St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, Goa
The first parent of the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, was a little chapel dedicated to St. Catherine. It was built in 1510 and enlarged in 1511. A year later, a new church began to be built and was completed in 1531. When Goa became a diocese in 1533. The church of St. Catherine was raised to the rank of cathedral. By virtue of the Papal Bull ‘Etsi Sancta’ of 1558, it was elevated to the status of a metropolitan archiepiscopal see. The present St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, building was completed only in 1631.The dedication of the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, took place on February 6. 1898. The St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, is said to be the largest Christian house of worship in the East.
Other Historical Churches.
1.) Our Lady of the Rosary: first a chapel (1526), then a parish church (1543), finally reverted to a chapel (1868). The structure is still standing.
2.) The church of Our Lady of Light: parish church, ruined in 1831.
3.) The Holy Trinity church: parish church, built in the 16th century and ruined in the 18th century.
4.) The church of St. Thomas parish church built in 1570 and fallen into ruin in the 19th century.
5.) The church of St. Alex parish church built in 1610 and fallen down in 1778.
6.) The church of St. Lucy: parish church built in 1541, gave way in 1873.
7.) The church of St. Joseph: parish church ruined in the last century.
8.) St. Peter’s Church built in 1543, still functioning as a parish church (sao Pedro Parish)
9.) Our Lady of Mercy (Misericordia): attached to a hospice. No Vestiges left.
10.) Our Lady of Serra: attached to a hospice. No traces left.
11.) St Mary Magdalene: attached to a hospice. No traces left.
12.) St Dominic: Built in 1564 by the Dominicans and annexed to their convent and seminary. Abandoned two decades later.
13.) Church of the Holy Spirit: Built in 1661 by the Franciscans and annexed to their convent. Still standing. The premises of the convent are converted into a museum, managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.
14.) The church of St. Bonaventure: attached to the college of the same title. Built by the Franciscans in 1602, it fell into ruin in 1870.
15.) The church of St. Paul: built in 1523 by the Jesuits and attached to their college of St. Paul, the first university of the east. Only the main doorway is left.
16.) The Basilica of Bom Jesus: Built in 1605. It was declared Basiilca by the Apostolic Brief ‘Priscam Goae Civitatem’ of 20.3.1946. The relics of St Francis Xavier are kept there. Attached to the Basilica is the ‘Casa Professa’ of the Jesuits, completed in 1585.
17.) The church of St. Thomas Aquinas: built in 1594 by the Dominicans and ruined in 1835.
18.) The church of Our Lady of Grace built before 1597 and annexed to a magnificent Augustinian complex. It was abandoned in 1835, when the religious orders were suppressed in Goa. Among the extant ruins, the tower of St. Augustine is the most imposing structure.
19.) The church of Our Lady of the People: part of the Augustinian complex. Abandoned in 1835.
20.) The church of Our Lady of the Divine Providence: built in 1651 by the Theatines and annexed to their Convent of St. Cajetan, which now houses the Pastoral Institute St. Pius X.
21.) The church and the convent of St. John of God; founded in the beginning of the 18th century by the brothers of St. John of God. The convent premises are now converted into a home for the aged.
22.) The church of St. Mary: built in 1627 and attached to the ‘Royal Monastery of Santa Monica’, of the Cloistered Augustinian Sisters. The Monastery is occupied, since 1964, by the Institute Mater Dei, an academy of Theology for Religious Sisters, run by the Conference of Religious of India.
23.) The Church of the Cross of Miracles; built in 1619, abandoned in 1835 due to the suppression of the religious orders in Goa. The Oratorians – including Blessed Joseph Vaz, the patron of this Archdiocese – lived in the annexed monastery.
24.) The church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: built in 1612 by the Carmelites and abandoned in 1835 due to the suppression of religious orders in Goa.
25.) The church of the Mother of God: built by the Franciscans Capuchos in 1569 and demolished in 1873.
Besides the above churches, some historical Chapels stand to this day:
1.) St. Catherine Chapel, Old Goa, Goa
2.) St Anthony Chapel, Old Goa, Goa
3.) Our Lady of the Mount Chapel, Old Goa, Goa
4.) St Francis Xavier Chapel, Old Goa, Goa
Religious Orders based in the Parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, Goa
Society of Jesus (SJ) based at Light House Retreat Centre, Old Goa, Goa.
Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FHIC) based at Convent of St John of God, Kadamba Road, Old Goa, Goa.
Handmaids of Christ (HC) based at Handmaids of Christ Convent, Old Goa, Goa.
Franciscan Missionaries of Christ the King (FMCK) based at Portiuncula, Our Lady of the Angels, Ela, Old Goa, Goa.
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth (SFN) based at Kadamba Road, Old Goa, Goa.
Association of the Apostolate of the Holy Family (AAHF) based at Pastoral Institute of St Pius X, Old Goa, Goa
Educational Institutions based in the Parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, Goa
Pastoral Institute of St. Pius x
Institute Mater Dei
SFX training centre for the handicapped, Old Goa Run by (Caritas Goa)
Novitiate and Juniorate
Novitiate house
Portiuncula, juniorate house
Social Welfare Institutions based in the parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, Goa
Home for the Aged, St John of God Home, Old Goa, run by FHIC
Our Lady of Necessities Dispensary, Old Goa, Goa
Light House Retreat Centre, Old Goa, Goa run by (SJ).
St Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre, Old Goa, Goa.
The following Churches and Institutes are based in the Parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, Goa
Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, Goa.
Cruz Dos Milagres Church, Old Goa, Goa
St Cajetan Church, Old Goa, Goa
Pastoral Institute St Pius X, Old Goa, Goa
St Francis Xavier Training Centre for the Differently Abled. Old Goa, Goa.
Museum of Christian Art, Annexe, Convent of Santa Monica, Old Goa, Goa.
Kristu kala Mandir, Art Gallery, Se Cathedral, Old Goa, Goa.
The Number of Catholics in the Parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, Goa is 800.
The feast of the St Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa is celebrated on 25 May eyery year.
The Address of the Old Goa Church is St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, Old Goa, Goa 403402.