History » Church Architecture » Church Furnishings

The Altars
The decoration of the sanctuary was carried out in 1914 through the generosity of an anonymous benefactor. The beautiful marble high altar, designed and built by Hallet of Richmond, was completed in 1924, while the lovely altar in the Lady chapel, also by Hallet was erected in 1925. The altars in each of the Apse Chapels are also well-crafted.

Following Vatican II, a number of changes were made to the church. Although the beautiful marble high altar remains, a smaller and less ornate wooden altar was donated in 1996 by one of our oldest parishioners, Mrs Violet McNamara.

The Statuary
The Lady chapel altar is surmounted by the Carrara marble statue of the Immaculate Conception.

The statuary in the church is of interest rather than distinction.

Typical of 19th century taste in religious art, the groups representing the Guardian Angel and the Virgin lamenting the dead Christ were purchased at the Melbourne Exhibition of 1881.

The Paintings
The principal paintings in the church are those comprising the Way of the Cross. These fourteen oils were brought from Vienna in 1872 and were unveiled by Dr Goold OSA, first Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne.

On a pillar in the north transept, there is a Sacred Heart painting executed by Mother M Imelda FCJ, in 1902.

In the main vestry is a large canvas representing St Thomas of Villanova distributing alms, while in the second vestry may be seen a painting of the Blessed Peter Faber, commissioned from Vincenzo Pacelli in 1874 on the occasion of the subject's beatification.

At the north entrance to the ambulatory may be seen a fine 19th century coloured lithograph of Ignatius Loyola, for whom the church is named.

The Organ
The organ was built in 1874 by George Fincham and was originally installed in the Melbourne Exhibition Buildings for the Colonial Exhibition of 1875, for which Fincham was awarded a Gold Medal.

After the Exhibition, the organ was removed and installed in the gallery of the church, and an inaugural recital was given on it by Herr Gerlach on 20 August 1876.

The organ was moved from the gallery to the rear of Our Lady's Chapel in 1897. Following Herr Gerlach, Signor Zelman was appointed organist in 1890 and Miss Boxham in 1898.

In 1989 the organ was moved to its present position.

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