and St Luke; St Thomas and St Francis; St Monica and St Vincent; St Christopher and St Mary Magdalene.
29. SOUTH WESTERN WINDOWS
These windows depict (from left): St Ignatius of Antioch and St Thomas More; Sacred Heart and St Mary; St Elizabeth Seton and St John Vianney; St Michael and St Patrick; St Francis Xavier and St Brigida.
30. LOWER SOUTH WINDOWS
Again, these lower windows are a little more complex. From the left, in each case there is a person remembered, and with Latin text: St Christopher (God safely leading), Mary Magdalene (She loved much); The Sacred Heart (Flowing blood and water), The Blessed Virgin (Hail Mary full of grace); St Michael (Defend us in conflict), St Patrick (Be ye Christians as those of the Roman Church).
31. CONSECRATION CROSS
When a Cathedral is consecrated, the places of blessing are often marked by a consecration cross.
32. STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The walls of the nave are lined with the Stations of the Cross. As examples, pictured here are: VIII Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; IX Jesus falls the third time; X Jesus is stripped of his garments.
33. NAVE STATUES
Four statues stand along the walls of the nave. These are (from left): The Sacred Heart; St Thérèse of Lisieux; ? ; and St Christopher bearing the child Jesus.
34. OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
Off the South nave wall is a shrine to Our Lady Help of Christians. The wooden statue of the Patroness of Australia was hand-carved in Italy and commissioned for the Cathedral extension..
35. TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is placed alongside the North nave wall. It can be accessed from the nave, or directly from outside.
37. STATUE AND WINDOW
The window at right shows the crest of Pope John XXIII. The exact origin of the Infant Jesus statues is not known, but historical sources point to a small 48 cm high sculpture of the Holy Child which was carved in Spain around the year 1340. Many other Infant Jesus sculptures were also carved by famous masters throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. The sculptures of the Holy Child were dressed in imperial regalia reflecting the aristocratic fashion of that period.
38. CHAPEL WINDOWS
The next set of three chapel windows commemorate (from left): John Polding, Roger Vaughan, Patrick Moran. John Bede Polding was the first Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney. Roger Vaughan was the second RC Archbishop of Sydney (1877 – 1883). Patrick Francis Moran (1830 – 1911) was the third RC Archbishop of Sydney and the first Australian cardinal.
39. ST MARY MCKILLOP
Mary Helen MacKillop RSJ (1842 –1909), now formally known as St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, was an Australian nun. Of Scottish descent, she was born in Melbourne, but was best known for her activities in South Australia. Together with the Reverend Julian Tenison Woods, she founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites) with an emphasis on education for the rural poor. She is the first and only Australian to be recognised by the Catholic Church as a saint.
40. CHAPEL WINDOWS
Continuing along the North wall of the chapel we come to this set of windows which commemorate (from left): Michael Kelly, William Lanigan, and John Gallagher. Michael Kelly (1850–1940 was the 4th RC Archbishop of Sydney, while William Lanigan (1820– 1900) and John Gallagher (1846 – 1923) were the second and third RC Bishops of Goulburn.