In 1792, the St. George’s community began the construction of its first permanent home, a wooden building with a tower across from Kingston Market Square (now Springer Market Square). A new stone church was built at the present location on King Street East at Johnson Street between 1825–1828. The building has been significantly enlarged and embellished over the years, including the 1891 addition of the distinctive dome, a neoclassical landmark on the downtown Kingston skyline.
In 1899 the church’s interior was gutted by fire but rebuilt in short order to replicate the original plan.
St. George’s doors are open, we welcome all. When visitors walk through the main doors into an airy building, their eyes are drawn up the soaring columns to the central dome with its soft blue hue and the striking stained glass of St. George’s cross marking the crown. All around are stained glass windows telling stories of faith and service. Sitting in the worn wooden pews and gazing at the altars and the holy vessels, lectern and pulpit, we are reminded of our long-held faith traditions but more importantly, the continuing call to serve God in this world. The processional banners hanging about the Cathedral are symbolic of our ongoing faith journey. Centrally located in this physical place of worship, liturgy, music, teaching and community are the cathedra, the seat of the Bishop’s teaching authority, and the chair of the Dean, St. George’s faith leader.
Fr. Doug was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He received his Bachelor of Theology (Honours) from Rhodes University (Grahamstown) and his Master of Applied Ethics (University of the Witwatersrand). He was ordained as Deacon in 1999 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Johannesburg and was ordained to the priesthood in 2000.
After serving in churches of the Diocese of Grahamstown and the Diocese of Johannesburg, he moved to the Diocese of Toronto in 2013. He has been Incumbent of the Parish of All Saints’, Collingwood, Ontario since 2013. Doug has served on the Diocese of Toronto Executive Board and as the Regional Dean of Nottawasaga. He is committed to a ministry of teaching, pastoral care, outreach, and social justice.
Doug is multilingual and enjoys reading, golf, skiing, kayaking and photography. He and his wife Vanessa are parents to Rebecca and Jason. He began at the Cathedral on August 15, 2022.