 St Monica's War Memorial Cathedral follows the basic form of the original basilica model of the early churches of the Roman Latin Rite.Bishop Cahill requested the architect to design the cathedral with arches as a major design element; however, Ian Ferrier has said that he found it a challenge to reconcile the use of arches whilst designing in the modernist idiom.He developed a system of reinforced concrete arches along either side of the cathedral, which house leadlight windows surmounting doors to side verandahs.