In March 1995 the Friends began as guides for the many hundreds of tourists and school groups who weekly visit St. Patrick's.

In May 1996, a constitution for the formal inauguration of The Friends of St Patrick's Cathedral was adopted at a general meeting at the Diocesan Centre. The constitution was signed by the then Archbishop of Melbourne, Sir Frank Little, and the then Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Very Reverend W.J. McCarthy. A committee was then elected and Mrs Kathleen McCarthy became the first President of the Friends.

Friends Today

Specifically the Friends undertake:

• to welcome visitors to the Cathedral and to assist in developing an appreciation of the Cathedral as a place of worship and its significance in the City of Melbourne.
• to assist in ways suggested by the Dean with the maintenance and improvement of the fabric of the building and its furnishings.
• to provide opportunities for guided tours of the Cathedral when necessary and as from 2009  these opportunities will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am - 12:00pm.
• to be available to assist the Dean and the clergy of the Cathedral in other ways from time to time.

While many Friends volunteer to act as guides in the Cathedral there is no obligation to do so. Intending Cathedral guides must complete an in­service program which includes:

• lectures on the history of colonial Victoria
• the history of St Patrick's Cathedral and its special features
• W.W. Wardell and the Gothic Revival
• guiding techniques.

For the benefit of Friends an ongoing program of occasional lectures and tours to places of architectural and ecclesiastical interest is available, along with a leading library of books and videos on architectural, historical and religious subjects.

 To become a Member of the Friends of St Patrick's Cathedral, please complete this application form and forward with your subscription.