 The cathedral has had a close association with Catholic worship since its construction, and as the only Cathedral in Cairns (as the seat of the Anglican Bishops is the Diocese of North Queensland centred in Townsville) St Monica's War Memorial Cathedral has performed an important role as a venue for major religious and civic functions.The dedication of the cathedral as a war memorial enabled donations to the building fund to be tax deductible.The introduction of the scheme of "planned giving" in St Monica's parish in 1958 enabled the parish to plan ahead financially and borrow funds accordingly for particular projects.