Province of hartford

Here is the second post of my blog.  There will be a new feature suggested by a reader.  I will compare current Provincial statistics to those of 2000.  My source for this is the Catholic Almanac, an annual publication of Our Sunday Visitor.  It is a good source for many things Catholic.  Since I did not do this for the Province of Omaha, here is the comparison.  Nebraska has the same number of Catholics in 2016--372,000--as in 2000.  But the percentage went from 22 percent in 2000 to 20 percent in 2016.  For the United States, the number of Catholics increased by almost 9 million between 2000 and 2016, but the percentage remained at slightly over 21 percent.

This is the second blog post.  I will try to make 2-3 posts per month.  There are 30+ provinces, so you can do the math.

Pope Pius XII established the Province of Hartford in 1953.  The Province consists of the Archdiocese of Hartford and three dioceses in the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island.  The Province has 1.8 million Catholics, 40 percent of the total population—the second highest percentage of any of the 32 provinces in the United States.  In 2000, the Province had 2.0 million Catholics, 46 percent of the total population.

Map of the Province

Connecticut

Catholic History of Connecticut

Several English settlements, including Windsor, Hartford, Saybrook, Wethersfield, and New Haven, were established in what is now Connecticut in the 1630s.  Almost all of the white residents of Connecticut were English Puritans (later referred to as Congregationalists) up until the 1840s when Irish immigrants came in great numbers.  In 1639 the people of Connecticut adopted the first written constitution in history—the “Fundamental Orders."  This document was considered progressive at the time as citizens were provided a great deal of autonomy from the King of England.  Nevertheless, under this constitution, Congregationalism was the established church supported by tax dollars.  This remained true until the Constitution was rewritten in 1818.

By the early 1830s, there were enough Catholics, about 700, to support churches in Hartford (Holy Trinity) and New Haven (St. Mary).  Pope Gregory XVI created the Diocese of Hartford in 1843, consisting of Connecticut and Rhode Island.  At that time, Catholics numbered about 10,000 in the new diocese, about equally divided between the two states.  They were served by only 6 priests.  In the second half of the 19^th Century, Irish, Germans, French Canadians, Poles, and Italians, came to Connecticut cities to work in manufacturing jobs.  By 1908, the Catholic population of Connecticut was almost 400,000.   

Further growth in Connecticut—the Hartford diocese had the second largest Catholic population of all U.S. dioceses—led Pope Pius XII to create the Province of Hartford in 1953, comprising the Archdiocese of Hartford, the Diocese of Providence, and the newly created Dioceses of Bridgeport and Norwich in Connecticut.

Archdiocese of Hartford

The Archdiocese of Hartford consists of 3 counties (Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven) in central Connecticut. The archdiocese has 553,000 Catholics (28 percent of the total population) in 213 parishes.

Bishops of Hartford

William Tyler (1806-1849), first Bishop of Hartford (1844-1849). 

• Born in Maryland, converted to Catholicism, and ordained a priest in 1829 for the Diocese of Boston.

William Tyler was consecrated bishop in Hartford, but chose to live in Providence, Rhode Island—his Diocese consisted of all Connecticut and Rhode Island.  Of the 10,000 Catholics in his diocese, only 600 lived in Hartford, versus 2,000 in Providence.  Bishop Tyler, with financial help from the Vatican, expanded the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence.  He was an active pastor for the Cathedral parish—starting a school, providing food and money to the poor, and encouraging temperance.  He led a poor diocese and struggled to find sufficient funds to carry out the Church’s mission.  He often visited the poor and sick and he recruited priests from Ireland to serve in the Diocese.  He died in 1849 of rheumatic fever.

Bernard O’Reilly (1803-1856), Bishop of Hartford (1850-1856). 

• Born in Ireland and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of New York in 1831.

Like his predecessor, Bishop O’Reilly took up residence in Province.  There were about 45,000 Catholics in the Diocese in 1850, served by only a dozen priests and a similar number of parishes.  O’Reilly recruited priests from Ireland and was able to expand the number of churches in the Diocese to 34 during his six year tenure as Bishop.  He also invited the Irish Mercy Sisters to teach in Providence’s Catholic schools.  The growing numbers of Irish in Providence concerned the anti-Catholic Know-Nothing Party.  Two thousand men and boys gathered near the Mercy Sisters’ convent in 1855.  Bishop O'Reilly and Mayor Edward Knowles of Providence met with the crowd, who eventually dispersed peacefully.  O’Reilly wrote newspaper articles defending Catholicism.  Bishop O’Reilly went to Ireland in 1855 to recruit priests.  Returning early the next year, his steamship sank in the Irish Sea, with no survivors.

Francis P. MacFarland (1819-1874), Bishop of Hartford (1858-1874). 

• Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a priest for the Diocese of New York in 1845.

MacFarland was named Bishop of Hartford in 1858, after declining the appointment as Vicar Apostolic of Florida the previous year.  Bishop MacFarland also lived in Providence, at least initially.  MacFarland made frequent pastoral visits to all the parishes in the Diocese and spoke frequently with Protestant groups which dampened anti-Catholicism.  The Civil War led to the growth in manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and Rhode Island and brought Irish, French-Canadian, and German immigrants to work in the factories and mills.  This led to the need for more churches, which Bishop MacFarland built and staffed with new priests—he ordained 34 priests between 1867 and 1871.  He established the first national church (one specifically for an immigrant group) in 1868—St. Boniface for the Germans in New Haven.  This growth also led to the establishment of a separate diocese for Rhode Island—the Diocese of Providence—in 1872.  This left the Diocese of Hartford with 140,000 Catholics in 76 parishes served by 77 priests.  Bishop MacFarland moved to Hartford and began the efforts that led to the construction of the first Cathedral of St. Joseph prior to his death in 1874.  He left many writings and theological books to the Diocese upon his death.

Thomas Galberry, O.S.A. (1833-1878), Bishop of Hartford (1876-1878). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained an Augustinian priest in 1856.
• Also served as first U.S. provincial of the Augustinians (1874-1876).

Bishop Galberry initially declined Pope Pius IX’s appointment, but then accepted under obedience to the Pope.  Bishop Galberry initiated construction of the first Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford in 1877, established other parishes, and established a diocesan newspaper.  He discouraged Catholic ethnicity in favor of an American identity.  Not in good health, he died of a hemorrhage in 1878 on his way to Villanova University, where he had once served as president and where he hoped to recover his health.

Lawrence S. McMahon (1835-1893), Bishop of Hartford (1879-1893). 

• Born in Canada, grew up in Massachusetts, and ordained a priest for Diocese of Boston in 1860.

Bishop McMahon served as a chaplain during the Civil War.  As Bishop, McMahon established 48 new parishes—including national parishes for Poles, Lithuanians, Italians, and French-Canadians—and many new schools.  He was also responsible for completing the construction of the first Cathedral of St. Joseph—including the collection of more than $500,000 to pay for it.  While McMahon served as Bishop, Father Michael McGivney organized a group of Catholic men in New Haven in 1882, who became the first Knights of Columbus.  These first Knights were mostly Irish, but Bishop McMahon ensured that the Knights were open to all Catholic men.  Bishop McMahon died in 1893.

Michael Tierney (1839-1908), Bishop of Hartford (1894-1908). 

• Born in Ireland and, grew up in Norwalk, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford in 1866.

Bishop Tierney was the first priest from the Diocese of Hartford to become Bishop of Hartford.  As Bishop, Tierney established St. Thomas Seminary, a home for the aged, an industrial school, and five hospitals, as well as many new parishes and schools.  He tried to visit every parish in the diocese at least once a year, supported labor unions and temperance, and embraced Catholic ethnicity.  He ordered a standardized school curriculum, improved teacher training, and established a missionary group to hold retreats for Catholics and non-Catholics.   He died in 1908.  During his tenure, the number of Diocesan Catholics increased from 250,000 to 395,000, the number of parishes from 98 to 167, and the number of schools from 48 to 80.

John J. Nilan (1855-1934), Bishop of Hartford (1910-1934). 

• Born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and ordained in 1878 for Archdiocese of Boston.

Bishop Nilan established almost 70 new parishes to serve Connecticut’s growing and ethnically diverse Catholic population.  He also established Albertus Magnus College in New Haven and St. Joseph College in West Hartford.  He died in 1934.

Maurice F. McAuliffe (1875-1944), Bishop of Hartford (1934-1944). 

• Born in Hartford and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford in 1900.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Hartford (1923-1934).

Bishop McAuliffe built new parishes (needed because of new workers at defense plants), new schools (including three colleges), and new hospitals, including an infant and maternity hospital.  He promoted family life through groups such as the Legion of Decency and the Catholic Youth Organization.  He also improved charitable services and services for Catholic workers (including a home for unemployed men) and Catholic minority groups (including two centers for African-Americans).  He supported the establishment of the Jesuit-run Fairfield University, which opened one year after his death in 1944.

Archbishops of Hartford

Henry J. O’Brien (1896-1976), Bishop of Hartford (1945-1953) and first Archbishop of Hartford (1953-1968). 

• Born in New Haven and ordained a priest in 1923 for the Diocese of Hartford.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Hartford (1940-1945).

Like Bishop McAuliffe, O’Brien had previously served as rector of St. Thomas Seminary and as auxiliary bishop of Hartford.  The population boom in the years following the Second World War led to the establishment of 45 new parishes by Bishop O’Brien.  Connecticut was split into the Archdiocese of Hartford and the Dioceses of Bridgeport and Norwich in 1953.  O’Brien became the first Archbishop of Hartford at that time and led an Archdiocese that had 750,000 Catholics in 279 parishes served by 927 priests.  O’Brien dedicated the new Cathedral of St. Joseph in 1962 as a replacement for the building that burned in 1956 and he began implementation of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, which he attended.  Archbishop O’Brien promoted racial equality, condemned racial segregation, and established Spanish-language programs for his priests.   He resigned in 1968.

John F. Whealon (1921-1991), Archbishop of Hartford (1968-1991). 

• Born in Ohio and ordained a priest in 1945 for the Diocese of Cleveland.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Cleveland (1961-1966) and Bishop of Erie, Pennsylvania (1966-1968).

Archbishop Whealon continued the implementation of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council and improved programs for the underprivileged.  He established the fifth U.S. permanent diaconate program and appointed women as Church administrators.  He communicated with Catholics through a weekly column in the Archdiocesan newspaper and through a daily radio program.  He was noted as a scripture scholar and taught each week at Holy Apostles Seminary.  Whealon strongly opposed abortion and was also one of the first U.S. bishops to establish an AIDS ministry.  Whealon was also active in ecumenical groups. Archbishop Whealon died in 1991 while undergoing surgery.

Daniel A. Cronin (1927-    ), Archbishop of Hartford (1991-2003). 

• Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston in 1952.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Boston (1968-1970) and Bishop of Fall River, Massachusetts (1970-1991).

Shortly after taking office, Archbishop Cronin chaired an Archdiocesan Synod of priests, religious, and laity in 1996, to make recommendations to improve all aspects of the Archdiocese.  He established ministries for Hispanics and African-Americans.    Archbishop Cronin retired in 2003.

Henry J. Mansell (1937-    ), Archbishop of Hartford, (2003-2013). 

• Born in New York City and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York in 1962.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of New York (1992-1995) and Bishop of Buffalo, New York (1995-2003).

Archbishop Mansell helped initiate the Malta House of Care mobile clinic to provide free healthcare to the uninsured and in 2009, he opened Cathedral Green, an affordable housing development in the former Cathedral school.  Mansell also started a tuition assistance program for parochial school students and a financial assistance program for parishioners struggling with the costs of healthcare, food, clothing, housing, or other essential needs. He established an institute for Hispanic families.  Mansell began a wellness program for Archdiocesan priests and built a home for retired priests, which opened in 2007.  Mansell agreed in 2005 that the Archdiocese would pay $22 million to settle sexual abuse claims from the previous 30 to 40 years brought by 43 people against 14 priests.  Mansell also led opposition to a 2009 bill in the Connecticut legislature that would place Catholic dioceses under lay control rather than under the control of a bishop.  [This is something you would expect in the 19^th Century, not in 2009.  Unfortunately, the bill was introduced by misguided Catholics.]

Current Archbishop

Leonard P. Blair was appointed Archbishop of Hartford by Pope Francis in 2013.  He was born in Detroit in 1949 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1976.  He previously served as a Roman Curia official, auxiliary bishop of Detroit (1999-2003), and Bishop of Toledo, Ohio (2003-2013).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Joseph
140 Farmington Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut  06105

The Cathedral is named for St. Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Jesus.  He was a carpenter and taught this trade to Jesus.  Devotion to St. Joseph dates to the early days of Christianity in the Eastern churches, but only in the last 500 or so years has Joseph gained his deserved respect in Western Christendom.  He is the patron saint of many countries, as well as being the patron saint of workers and fathers.  He is also known as the patron of a happy death, since he presumably died in the presence of Jesus, the Son of God, and Mary, the Mother of God.  His feast day is March 19.  A statue of St. Joseph stands over the front doors of the Cathedral.

O Blessed Saint Joseph, faithful guardian and protector of virgins, to whom God entrusted Jesus and Mary, I implore you by the love which you did bear them, to preserve me from every defilement of soul and body that I may always serve them in holiness and purity of love. Amen.

Even though the Diocese of Hartford was established in 1843, it was not until 1872, when Bishop  Francis MacFarland moved to Hartford from Providence, that much thought was given to establishing a cathedral in Hartford.  (Since the first three bishops resided in Providence, that city’s Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul served as the cathedral for the diocese.)  Bishop MacFarland purchased property on Farmington Avenue in Hartford 1872 intending to build a Cathedral, a residence for himself, and a convent for the Sisters of Mercy.  The convent was built first (in 1873) and construction of the Cathedral began in 1876.  St. Peter’s Church served as the pro-Cathedral during construction.  By 1881 the basement was completed and opened for worship.  Construction was completed in 1892.

The Cathedral was designed by Patrick C. Keely in an early Gothic design meant to resemble the Basilica of Notre Dame in Montreal.  It was constructed with brown stone and featured two towers at the front of the Cathedral.  The Cathedral had a seating capacity of 2,000.  This magnificent building caught fire on the last day of 1956 and burned beyond repair.

Plans for a new cathedral were quickly underway.  During construction of the new cathedral, the Church of St. Lawrence O’Toole, in Hartford, served as the pro-cathedral for the Archdiocese.  Cathedral parishioners during this time worshiped first in the State Armory and later in the auditorium of the Aetna Life Insurance Company building.  The current Cathedral of St. Joseph was built on the site of the old cathedral and was dedicated in 1962.

The Cathedral was designed by Eggers and Higgins of New York in a modern design with gothic and byzantine influences.  It is constructed with reinforced concrete and Alabama limestone.  The building measures 284 feet long and 156 feet wide and seats 1,750.  The bell tower houses 12 carillon bells and rises, with its cross, to 281 feet above the ground.  Entering the Cathedral, there are three bronze doors, sculpted by Enzo Assenza, with scenes representing the Church Triumphant (Center), the Church Militant (West) and The Church Suffering (East).  Above the entry doors is a travertine frieze of St. Joseph and other figures constructed by Tommaso Peccini.

Dividing the narthex from the nave is a clear glass screen etched by Giovanni Hajnal with scenes representing Christ’s kingdom in heaven and on earth.  Along the nave are 24 stained glass windows that show scenes of Jesus the Savior from the Gospel.  The windows measure 67 feet high by 13.5 feet wide and were designed by Jean Barillet of Paris.  Two other windows of the same size behind the altar contain symbols of the Sacraments.  Lower windows in the nave show the Old Testament prophets who prefigured Christ.  The Stations of the Cross were sculpted by Giovanni Hajnal in the limestone piers.  The Cathedral has eight chapels—most notably the Blessed Sacrament and Madonna chapels.  The Blessed Sacrament Chapel contains the Tabernacle and has nine windows designed by Pierre Millous that depict stories from the Gospels.  The Madonna chapel is dedicated to the Mother of Our Savior and the altar and windows depict themes from Mary’s life and her role in the Church.

A tripod baldachin over the main altar features the Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, and Michael as sculpted by Gleb Derujinsky.  The ceramic tile mural behind the main altar was designed by Enzo Assenza and depicts Our Savior in Glory from the Book of Revelation.  It measures 80 feet by 40 feet and is considered the largest ceramic mural in the world.  The four manual Austin pipe organ has over 8,000 pipes—the smallest being four inches and the largest over 30 feet. 

Additional information, including a tour, can be found on the Cathedral website cathedralofsaintjoseph.com.  Also see the Archdiocesan website at archdioceseofhartford.org.

The Cathedral is located just west of downtown Hartford.  It serves 500 families and has three weekend masses.

All pictures are from the Cathedral website, except the first, which is from wikipedia.

Also located in the Archdiocese is the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury.  The first Catholic church in Waterbury—St. Peter’s—was founded in 1847.  The parish was renamed for the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Mother in 1857.  The current Renaissance-style church building was completed in 1928.  The basilica features a gold-dome with a mosaic of the Virgin Mary and beautiful stained glass windows.  Pope Benedict XVI designated the church as a minor basilica in 2008. Basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.

Both pictures are from the Basilica's website.

Diocese of Bridgeport

The diocese consists of Fairfield County—the Diocese is one of three U.S. dioceses to consist of a single county.  The diocese has 434,000 Catholics (46 percent of the total population) in 82 parishes.

Bishops of Bridgeport

Lawrence J. Shehan (1898-1984), first Bishop of Bridgeport (1953-1961). 

• Born in Baltimore and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1922.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore and Washington (1945-1953) and Archbishop of Baltimore (1961-1974). 

Shehan set up an organizational structure for the new Diocese and convened a synod to standardize rules and practices.  He established 18 new parishes, 3 new high schools, and a home for the elderly.  Bishop Sheehan established ministries for Hispanic, Portuguese, and Brazilian immigrants, and promoted youth activities and vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  He was named Archbishop of Baltimore in 1961 and was named a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1965. 

Walter W. Curtis (1913-1997), Bishop of Bridgeport (1961-1988). 

• Born in New Jersey and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Newark in 1937.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Newark, New Jersey (1957-1961).

Bishop Curtis established new parishes and parish schools—he wanted every parish to have a school—and founded Sacred Heart University in Fairfield in 1963.  He also established two new high schools.  He attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented its decrees.  Curtis also improved diocesan health care services, ministries to Hispanic and Asian immigrants, and ministries to divorced and remarried Catholics.  He built two nursing homes and began a charitable foundation.  He retired in 1988.

Edward M Egan (1932-2015), Bishop of Bridgeport (1988-2000). 

• Born in Illinois and was ordained a priest in 1957 for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of New York (1985-1988) and Archbishop of New York (2000-2009). 

Bishop Egan worked to improve vocations to the priesthood by establishing a new seminary and also took steps to improve Catholic education, in part by funding schools on a regional basis.  Egan also built St. Catherine Academy to educate children with special needs.  He expanded the work of Catholic Charities so as to better serve AIDS patients, the elderly, inner-city schools, and retired priests.  He brought in priests from Columbia to serve the Diocese’s large Hispanic population and he built a home for retired priests.  He also better structured the Diocese’s funding and endowment programs.  He was appointed Archbishop of New York in 2000 and named a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.

William E. Lori (1951-    ), Bishop of Bridgeport (2001-2012). 

• Born in Kentucky and was ordained a priest in 1977 for the Archdiocese of Washington.
• Serves as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus (since 2005).
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Washington (1995-2001) and serves as Archbishop of Baltimore (since 2012).

Bishop Lori restructured the administration, funding, and curriculum for the Diocese’s Catholic schools to ensure quality for all schools and especially for inner-city schools. He promoted vocations and ordained dozens of new priests for the Diocese. He began a Lenten program in 2009 that promoted the Sacrament of Reconciliation that led many back to the Faith.  He invited several orders of religious women to serve in the Diocese and modernized the administrative and financial practices of parishes.  His 2006 "Following in the Footsteps of Christ," program promoted ways to spread the Gospel.  Bishop Lori took steps to prevent clergy sexual abuse in the Diocese by removing offenders and creating new policies.  He was a leader for the U.S. bishops on this issue as well as protecting religious liberties.  Bishop Lori was appointed Archbishop of Baltimore in 2012.

Current Bishop

Frank Caggiano was appointed Bishop of Bridgeport by Pope Francis in 2013.  He was born in Brooklyn in 1959 and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1987.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn (2006-2013).

The Cathedral

St. Augustine Cathedral
359 Washington Avenue
Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was born a Catholic in what is now Algeria, but in his late teens joined the Manichees, a heretical sect, and about the same time, fathered a son out of wedlock.  He eventually returned to the Church, influenced in part by St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan in what is now Italy.  Augustine went on to become one of the greatest theologians—he is their patron saint.  He was the author of “Confessions” and “City of God”—books that are still widely read.  He became Bishop of Hippo, in northern Africa, in 395, and was declared one of the four original Doctors of the Church in 1298.  His feast day is August 28.

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.  Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. (Prayer by St. Augustine)

The first parish in Bridgeport was established in 1842 as St. James parish.  This brick church was located at Arch Street and Washington Avenue.  The parish was renamed for St. Augustine and the current church building was constructed between 1866 and 1868.  St. Augustine’s became the Cathedral of the new Diocese of Bridgeport in 1953.  The church was designed by noted Catholic architect Patrick Charles Keely in the Gothic Revival style.  The church seats 750.

The limestone Cathedral has a single steeple and bell tower.  The Cathedral’s pipe organ is an Opus 124 made by the A. Thompson-Allen Company in 2014.  The existing organ has three manuals, and 42 ranks of pipework (almost 2,500 pipes), with a total of 54 speaking stops.  Some additional information can be found on the Cathedral website, thecathedralparish.org and the Diocesan website at bridgeportdiocese.com.

The Cathedral is located near downtown Bridgeport and is paired with St. Patrick’s parish.  Together these churches have eight weekend masses—including one in Spanish and one in Vietnamese.  Once a month there is a Mass said in Igbo-Nigerian.  The parish elementary school has over 200 students.

Both pictures are in the public domain.

There are two other notable churches in the Diocese, both in Stamford.  One is St. Vladimir Cathedral—the cathedral parish for the Ukrainian-rite Diocese of Stamford—one of four Ukrainian-rite dioceses in the United States.  The diocese ministers to 14,000 Ukrainian Catholics in 51 parishes in the State of New York and four New England states.  Ukrainian-rite and other Eastern-rite Catholic dioceses will be discussed later.

The other is the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist.  St. John’s was established as a parish in 1854—the first parish in Stamford.  The early parishioners, mostly Irish Catholics, built the current church between 1875 and 1886.  The basilica has 72 stained glass windows.  Pope Benedict XVI designated the church as a minor basilica in 2009.  Basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  The Basilica’s website is stjohnstamford.com.

The first picture is from the Diocesan website and the second from the Basilicas website.

Diocese of Norwich

The diocese consists of 4 counties—Middlesex, New London, Tolland, and Windham—in eastern Connecticut, as well as Fishers Island, New York.  The diocese has 238,000 Catholics (32 percent of the total population) in 76 parishes.

Bishops of Norwich

Bernard J. Flanagan (1908-1998), first Bishop of Norwich (1953-1959). 

• Born in Vermont and ordained a priest in 1931 for the Diocese of Burlington.
• Also served as Bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts (1959-1983).

Bishop Flanagan took over a new Diocese which had 124,000 Catholics in 53 parishes.  He established 6 new parishes, opened several schools, including the first regional Catholic high school in the diocese, and worked to improve the spiritual and temporal needs of the elderly and mentally ill.  He also focused on the needs of the members of the armed forces stationed within the diocese.  He was appointed Bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1959. 

Vincent J. Hines (1912-1990), Bishop of Norwich (1959-1975). 

• Born in New Haven and ordained a priest in 1937 in France.

Bishop Hines established three Catholic high schools and appointed the first nun to head a diocesan school system in Connecticut.  He also set up committees to get the views of the priests and nuns in his diocese and established a retirement program for priests.  He attended the Second Vatican Council and started 11 new parishes.  He retired in 1975 due to poor health.

Daniel P. Reilly (1928-    ), Bishop of Norwich (1975-1994). 

• Born in Rhode Island ordained a priest for the Diocese of Providence in 1953.
• Also served as Bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts (1994-2004).

Bishop Reilly was a successful fund-raiser which allowed improvement and expansion of a number of Catholic ministries including those for the handicapped, pro-life activities, Hispanics, youth ministry, campus ministry.  He also established 8 new parishes, a marriage encounter program, and a counseling center for clergy and religious.  He was appointed Bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1994. 

Daniel A. Hart (1927-2008), Bishop of Norwich (1995-2003). 

• Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston in 1953.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Boston (1976-1995).

Bishop Hart established a development campaign that established the Catholic Foundation, used to support Diocesan services. He established the diocesan website and expanded Catholic Charities within the Diocese.  He also apologized to local Jews for any actions taken by Catholics during the Holocaust and took a strong stand against clergy involved in sexual abuse.  He also created a partnership with a diocese in Haiti aimed at helping the Haitian people.  He encouraged the establishment of the Hospice of Southeastern Connecticut.  Bishop Hart retired in 2003.

Current Bishop

Michael R. Cote was appointed Bishop of Norwich by Pope John Paul II in 2003.  He was born in Maine in 1949 and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Portland, Maine, in 1975.  He previously served as an official at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. (1989-1995) and as auxiliary bishop of Portland (1995-2003).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Patrick

213 Broadway

Norwich, Connecticut  06360

St. Patrick (5^th Century) was from a privileged family in Britain—his grandfather was a priest and his father a deacon.  As a teenager, he was captured by pirates and forced into slavery in Ireland.  He escaped, made his way home, and became a priest.  He was appointed to be the second Bishop of Ireland and went there in about 432.  He had great success in bringing the Irish people to the Catholic faith.  He is one of the patron saints of Ireland.  His feast day is, of course, March 17.

O God, Who sent Thy Confessor and Bishop, Blessed Patrick, to preach your glory to the nations, grant, through his merits and intercession, that what you command us to do, we may, by your mercy, be enabled to perform. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Norwich’s first Catholic church—St. Mary’s—was dedicated in 1845.  It soon became apparent that St. Mary’s was too small to accommodate Norwich’s growing Catholic population.  Father Daniel Mullen, the pastor of St. Mary’s, bought land on Broadway during 1869 and 1870 for a new church.  Construction began in 1871, funded by recent Irish immigrants, who donated 10 cents a week and their own labor to the new church.  This new church—St. Patrick’s—was dedicated in 1879.  St. Mary’s closed the same year.  St. Patrick’s became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of Norwich in 1953. 

The Gothic Revival building was designed James Murphy from Providence and features a 216-foot bell tower with a 3,600 pound bell.  The Cathedral is constructed with 1,600 light blue Monson granite stones, each weighing 10 tons.  The Cathedral is 210 feet long and 100 feet wide at the transept.

Inside, a baldachin rises above the main crème and verde marble altar.  The two main windows features scenes from the life of St. Patrick and were designed and built in Germany.  Smaller windows show Saints Bonaventure, Gregory, Ambrose, and Jerome.  Other windows show the Annunciation as well as portraits of Luke and John.  The Cathedral organ (Opus 1267)—built by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co. of Boston—was installed in 1954 and renovated in 2002.  Fluted Corinthian columns support the Gothic-ribbed ceiling.  St. Anne (with her daughter Mary) and St. Anthony are featured on polychrome images on the sanctuary columns.  St. Patrick and St. Bridget are rendered in gold on the baldachin.  Side altars feature marble statues of Mary and Joseph.

The Cathedral website is stpatsnorwich.org and the Diocesan website is norwichdiocese.org.  The Cathedral is located less than a mile north of downtown Norwich and has five weekend masses.  The parish elementary school has over 200 students.

All three pictures are from the public domain.

Diocese of Providence

The diocese consists of the State of Rhode Island.  The diocese has 620,000 Catholics (59 percent of the total population) in 141 parishes.  It is the only State with a majority Catholic population.

Bishops of Providence

Thomas F. Hendricken (1827-1886), first Bishop of Providence (1872-1886). 

• Born in Ireland and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford in 1851.

Thomas Hendricken began construction of the current Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in 1878 and brought in religious orders to operate schools and a home for the elderly.  He also faced a crisis when a French Canadian parish objected to his choice of pastor saying that a bishop was obligated to appoint a pastor of the same ethnic background as the congregation.  (The Vatican initially agreed with the laity, but reversed its decision in the wake of objections from American bishops.)  Bishop Hendricken also won the right for priests to minister to Catholic inmates in state prisons.  He also established a diocesan newspaper in 1875 and established more than a dozen parishes to keep up with population growth.  The Catholic population of the Diocese, which at that time consisted of Rhode Island and part of Massachusetts, increased from 125,000 to 195,000 during Hendricken’s tenure as Bishop.  He died in 1886.

Matthew Harkins (1845-1921), Bishop of Providence (1887-1921). 

• Born in Boston and was ordained a priest in for the Diocese of Boston in 1869.

Bishop Harkins established new parishes and schools to meet the needs of the large numbers of Catholic immigrants that came to Rhode Island at the turn of the 20^th Century—including 12 parishes for French Canadians, seven for Italians, six for the Polish, and two for the Portuguese.  He more than tripled the number of diocesan priests and built institutions, often staffed by religious orders, to serve the neediest among his flock—the poor, the sick, the elderly, and orphans.  He helped win repeal of a law passed by anti-Catholic legislators that removed the tax exemption from private and parochial schools.  He also helped establish Providence College in 1919 and sent his priests to universities to raise their educational levels.  At the time of his death in 1921, there were over 275,000 Catholics in the Diocese in 101 parishes served by 270 diocesan priests, despite the loss of the Massachusetts portion of the Diocese in 1904. 

William A. Hickey (1869-1933), Bishop of Providence (1921-1933). 

• Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1893.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Providence (1919-1921).

Bishop Hickey established new and expanded existing diocesan high schools and raised money to improve facilities for diocesan charitable organizations.  He also appointed a superintendent for the Catholic schools and established a Catholic teachers’ college.  He also excommunicated 65 French Canadians for causing a public scandal.  (Some members of the French Canadian community felt that the bishop’s education efforts were a threat to their ethnic identity.  Those excommunicated later reconciled with the Church.)  Bishop Hickey died from a heart attack in 1933.

Francis P. Keough (1890-1961), Bishop of Providence (1934-1947). 

• Born in Connecticut and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford in 1916.
• Also served as Archbishop of Baltimore (1947-1961).

Bishop Keough was able to resolve some of the problems between French- and English-speaking Catholics through his ability to speak French.  He paid off the large Diocesan debt he inherited, but also was able to open new high schools and elementary schools and establish a seminary and help start Salve Regina College for women.  He encouraged youth activities, such as the Catholic Youth Organization and opened an orphanage for needy children.  He established “labor schools” to provide solutions for management and labor to resolve differences.  He was an advocate for decency in motion pictures and for better reading habits for children.  He was appointed Archbishop of Baltimore in 1947 at which time the Diocese had 425,000 Catholics and 344 Diocesan priests.

Russell J. McVinney (1898-1971), Bishop of Providence (1948-1971). 

• Born in Providence and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Providence in 1924.

McVinney was the first, and so far only, Bishop of Providence to be a native of Providence.  He oversaw the building of 28 new parishes, 40 new schools, and other institutions to serve the post-war population shifts.  He encouraged spiritual growth through lay organizations, such as the Holy Name Society, retreats, and recitation of the rosary.  He built Our Lady of Fatima Hospital for the chronically ill and sought social justice for the poor and disadvantaged.  He attended the Second Vatican Council and worked to bring about the liturgical and ecumenical reforms called for by the Council.  McVinney spoke out against immoral practices, but changes in the Church were paralleled by changes in American Society during the 1960s resulting in lower attendance at Mass and priests and religious leaving their vocations.  Bishop McVinney died of a heart attack in 1971; two months after one of his auxiliary bishops left the priesthood. 

Louis E. Gelineau (1928-    ), Bishop of Providence (1972-1997). 

• Born in Burlington, Vermont and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Burlington in 1954.

Bishop Gelineau integrated new immigrants from Cape Verde, Southeast Asia, and from Latin America and the Caribbean into existing parishes.  He also established a Lay Ministry Program to train deacons and others to serve in various diocesan ministries.  He developed a strategic plan for the Diocese and started a development program.  Declining enrollments led to the closure of some parish schools and the consolidation of others, but religious education and spiritual renewal programs grew.  Bishop Gelineau was accused of mishandling sexual abuse cases in the Diocese and he resigned in 1997.

Robert E. Mulvee (1930-    ), Bishop of Providence (1997-2005). 

• Born in Boston and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire in 1957.
• Also served as Bishop of Wilmington, Delaware (1985-1995) and coadjutor bishop of Providence (1995-1997).

I was not able to find out much about Bishop Mulvee, other than that he settled 36 lawsuits for $13.5 million.  The lawsuits, dating back 10 years, accused 10 Diocesan priests and one nun of sexually abusing children.  He retired in 2005.

Current Bishop

Thomas J. Tobin was appointed Bishop of Providence by Pope John Paul II in 2005.  He was born in Pennsylvania in 1948 and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1973.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh (1992-1996) and Bishop of Youngstown, Ohio (1996-2005).

The Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul

Cathedral Square

Providence, Rhode Island 02903

St. Peter, originally known as Simon, was the first apostle chosen by Jesus.  Peter is frequently mentioned in the New Testament, and we know that he was a fisherman by trade, that he was married, that he was the leader of the apostles, and that he often tried the Lord’s patience.  After the Ascension of our Lord, Peter became the leader of the early church, eventually going to Rome to become the first Bishop of Rome, or Pope.  He was crucified there in approximately 64 A.D.  St. Paul, originally known as Saul, persecuted the early church, but was converted to Christianity by a vision of Jesus.  He spread the message of Christ to communities throughout much of the Roman Empire, becoming the Apostle to the Gentiles.  Many of his letters to early Christian communities have been retained in the New Testament.  He was beheaded in Rome either in 64 or 67 A.D.  The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul is celebrated on June 29.

O God, Whose right hand raised up blessed Peter, when he walked upon the water and began to sink, and thrice delivered his fellow-Apostle Paul from the depths of the sea, when he suffered shipwreck: graciously hear us and grant, by the merits of them both, that we also may attain everlasting glory: Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

The parish of Saints Peter & Paul was founded in 1837 and the first church building was completed shortly thereafter.  This small church was later expanded and became the Cathedral for the Diocese of Hartford when it was created in 1843.  (The first three Bishops of Hartford chose to live in Providence rather than Hartford.)  It became the Cathedral for the Diocese of Providence when it was created in 1872.  The first Bishop of Providence, Thomas Hendricken, began making plans to build a new Cathedral since the existing building was in poor condition.  He built a temporary cathedral in 1876 and began construction of the current Cathedral in 1878.  Bishop Hendricken built the Cathedral only as funding would allow—he did not want the Diocese to be in debt—and it was dedicated 1889.  The Cathedral was renovated in 2013 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Cathedral was designed in Gothic Revival style by Patrick Charles Keely, a noted Catholic architect.  The Cathedral is constructed with Connecticut Brownstone and is 120 feet wide.  Twin square towers rise to 156 feet at the front of the Cathedral and one of the towers houses the first automatic Angelus clock in the United States.

The main altar is made of Verde Issorie marble from France and above the altar is a 3000 pound bronze testa (shown in the last picture below).  The bronze tabernacle was made by Spanish artisans who spent 58 hours filing the finial—the small ornament on top of the tabernacle.  The east circular window shows scenes from the passion and death of our Lord and the dominant colors and red and blue.  The west circular window depicts scenes from the life of our Blessed Mother and the dominant color is blue.  Other stained glass windows in the Cathedral are made from antique Munich glass and depict scenes from the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The floors are made of marble and the pews from Appalachian oak.  The Cathedral pipe organ is one of the largest in North America and was built by Casavant Frères of Quebec in 1971.  It is an Opus 3145 tracker organ with over 6,600 pipes.

There are more pictures—a virtual tour—on the cathedral’s website at providencecathedral.org.  The diocesan website is dioceseofprovidence.org.  The Cathedral is located in downtown Providence and has four weekend masses.  The Cathedral can seat over 1,400 people.

All pictures are from the Cathedral website except the second (exterior), which was taken by me in 2013 during a renovation of the Cathedral.

I did not grow up in a city with a cathedral.  The first cathedral that I visited was likely St. Patrick's in New York—might as well start at the top.  The second was in Owensboro, Kentucky, when I was 10.  During my college years, I attended Mass at the cathedrals in Nashville and Pittsburgh and as a young adult I frequently attended Mass at the St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington.  Over time I started visiting cathedrals in different cities as I traveled around the country.  I think my passion for cathedrals stems from my interests in my Catholic Faith and in architecture and history.  The purpose of this blog is to provide information and pictures about every cathedral in the United States, as well as information on dioceses and bishops. 

Many people think that a cathedral is a large medieval church in Europe.  Many of these churches are cathedrals, but not all.  For example, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City is not a cathedral (we will get to basilicas later).  The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and his Cathedral is the Cathedral of St. John Lateran in Rome.  A cathedral, no matter how large, is the church of a bishop and contains his cathedra or seat.  This chair is the symbol of his pastoral and teaching authority as a successor to the Apostles.  [This is why we refer to the head of a committee or board as the chairman or chairwoman or why some college professors are honored with a “chair.”  The terms refer to the person’s authority or expertise.] 

Each bishop has a cathedra and needs a church in which to place it, thus we have cathedrals.  The United States has 32 archdioceses and 145 dioceses in the Latin rite.  There are 2 archdioceses and 16 dioceses in the Eastern rite churches (more on this below).  There is also a Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter (Anglican rite) whose bishop has a cathedral.  (The United States also has an archdiocese for those serving in the military, but the archbishop does not have a cathedral.)  So that’s a total of 196 geographic dioceses and there are 214 cathedrals in the United States—I have been blessed to have seen more than half although sometimes only from the outside. 

So why are there 18 more cathedrals than dioceses?  Some bishops have two cathedrals.  Sometimes a diocese will be headquartered in two cities, such as the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis—both cities have a cathedral.  Sometimes a diocese will have two cathedrals in the same city, such as Brooklyn.  In Brooklyn, St. James is the older cathedral, but is small, so recently the larger St. Joseph’s church was made a co-cathedral. 

The United States is divided into 32 ecclesiastical provinces for the Latin or Roman rite.  A province consists of an archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  In a few historical cases in this country (there are still some in other countries) there have existed vicariates apostolic and prefectures apostolic.  Both are missionary territories below the level of a diocese.  The difference is that a vicar apostolic holds the rank of a bishop and the prefect apostolic is a priest, but not a bishop. 

Just a quick note on Eastern rite churches, which will be explained in depth in a later blog.  In the United States more that 99 percent of Catholics belong to the Latin or Roman rite.  Rite refers to liturgical practices, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage—which are different for Eastern rite churches.  Eastern rite churches trace their heritage to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.  Eastern rite churches sometimes use different terminologies.  For example, a diocese might be called an eparchy and is led by an eparch.  A vicariate apostolic is called an exarchy and is led by an exarch. 

Let me define a few other ecclesiastical terms. 

·       Some bishops, mostly archbishops, may also hold the title of cardinal.  Cardinals rank just below the Pope.  Their most important job is to elect new popes, but they usually are involved in other Church activities in addition to their duties as bishop or archbishop. 

·        A coadjutor bishop assists a diocesan bishop and often has the right of succession. 

·       An auxiliary bishop assists a bishop in administering the diocese.

·       A see is the city in which a bishop has his cathedral.

·       A basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  There are currently over 80 basilicas in the United States and they will all be mentioned in my blog.  Some are also cathedrals, but most are not.  Each basilica has a ceremonial umbrella in the papal colors of white and yellow and a ceremonial bell (although some basilicas do not display them).  Both of these are symbolic of the Pope’s special relationship to the basilica.

 Now for some architectural terms often used regarding churches.

·         The ambulatory is the walkway surrounding the apse or choir section.

·         The ambry or ambo is the repository for consecrated oils.

·         The apse is the section of the cathedral that usually contains the sanctuary including the main altar. It is often shaped like a semicircle and traditionally faces east.

·         The baldacchino or baldachin is a canopy covering the altar.

·         The narthex is the vestibule or lobby.

·         The nave is the main section of a cathedral or church, facing the altar.

·         If the nave and apse constitute the long beam of a cross, the transepts make up the cross bar. These are large “bays” that extend from either side of the nave.

There are a few limitations in this blog.  I have visited many cathedrals, but only some have brochures describing the cathedral.  I have found other published sources for some cathedrals.  My main source has been the internet.  Some cathedral and diocesan websites have extensive histories, architectural descriptions, and pictures, and others do not.  Sometimes there are other websites that have information and I have used those as needed.

So enough with explanations.  What follows is information on all the dioceses and cathedrals in the United States grouped by province.  For each province, I will have an introduction, a map, Catholic histories for each state, a description of the bishops for each diocese, and a history and description of the diocesan cathedral(s).  I will also provide information on each non-cathedral basilica in each diocese, if any.  A later blog will discuss sources, symbolism, and a few observations.

So let's start with a straight-forward province--the Province of Omaha.  It consists of the State of Nebraska divided into an archdiocese and two dioceses.

Province of omaha

Pope Pius XII created the Province of Omaha in 1945.  The Province consists of the Archdiocese of Omaha and two dioceses in Nebraska.  The Province has 372,000 Catholics, 20 percent of the total population.  It is the fourth smallest U.S. province in Catholic population.

Map of the Province 

This map is not completely correct in that the Diocese of Lincoln consists of that portion of Nebraska south of the Platte River, regardless of county boundaries.

Catholic History of Nebraska

Spanish and French explorers and fur traders came to what is now Nebraska for two and a half centuries prior to the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 when the land became part of the United States.  Pioneers followed the Oregon Trail along the Platte River starting in 1841 and Mormons headed for Utah followed in 1847.  Gold seekers going to California and Colorado came after the Mormons.  Few stayed in Nebraska thinking that the land was unsuitable for agriculture.  Congress created the Nebraska Territory in 1854 and opened the land for settlement.  There were 29,000 people in the Territory in 1860 and Nebraska became the 37^th State in 1867.  The Union Pacific and the Burlington Railroads were built in the late 1860s and Nebraska grew quickly, from 452,000 people in 1880 to slightly over a million in 1890.

Jesuit missionaries came to Nebraska in 1837 to bring the Faith to the Native Americans.  Catholicism was mainly brought to Nebraska by Irish and German settlers in the 1850s and Bohemians (who came to build the Burlington Railroad) in the 1860s.  By 1880, there were over 40 Catholic churches in the State, mostly in the eastern half, and many more would be built over the next 20 years as the population grew rapidly.  Omaha grew from 31,000 people to over 100,000 between 1880 and 1900, and Lincoln grew from 13,000 to over 40,000 during that time.

Nebraska became part of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains (a missionary diocese) in 1850, along with all or part of seven other future states.  Pope Pius IX created a separate Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska in 1857, which included Nebraska and all or part of five future states.  Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Omaha in 1885 which included Nebraska and Wyoming.  Pope Leo separated southern Nebraska into the Diocese of Lincoln (and created the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming) in 1887.  Pope Pius X established western Nebraska as the Diocese of Kearney in 1912 and this became the Diocese of Grand Island in 1917.  Pope Pius XII made Nebraska a separate province in 1945 raising Omaha to the status of an Archdiocese.

Archdiocese of Omaha

The Archdiocese of Omaha consists of 23 counties in northeastern Nebraska. The archdiocese has 227,000 Catholics (24 percent of the total population) in 125 parishes.

Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska

James M. O’Gorman, O.C.S.O. (1804-1874), Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska (1859-1874). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a Cistercian (Trappist) priest in 1843.

Bishop O’Gorman governed a vicariate that included all of Nebraska and all or parts of what are now five other states.  The Catholic population consisted of a few thousand Native Americans, mostly in Montana, and a few hundred settlers.  There were only three other priests to assist O’Gorman in ministering to these few and widespread Catholics.  The Catholic population increased thanks to migration to the West and to the building of the transcontinental railroad.  O’Gorman brought in priests and nuns from religious orders to teach and administer parishes and by the time he died in 1874, the Catholic population had grown to over 10,000, the number of priests to 19, and there were 20 parishes and a few dozen missions. 

Bishops of Omaha

James O’Connor (1823-1890), Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska (1876-1885) and first Bishop of Omaha (1885-1890). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1848.

When the Diocese of Omaha was established in 1885, the Diocese consisted of Nebraska and Wyoming.  In 1887, the Diocese consisted of northern Nebraska.  Settlement in Nebraska increased greatly after the Union Pacific and the Burlington Railroads were constructed in the late 1860s and many of these settlers were European Catholics.  Bishop O’Connor invited several religious orders, including the Franciscans, the Benedictines, the Poor Clares, the Religious of the Sacred Heart, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for the Indians and Colored People (O’Connor served as a spiritual advisor for St. Katharine Drexel), and the Sisters of Providence, to help minister to the Catholics in Nebraska.  O’Connor helped establish Creighton University and had an older brother, Michael, who served as a bishop in Pennsylvania.  He died in 1890.

Richard Scannell (1845-1916), Bishop of Omaha (1891-1916). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1871 and became a priest for the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, the same year.
• Also served as the first Bishop of Concordia, Kansas—now the Diocese of Salina (1887-1891).

Bishop Scannell built many parishes and schools and began construction of St. Cecilia’s Cathedral.  He also opened two hospitals and invited several religious orders to serve in the Diocese.  At the time his death, there were 80,000 Catholics in the Diocese, which by that time consisted of the current boundaries, with 95 parishes and 144 diocesan priests.  He died in 1916.

Jeremiah J. Harty (1853-1927), Bishop of Omaha (1916-1927). 

• Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1878.
• Also served as Archbishop of Manila, the Philippines (1903-1916).

One year after Harty became Bishop, Father Edward Flanagan established Boys Town in Omaha.  Harty built a dozen parishes and many schools and established a school board and a Diocesan Catholic Charities.  He also started a number of lay organizations.  Archbishop Harty (he had previously served as Archbishop of Manila, the Philippines) contracted influenza in 1926 and moved to Arizona in an unsuccessful attempt to regain his health.  He died the following year.  Bishop Francis Beckman of Lincoln served as apostolic administrator of the Omaha Diocese from 1926 until 1928.

Joseph F. Rummel (1876-1964), Bishop of Omaha (1928-1935). 

• Born in Germany and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York in 1902.
• Also served as Archbishop of New Orleans (1935-1964).

Rummel hosted the Sixth National Eucharistic Congress in 1930, which attracted more than 40,000 Catholics to Omaha.  Rummel also attempted to establish a fund-raising organization, but the Great Depression hindered his plans.  He established a standard accounting system for the parishes of the Archdiocese.  Rummel was named Archbishop of New Orleans in 1935. 

Archbishops of Omaha

James H. Ryan (1886-1947), Bishop of Omaha (1935-1945) and first Archbishop of Omaha (1945-1947). 

·         Born in Indiana and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Indianapolis in 1909—at the age of 22.

·         Also served as rector of the Catholic University of American in Washington, DC (1928-1935), and as titular bishop (1933-1935).

Archbishop Ryan, having spent several years in the Nation’s Capital, spoke out often on national issues of the day.  He supported President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal program, opposed the American Medical Association’s support of birth control, and condemned the anti-Semitism of the nationally-known priest, Charles Coughlin.  President Roosevelt sent him on a trip to five South American countries in 1938 to improve U.S. relations.  Ryan published several books, including An Introduction of Philosophy and A Catechism of Catholic Education.  He died of a heart attack in 1947.

Gerald T. Bergan (1892-1972), Archbishop of Omaha (1948-1969). 

·         Born in Illinois and ordained a priest in 1915 for the Diocese of Peoria.

·         Also served as Bishop of Des Moines, Iowa (1934-1948).

Archbishop Bergan served as Archbishop during the post-World War II building boom and he spent more than $100 million building many new churches, schools, and other buildings for the Archdiocese.  Catholic school enrollment greatly increased.  He also built the twin towers for St. Cecilia’s Cathedral in commemoration of the Archdiocese’s 100^th Anniversary.  He also attended the Second Vatican Council.  He retired in 1969. 

Daniel E. Sheehan (1917-2000), Archbishop of Omaha (1969-1993). 

·         Born in Emerson, Nebraska, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Omaha in 1942.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Omaha (1964-1969).

Archbishop Sheehan was the first priest from the Archdiocese to become Archbishop of Omaha.  As archbishop, Sheehan was a great promoter of Catholic education and made sure that most Catholic schools had endowments and tuition support programs.  In compliance with the Second Vatican Council, Sheehan established an Archdiocesan Pastoral Council to advise him and the Council has undertaken several successful initiatives, including evangelization and Hispanic, young adult, and rural life ministries.  He also raised money for upgrades to Archdiocesan properties.  He also helped establish the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction in 1985. He retired in 1993. 

Elden F. Curtiss (1932-    ), Archbishop of Omaha (1993-2009). 

·         Born in Oregon and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Baker, Oregon, in 1958.

·         Also served as Bishop of Helena, Montana (1976-1993).

Archbishop Curtiss established ministries for the Archdiocese’s growing ethnic groups, including Hispanics, African-Americans, Native Americans, Koreans, and Sudanese.  He also raised money for a number of needs, including a retirement home for priests, repairs to St. Cecilia’s Cathedral, centers for faith formation, and tuition help for needy students at Catholic high schools.  He ordained 63 priests and established a review board for sexual abuse cases.  He took a stand against Catholics who opposed Church teaching by denying them positions as teachers in Catholic schools, Eucharistic ministers, or members of parish councils.  He retired in 2009.

Current Archbishop

George J. Lucas was appointed Archbishop of Omaha by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.  He was born in St. Louis in 1949 ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1975.  He previously served as Bishop of Springfield, Illinois (1999-2009).

The Cathedral

St. Cecilia’s Cathedral
715 N. 40^th Street

Omaha, Nebraska  68131

St. Cecilia was a Third Century Roman who died for the Faith.  Officials tried to suffocate her but that did not affect her.  An executioner then tried to behead her, but could not cut off her head in three attempts.  She bled to death three days later.  She is the patron saint of music.  Her feast day is celebrated on November 22.

Dear Saint Cecilia, one thing we know for certain about you is that you became a heroic martyr in fidelity to your divine Bridegroom.  We do not know that you were a musician but we are told that you heard Angels sing.  Inspire musicians to gladden the hearts of people by filling the air with God's gift of music and reminding them of the divine Musician who created all beauty. Amen.

The first church in Nebraska was St. Mary’s Catholic Church, built in 1856 on the east side of Eighth Street between Harney and Jackson Streets in Omaha.  This small 1,000 square foot church was replaced by a new Gothic-style church at the corner of Ninth and Howard Streets in 1868.  This church, by this time renamed St. Philomena, became the first Cathedral for the Diocese of Omaha in 1885.  St. Philomena was rededicated to St. Frances Cabrini in 1958.  St. Cecilia parish was established in 1888 and work began on the current Cathedral in 1905.  Services were first held in 1916, but the Cathedral was not completed until 1959.  St. Cecilia’s is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Spanish Renaissance Cathedral was designed by Nebraska architect, Thomas R. Kimball.  The building is 255 feet long and 158 feet wide and its two towers rise to a height of 222 feet.  Three million bricks were used in its construction.

Albin Polasek of Chicago designed the bronze Stations of the Cross and much of the statuary, including the marble crucifix above the main altar, which show Christ looking up.  The main altar is main of white Carrara marble from Italy and the pulpit is made of hand-carved mahogany.  Our Lady of Nebraska Chapel features Mary holding a stalk of corn and three 16^th Century stained glass windows that were originally in a Spanish cathedral.  The Cathedral’s other stained glass windows are the work of the Charles Connick studio in Boston.  The Cathedral’s main pipe organ was installed in 2003 and was built by Pasi Organ Builders of Roy, Washington.

More information about the Cathedral can be found on its website at stceciliacathedral.org or on the Archdiocesan website at archomaha.org.

The Cathedral is located about a mile west of downtown Omaha.  It serves a parish of 900 families and has five weekend masses.  It has an elementary school with about 500 students.

The first picture is mine, the second is from the Cathedral website.

Diocese of Lincoln

The diocese consists of 35 counties (plus Dawson, Keith, and Lincoln Counties south of the Platte and South Platte Rivers) in southeastern Nebraska.  The diocese has 98,000 Catholics (16 percent of the total population) in 134 parishes.

Bishops of Lincoln

I have limited information on the Bishops of Lincoln.

Thomas A. Bonacum (1847-1911), first Bishop of Lincoln (1887-1911). 

·         Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1870 for the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

In 1887, the newly established Diocese had 25,000 Catholics, served by about 30 priests, in 29 parishes and about 80 missions and chapels.  Bishop Bonacum invited religious orders to establish schools and he built an orphanage.  At the time of his death in 1911, there were close to 40,000 Catholics served by 77 priests in 64 parishes.

J. Henry Tihen (1861-1940), Bishop of Lincoln (1911-1917). 

• Born in Indiana and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1886.
• Also served as Bishop of Denver, Colorado (1917-1931).

He was named Bishop of Denver in 1917.

Charles J. O’Reilly (1860-1923), Bishop of Lincoln (1918-1923). 

• Born in Canada and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Oregon City (now Portland) in 1890.
• Also served as the first Bishop of Baker City, Oregon (1903-1918).

He died in1923.

Francis J. Beckman (1875-1948), Bishop of Lincoln (1924-1930). 

·         Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1902.

·         Also served as Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa (1930-1946).

Beckman was named Archbishop of Dubuque in 1930.

Louis B. Kucera (1888-1957), Bishop of Lincoln (1930-1957). 

• Born in Minnesota and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, in 1915.

Bishop Kucera oversaw the first phase of the post-war building boom.  He died in 1957.

James V. Casey (1914-1986), Bishop of Lincoln (1957-1967). 

·         Born in Iowa and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, in 1939.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Lincoln (1957) and Archbishop of Denver, Colorado (1967-1986).

Bishop Casey built the Cathedral of the Risen Christ, the Catholic Center (which included a retreat center), and many new churches and schools.  He built a Newman Center, a Catholic fraternity house and a Catholic sorority house at the University of Nebraska.  He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council.  He was named Archbishop of Denver in 1967.

Glennon P. Flavin (1916-1995), Bishop of Lincoln (1967-1992). 

• Born in St. Louis and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1941.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1957-1967).

Bishop Flavin improved Catholic schools and was successful in ordaining many men to the priesthood.  He encouraged religious vocations and brought the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters to the Diocese and helped establish the School Sisters of Christ the King.  He prohibited women from serving as lectors at Mass.  He retired in 1992. 

Fabian W. Bruskewitz (1935-    ), Bishop of Lincoln (1992-2012).

• Born in Wisconsin and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1960.
• Also served with the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education (1969-1980).

Bishop Bruskewitz called for 1995 to be a year of reflection in the Diocese, promoting devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.  The year included a pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.  In 1996, he excommunicated Catholic members of 12 organizations whose policies were deemed incompatible with Catholic teaching.  Bruskewitz assumed control of Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital to maintain its Catholic identity.  He also built an affordable housing project, Paul VI Heights, and St. Gianna Homes for Women.  Bruskewitz opened Saint Gregory the Great Seminary for the Diocese in 1998 which has greatly increased vocations and in 2000 he welcomed the opening of Our Lady of Guadeloupe Seminary of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.  He also welcomed religious orders including Carmelite nuns and started a Catholic radio station.  Bishop Bruskewitz retired in 2012.

Current Bishop

James Douglas Conley was appointed Bishop of Lincoln by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.  He was born in Missouri in 1955 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, in 1985.  He previously as auxiliary bishop of Denver (2008-2012).  Bishop Conley converted to Catholicism at the age of 20.

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Risen Christ
3500 Sheridan Boulevard

Lincoln, Nebraska  68506

Christians believe that Jesus Christ redeemed the world by dying on Good Friday and rising from the dead on Easter Sunday.  As the Risen Christ, Jesus “is seated at the right hand of the Father and He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.”

Heavenly Father and God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for He is alive and has become the Lord of Life. From the waters of death you raise us with Him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

When Thomas Bonacum came to Lincoln as its first Bishop in 1887, he selected the only Catholic church in town as his Cathedral.  This church, later known as St. Therese Pro-Cathedral, had been built in 1879 at the northeast corner of 13^th and M streets (and since demolished).  [Not to be confused with St. Teresa parish founded in 1926.] This was a small brick church that was already too small for its congregation.  Bishop Bonacum initially wanted to build a new cathedral on the same site, but found the cost prohibitive for a young diocese.  In 1904, Bishop Bonacum was finally able to buy a Protestant church located at the northeast corner of 14^th and K streets as the site for a new cathedral.  The new Cathedral was renamed St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception and renovations began on the former Protestant church in 1906.  Just as the renovations were nearing completion, a fire destroyed most of the building.  The building was reconstructed between 1907 and 1911 and St. Mary’s served as the Diocesan Cathedral until 1965.

Bishop James Casey decided to build a new cathedral and construction began on the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in 1963 and the first Mass was offered in 1965.  The Cathedral was built on the site of Holy Family church which had been established as a parish in 1932.

The Cathedral of the Risen Christ is of modern design.  Its most notable feature are the stained glass windows designed by Max Ingrand of Paris and Rambusch Studio of New York.  These windows show scenes from the Bible.  All of the windows are shown on the Cathedral’s website at cathedraloftherisenchrist.org.  I have included two of the windows below.  Also of note is the Baptismal font lid which has eight bronze panels featuring references to water in the Old and New Testaments.  A picture from the website is below.  The Bishop’s Chapel contains stained-glass likenesses of the first six Bishops of Lincoln.  Also see the Diocesan website at lincolndiocese.org.

The Cathedral of the Risen Christ is located about two miles southeast of downtown Lincoln.  There are six weekend masses.  The parish has an elementary school with about 400 students.

All pictures are from the Cathedral website.

Diocese of Grand Island

The diocese consists of 32 counties (plus Dawson, Keith, and Lincoln Counties north of the Platte and South Platte Rivers) in western Nebraska.  The diocese has 48,000 Catholics (15 percent of the total population) in 36 parishes.

Bishops of Grand Island

I have information about some of the bishops, but not others.

James A. Duffy (1873-1968), first Bishop of Kearney (1913-1917) and first Bishop of Grand Island (1917-1931). 

• Born in Minnesota and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul in 1999.

Pope Benedict XV enlarged the Diocese of Kearney in 1916 and included Grand Island in the expanded diocese.  The following year, Bishop Duffy moved his see to Grand Island (which had a population of about 10,000 as opposed to Kearney’s 5,000) and the Diocese was renamed as the Diocese of Grand Island.  Duffy built the current Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Grand Island and started a diocesan newspaper.  Ill health forced him to resign as Bishop in 1931 and he spent the rest of his life in Arkansas.  At the time of his death in 1968, Duffy was the oldest bishop in the United States and had served as a bishop longer than any other.

Stanislaus V. Bona (1888-1967), Bishop of Grand Island (1932-1944). 

·         Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1912.

·         Also served as coadjutor bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin (1944-1945) and Bishop of Green Bay (1945-1967).

Bishop Bona led the Diocese through the Great Depression and World War II.  Speaking German and Italian, Bishop Bona attended to the needs of German prisoners-of-war being held in Grand Island and Italian prisoners-of-war in Scottsbluff.  He ordained 30 priests for the Diocese.  He was named coadjutor bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1944.

Edward J. Hunkeler (1894-1970), Bishop of Grand Island (1945-1951). 

• Born in Kansas and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Omaha in 1919.
• Also served as Bishop of Kansas City, Kansas (1951-1952), and first Archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas (1952-1969).

Bishop Hunkeler built several new churches, schools, and other institutions during the post-World War II building boom and ordained 15 diocesan priests.  He was appointed Bishop of Kansas City, Kansas, in 1951.  He died in 1970 as a result of a car accident. 

John L. Paschang (1895-1999), Bishop of Grand Island (1951-1972). 

• Born in Hemingford, Nebraska, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Omaha in 1921.

Bishop Paschang built 33 churches and many schools and other buildings during his time as Bishop.  He also ordained 55 priests for the Diocese.  He was noted for being financially savvy and for being well liked by priests and laity.  He implemented the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, although he did not agree with all of them.  He retired in 1972.  At the time of his death in 1999, he was the oldest Catholic bishop in the world. 

John J. Sullivan (1920-2001), Bishop of Grand Island (1972-1977). 

·         Born in Kansas and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Oklahoma City in 1944.

·         Also served as Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri (1977-1993).

He was named Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1977.

Lawrence J. McNamara (1928-2004), Bishop of Grand Island (1978-2004). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Kansas City, Missouri, in 1953.
• Also served as executive director of the Campaign for Human Development of the United States Catholic Conference (1973-1977).

He served as president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1980 to 1983 and later served as director of Catholic Relief Services.  He died in 2004.

William J. Dendinger (1939-    ), Bishop of Grand Island (2004-2015). 

• Born in Coleridge, Nebraska, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1965.
• Also served as an Air Force chaplain, eventually becoming Chief, Air Force Chaplain     Services, with the rank of major general (1970-2001).

Bishop Dendinger retired in 2015.

Current Bishop

Joseph G. Hanefeldt was appointed Bishop of Grand Island by Pope Francis in 2015.  He was born in Creighton, Nebraska, in 1958 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1984.  He previously served in several capacities, including pastor, for the Archdiocese and he also served as spiritual director and director of spiritual formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome (2007-2012).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
207 S. Elm Street

Grand Island, Nebraska  68802

Little is known for sure about the birth of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  Her parents are thought to be named Joachim and Anna (or Anne) and she was probably born in either Nazareth or Jerusalem.  The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been celebrated since at least the 8^th Century and is now celebrated on September 8.  Catholics believe that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin, hence, the Immaculate Conception.

Your birth, O Virgin Mother of God, proclaims joy to the whole world, for from you arose the glorious Sun of Justice, Christ our God; he freed us from the age-old curse and filled us with holiness; he destroyed death and gave us eternal life.

Bishop James Duffy became the Bishop of Kearney in 1913 and selected St. James’ Church to be his Cathedral.  [St. James Cathedral was located at 1st Avenue and 24th Street and has since been demolished.  The current church was built in 1980 at a different location.]  Bishop Duffy moved to Grand Island in 1917 and selected the Church of the Nativity in Grand Island to be his new Cathedral.  The parish of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as St. Mary’s, began in 1864 (eight years before Grand Island was incorporated) when Father M.J. Ryan began making frequent visits to celebrate Mass in private homes.  The first church, located where the parish center is now located, was completed in 1869 but was almost immediately destroyed by a windstorm.  Because of bad economic conditions, it took until 1877 to complete a new church.  The second St. Mary’s church was a wood frame structure located at the site of today’s public library.  The parish quickly outgrew this church, and the third St. Mary’s was completed in 1889.  This 5200 square foot church, which stood on the Cathedral grounds until 1965, was made of brick and stone and featured two 104-foot towers.  When the Diocese of Kearney became the Diocese of Grand Island in 1917, St. Mary’s was selected as the Cathedral, but the building was deemed inadequate to serve that function.  The fourth and current St. Mary’s was therefore completed in 1928 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Cathedral was designed by Henry Brinkman and J. Stanley Hagan using an English Gothic Revival style and inspired by La Sainte Chapelle in Paris.  One spire rises from the middle of the Cathedral.  Inside are two paintings of the Transfiguration and the Assumption of Mary.  The rose window at the back of the cathedral was made in Italy and shows the Madonna and the Christ child surrounded by angels and saints. The main altar and baldachin are made of white Italian marble and were fashioned by artisans from Italy.  Carved figures on the piers of the baldachin represent the four Evangelists.  Carvings representing the Agnus Dei and the Alpha and Omega are on front of the baldachin.

The Cathedral website is stmarysgi.com and the Diocesan website is gidiocese.org.

The Cathedral is located in downtown Grand Island and can seat 900 people.  The parish has six weekend masses—including two in Spanish.

The first three pictures are from the Cathedral website or Facebook