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.