Cathedral of St. Joseph (St. Joseph, Missouri)
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of St. Joseph is a Catholic cathedral
in St. Joseph, Missouri, United States
. Along with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
in Kansas City, Missouri
it is the seat of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
. The Cathedral Church, rectory
and convent
are all contributing properties
to the Cathedral Hill Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places
. The school building and the auditorium do not contribute to the historical nature of the district.
in 1826. The Rev. Pierre-Jean De Smet
, SJ
was the first priest to visit the area in 1838 and met with Robidoux and expressed his desire to establish a chapel in his settlement. The first Mass in the settlement was said by another Jesuit missionary the same year in Robidoux’s log house. The Jesuits continued to visit the area between 1838 and 1845. Robidoux platted the town of St. Joseph in 1843.
The Rev. Thomas Scanlan arrived in St. Joseph of October 15, 1845 and began plans to build a church. He had a 40 by 20 foot brick church built on the northeast corner of Fifth and Felix Streets. Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick
of St. Louis
dedicated the church on June 17, 1847, which was named St. Joseph’s Church. The parish had 20 families at the time. Father Scanlan died in 1860 and he was replaced by the Rev. John Hennessy
who served the parish until he was named Bishop of Dubuque
. He became Dubuque’s first archbishop in 1893.
established the Diocese of St. Joseph
. St. Joseph’s Church became the new diocese’s cathedral. Bishop John J. Hogan
bought property at the corner of Tenth and Isadore Streets to build the present cathedral. The cornerstone
was laid on September 12, 1869. The construction of the cathedral was slow due to continuing budget shortfalls. Several prominent parishioners who were connected with the St. Joseph Improvement Company sponsored a raffle of real estate in the cathedral neighborhood. It involved 60 lots that were valued at $200 to $500. Tickets were offered at $3 each. Ticket sales were slower than expected and the drawing was delayed from November 22, 1870 to April 10, 1871. The cathedral was not finished according to its original designs. When the first Mass was celebrated on March 17, 1871 the interior had yet to be plastered and the stained glass windows were not installed. The building project continued to 1883. The financial panic of 1872 may have contributed to the slow pace of construction. The old church was eventually torn down and the property was sold and the money put toward building the new cathedral.
The Rev. Ignatius Conrad, O.S.B became the pastor in 1876 and served the parish until he was named the Abbot
of Subiaco Abbey
in Subiaco, Arkansas
. The rectory
was built in 1893 when the Rev. Andrew Newman was pastor. The parish’s priest up to this time had lived in an apartment in the church. The rectory was also used as the chancery
for the diocese.
Bishop Maurice F. Burke
oversaw the renovation of the cathedral in 1900. The two towers were built as was a portico entrance according to the original plans.
In 1924 the Rev. Leo Ruggle came to the cathedral as associate pastor. He as the diocesan chancellor
from 1926–1936, served as the pastor from 1937–1964 and then became pastor-emeritus until his death in 1984. He was the Diocesan Administrator from 1961-1962. A year before he died the renovated church basement was named in his honor.
On August 29, 1956 Pope Pius XII
merged the western part of the Diocese of St. Joseph with the Diocese of Kansas City to form the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. The rest of the St. Joseph Diocese became part of the newly established Diocese of Jefferson City
. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City was the named the cathedral of the merged diocese and St. Joseph’s was named the co-cathedral.
The Cathedral of St. Joseph was renovated from 1969-1970 following the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
. Other renovations were completed in 1981 and 1995. A food pantry was opened by the parish in the 1980s.
came to St. Joseph and opened schools. The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul came to St. Joseph in 1869 and operated a school and a hospital. From 1891 to the 1980s they operated St. Joseph’s Hospital.
St. Joseph’s first parochial school was opened by the Religious of the Sacred Heart in 1901. They were replaced by the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. St. Scholastica in 1920. Christian Brothers High School, now Bode Middle School, was built during the episcopate of Bishop Francis Gilfillan
. The school building was renovated in 1954 and a combination gymnasium and auditorium was built in 1958. It was named in honor of Msgr. Charles Nowland. Pre-school was added in 1981. By the late 1980s the faculty was composed of all lay people. The convent was turned into a day care center and now houses the Cathedral Early Childhood Center.
. It features a transept
, two corner towers on the main façade
with pyramid
ial roofs. The narthex
on the front was added in 1956 and it features three entrance doors. The rectory is a three–story brick structure. “The facade features three-story, projecting box bay and side, two-story, projecting polygonal bays.” The L-shaped porch is supported by Romanesque-style columns. The auditorium features Art Deco
elements on its design from the 1950s. The convent is influenced by the Colonial Revival style. It features a hipped roof
and an entrance portico with Doric columns and capitals. The school building is similar in style with the convent. It is a two-story brick building that at one time had a third floor that has since been removed.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in St. Joseph, Missouri, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Along with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Kansas City, Missouri)
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph it is the seat of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. It is a contributing property in the Quality Hill neighborhood, which is listed on the...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
it is the seat of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on September 10, 1880, as the Diocese of Kansas City, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. ...
. The Cathedral Church, rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
and convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
are all contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
to the Cathedral Hill Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The school building and the auditorium do not contribute to the historical nature of the district.
St. Joseph Parish
The area that is now the city of St. Joseph was settled by Joseph RobidouxJoseph Robidoux
Joseph Robidoux III established the Blacksnake Hills Trading Post that eventually became St. Joseph, Missouri.-Biography:...
in 1826. The Rev. Pierre-Jean De Smet
Pierre-Jean De Smet
Pierre-Jean De Smet , also known as Pieter-Jan De Smet, was a Belgian Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus , active in missionary work among the Native Americans of the Midwestern United States in the mid-19th century.His extensive travels as a missionary were said to total...
, SJ
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
was the first priest to visit the area in 1838 and met with Robidoux and expressed his desire to establish a chapel in his settlement. The first Mass in the settlement was said by another Jesuit missionary the same year in Robidoux’s log house. The Jesuits continued to visit the area between 1838 and 1845. Robidoux platted the town of St. Joseph in 1843.
The Rev. Thomas Scanlan arrived in St. Joseph of October 15, 1845 and began plans to build a church. He had a 40 by 20 foot brick church built on the northeast corner of Fifth and Felix Streets. Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick
Peter Richard Kenrick
Peter Richard Kenrick was the first Catholic archbishop west of the Mississippi River.-Early life and ordination:He was born and educated in Dublin, Ireland and ordained to the priesthood in 1832...
of St. Louis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis
The Archdiocese of St. Louis is the Roman Catholic archdiocese that covers the City of St. Louis as well as the following Missouri counties: Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Perry, Saint Charles, Saint Francois, Ste. Genevieve, St...
dedicated the church on June 17, 1847, which was named St. Joseph’s Church. The parish had 20 families at the time. Father Scanlan died in 1860 and he was replaced by the Rev. John Hennessy
John Hennessy (Archbishop)
-External links:**...
who served the parish until he was named Bishop of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
. He became Dubuque’s first archbishop in 1893.
Cathedral of St. Joseph
On September 1868 Pope Pius IXPope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
established the Diocese of St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Joseph was an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern part of the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on March 3, 1868, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. Its first bishop was...
. St. Joseph’s Church became the new diocese’s cathedral. Bishop John J. Hogan
John Joseph Hogan
Bishop John Joseph Hogan was a Catholic priest and missionary in Missouri in the American Civil War era. He was the first Bishop of the Dioceses of Saint Joseph, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri.-History:...
bought property at the corner of Tenth and Isadore Streets to build the present cathedral. The cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was laid on September 12, 1869. The construction of the cathedral was slow due to continuing budget shortfalls. Several prominent parishioners who were connected with the St. Joseph Improvement Company sponsored a raffle of real estate in the cathedral neighborhood. It involved 60 lots that were valued at $200 to $500. Tickets were offered at $3 each. Ticket sales were slower than expected and the drawing was delayed from November 22, 1870 to April 10, 1871. The cathedral was not finished according to its original designs. When the first Mass was celebrated on March 17, 1871 the interior had yet to be plastered and the stained glass windows were not installed. The building project continued to 1883. The financial panic of 1872 may have contributed to the slow pace of construction. The old church was eventually torn down and the property was sold and the money put toward building the new cathedral.
The Rev. Ignatius Conrad, O.S.B became the pastor in 1876 and served the parish until he was named the Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Subiaco Abbey
Subiaco Abbey and Academy
Subiaco Abbey is a Benedictine monastery located in Logan County, Arkansas, United States, in the Arkansas River valley. Subiaco Abbey and its associated academy are major features of the town of Subiaco, Arkansas. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock. It is named after...
in Subiaco, Arkansas
Subiaco, Arkansas
Subiaco is a town in Logan County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 439 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Subiaco in the Lazio region of Italy...
. The rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
was built in 1893 when the Rev. Andrew Newman was pastor. The parish’s priest up to this time had lived in an apartment in the church. The rectory was also used as the chancery
Chancery
Chancery may refer to:* Chancery , the building that houses a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy* Chancery , a medieval writing office* Chancery , in Ceredigion, Wales...
for the diocese.
Bishop Maurice F. Burke
Maurice Francis Burke
Maurice Francis Burke was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cheyenne and Bishop of Saint Joseph .-Biography:...
oversaw the renovation of the cathedral in 1900. The two towers were built as was a portico entrance according to the original plans.
In 1924 the Rev. Leo Ruggle came to the cathedral as associate pastor. He as the diocesan chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
from 1926–1936, served as the pastor from 1937–1964 and then became pastor-emeritus until his death in 1984. He was the Diocesan Administrator from 1961-1962. A year before he died the renovated church basement was named in his honor.
On August 29, 1956 Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
merged the western part of the Diocese of St. Joseph with the Diocese of Kansas City to form the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. The rest of the St. Joseph Diocese became part of the newly established Diocese of Jefferson City
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on July 2, 1956 from territory taken from the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the Diocese of Kansas City, and the Diocese of Saint...
. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City was the named the cathedral of the merged diocese and St. Joseph’s was named the co-cathedral.
The Cathedral of St. Joseph was renovated from 1969-1970 following the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. Other renovations were completed in 1981 and 1995. A food pantry was opened by the parish in the 1980s.
Catholic Schools
In the 1850s Religious of the Sacred Heart and the Christian BrothersChristian Brothers
Christian Brothers may refer to:* Congregation of Christian Brothers, a Catholic lay order founded at Waterford, Ireland in 1802 by the Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice...
came to St. Joseph and opened schools. The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul came to St. Joseph in 1869 and operated a school and a hospital. From 1891 to the 1980s they operated St. Joseph’s Hospital.
St. Joseph’s first parochial school was opened by the Religious of the Sacred Heart in 1901. They were replaced by the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. St. Scholastica in 1920. Christian Brothers High School, now Bode Middle School, was built during the episcopate of Bishop Francis Gilfillan
Francis Gilfillan
Francis Gilfillan was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of St. Joseph from 1923 until his death in 1933.-Biography:...
. The school building was renovated in 1954 and a combination gymnasium and auditorium was built in 1958. It was named in honor of Msgr. Charles Nowland. Pre-school was added in 1981. By the late 1980s the faculty was composed of all lay people. The convent was turned into a day care center and now houses the Cathedral Early Childhood Center.
Architecture
The Cathedral is a brick masonry building designed in the Romanesque Revival style by Patrick F. Meagher. He would later design the Buchanan County CourthouseBuchanan County Courthouse (St. Joseph, Missouri)
Buchanan County Courthouse in St. Joseph, Missouri was built in 1873. It was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Buchanan County Courthouse and Jail in 1972. Its boundaries were decreased in an amendment in 1978 and the NRHP listing was renamed as "Buchanan County...
. It features a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
, two corner towers on the main façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
with pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
ial roofs. The narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
on the front was added in 1956 and it features three entrance doors. The rectory is a three–story brick structure. “The facade features three-story, projecting box bay and side, two-story, projecting polygonal bays.” The L-shaped porch is supported by Romanesque-style columns. The auditorium features Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
elements on its design from the 1950s. The convent is influenced by the Colonial Revival style. It features a hipped roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
and an entrance portico with Doric columns and capitals. The school building is similar in style with the convent. It is a two-story brick building that at one time had a third floor that has since been removed.
Pastors/ Rectors
The following priests have served as pastors of St. Joseph’s parish and after 1868 as the cathedral rector:- Rev. Thomas Scanlan (1845–1860)
- Rev. John HennessyJohn Hennessy (Archbishop)-External links:**...
(1860–1866) - Rev. James Doherty (1866–1868)
- Bishop John J. HoganJohn Joseph HoganBishop John Joseph Hogan was a Catholic priest and missionary in Missouri in the American Civil War era. He was the first Bishop of the Dioceses of Saint Joseph, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri.-History:...
(1868–1876) - Rev. Ignatius Conrad, O.S.B. (1876–1892)
- Rev. Andrew Newman (1892–1893)
- Bishop M. F. BurkeMaurice Francis BurkeMaurice Francis Burke was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cheyenne and Bishop of Saint Joseph .-Biography:...
(1893–1913) - Rev. John J. O’Neill (1913–1923)
- Rev. Maurice F. Connor (1923–1926)
- Rev. Charles F. Buddy (1926–1937)
- Msgr. Leo J. Ruggle (1937–1964)
- Msgr. Charles S. Nowland (1964–1973)
- Msgr. Robert J. Hogan (1973–1979)
- Rev. Gerald R. Waris (1979–1986)
- Rev. Patrick Tobin (1986–1988)
- Rev. Thomas J. D. Hawkins (1988–1995)
- Rev. Wayne L. Walter (1995–1996)
- Msgr. Richard M. Dierkes (1996–2008)
- Rev. Joseph B. Powers (2008–Present)