Province of Baltimore

I have been seen all seven cathedrals in the Province and have visited five.  I have also have visited both basilicas.  My favorite is the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore—the Cathedral for the nation’s first diocese.  It was renovated just a few years ago.

Pope Pius VII established the Province of Baltimore in 1808—the first in the United States.  The Province consists of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and four dioceses in the States of Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia.  The Province has 1.5 million Catholics, 10 percent of the total population.  In 2000, there were 1.3 million Catholics or 10 percent of the total population.

Map of the Province

Maryland

Catholic History of Maryland

Sir George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, converted to Catholicism in 1625.  He dreamed of an English colony in the New World where Catholics could practice their faith without hindrance.  He did not live to see it, but his son, Cecilius, the second Lord Baltimore, did.  King Charles I, a Protestant, granted Cecilius Calvert proprietorship of the Maryland colony in 1632 and named officially after Charles’ Catholic queen, Henrietta Maria. (Many Catholics believe that Maryland is named for the Virgin Mary.)  Calvert came to Maryland to secure his property, accompanied by Father Andrew White, who said the first Mass in Maryland on March 25, 1634.  The original colonists consisted of about 20 “gentlemen,” mostly Catholic, and about 250 craftsmen and laborers, mostly Protestant.  At a time when Catholics and Protestants in England rarely got along, this was a noble experiment.

The good will that existed in Maryland between the religions would wax and wane.  Protestants from Virginia attacked St. Mary’s City, the Maryland capital, in 1644, forcing Calvert and many of his Catholic colonists to flee.  Calvert later regained control, and in 1649, the Maryland legislature enacted the Act Concerning Religion, the first time a government had permitted freedom of worship.  The following year, Puritans, who had been allowed by the Maryland colony to escape persecution in Virginia and to establish a town (now Annapolis), started a rebellion.  They gained control of Maryland and began to persecute Catholics and Anglicans.  The Puritan government, supported by Oliver Cromwell’s rule in England, repealed the Act Concerning Religion in 1654.  Lord Baltimore once again gained control of the colony in 1658 and the Act Concerning Religion was restored.

Religious toleration was allowed in Maryland during the reigns of King Charles II and King James II, but ended with the reign of William and Mary starting in 1689.  Catholics were once again persecuted in Maryland.  Laws prohibited Catholics from voting, from holding public office, or practicing their Faith, and priests were not allowed to exercise their sacred duties.  These laws were not always enforced and Catholics were usually allowed to attend Mass in their homes or in homes owned by priests.  Some Catholics chose to leave Maryland during this time.  But many stayed—the Catholic population, estimated to be about 5,000 in 1670, had risen to about 12,000 by 1770.  These Catholics were served by a handful of Jesuit priests.

The American Revolution finally brought lasting freedom of religion for all Americans in the former English colonies.  Pope Pius VI created the Apostolic Prefecture of the United States in 1784 to separate the American church from London authorities.  John Carroll, a Maryland priest, was named the Apostolic Prefect, and in 1789, Pope Pius VI named Carroll to be the first Bishop of Baltimore—the Diocese of Baltimore was the entire United States.  At the time, there were less than 30,000 Catholics in the United States—16,000 in Maryland and 7,000 in Pennsylvania.  Most of these Catholics were English and many were from the middle or upper classes.  The immigrant Church was still several decades away.

Pope Pius VII named Carroll the first U.S. archbishop in 1808.  All of Maryland remained part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore until 1868 when the Eastern Shore counties became part of the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware.  Five Maryland counties and the District of Columbia became the Archdiocese of Washington in 1939.

Archdiocese of Baltimore

The Archdiocese of Baltimore consists of nine counties and the City of Baltimore in Maryland. The archdiocese has 504,000 Catholics (16 percent of the total population) in 144 parishes.

Archbishops of Baltimore

A good source for information on most of the Archbishops of Baltimore is The Premier See, A History of the Archdiocese of Baltimore 1789-1994, by Thomas W. Spalding and published by the Johns Hopkins University Press.

John Carroll, S.J. (1736-1815), first Bishop of Baltimore (1789-1808) and the first Archbishop of Baltimore (1808-1815). 

• Born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and ordained a priest in France in 1761.

John Carroll was a cousin of Charles Carroll, the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence.  As a priest in Maryland and at the request of the Continental Congress, he accompanied Benjamin Franklin and others in 1776 to Quebec hoping to win Canadian favor during the upcoming revolution.  He was elected by U.S. priests to be the first Bishop of Baltimore in 1789 and named by Pope Pius VII to be the first Archbishop of Baltimore in 1808.  He established Georgetown College (now University) in Washington, St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, and Mount St. Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg, as well as schools for girls in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Kentucky, some run by Elizabeth Seton.  He organized the clergy in the United States, which included dealing with a number of “problem” priests, some of whom had come from Europe without an understanding of American ways.  He ordained new priests, including Stephen Badin, the first priest ordained in the United States.  He brought many religious orders to the United States.  Although he later placed more value on episcopal prerogatives, he initially sought to model the Catholic Church in the United States based more on the ideals of the American Revolution rather than European traditions, which meant close relations with Protestants and the community in general, more personal methods of worship, and some degree of autonomy from Rome.  He died in 1815.

Leonard Neale, S.J. (1746-1817), Archbishop of Baltimore (1815-1817). 

• Born in Charles County, Maryland, and ordained a Jesuit priest in 1773.
• Also served as president of what is now Georgetown University (1799-1806) and as coadjutor bishop of Baltimore (1800-1815).

As coadjutor archbishop, Neale became Archbishop upon the death of Archbishop Carroll.  Leonard Neale was a former president of Georgetown College and was the first bishop consecrated in the United States.  He was 69 when he became Archbishop and lived only a year and a half (mostly in Georgetown) before his death in 1817.  One major accomplishment was the establishment of a monastery in Georgetown for the Visitation nuns.

Ambrose Maréchal, S.S. (1766 [or 1768]-1828), Archbishop of Baltimore (1817-1828). 

• Born in France and ordained a priest for the Society of St. Sulpice in 1792.
• Also served as coadjutor archbishop of Baltimore (1817).

Archbishop Maréchal dealt ably with several problems.  He objected to the creation by the Vatican, without his consent, of the dioceses of Richmond, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina, and the appointment of bishops to those dioceses, but eventually won the right of the archbishop to be consulted on these matters.  He also sought to resolve problems caused by the trustee system—many Catholic churches at this time had been built and were owned by the parishioners, not by the bishop.  A trip to Rome in 1821 helped bring about some resolution to these problems and established the Archbishop of Baltimore as the leader of the U.S. church.  He also dedicated the Basilica of the Assumption in 1821.  He died in 1828.

James Whitfield (1770-1834), Archbishop of Baltimore (1828-1834). 

• Born in England and ordained a priest in 1809 in France.
• Also served as coadjutor archbishop of Baltimore (1828).

The U.S. Church had grown to consist of 350,000 Catholics and 160 churches.  Archbishop Whitfield convened two provincial councils to address the needs of an expanding nation.  The First Provincial Council in 1829 directed, among other things, that converts to Catholicism need not be baptized if they had previously received a valid baptism, in mixed marriages the non-Catholic must promise to bring up their children as Catholics, the Douay version of the Bible is preferred, Freemasons cannot receive the sacraments, trustees cannot hire or fire a pastor, future churches should not use the trustee system, and Catholic education should be encouraged.  The Second Provincial Council in 1833 recommended, among other things, that the Jesuits be responsible for Indian missions in the West and the missions to former American slaves in Liberia.  He built new churches, sometimes with his own money.  Archbishop Whitfield died in 1834.

Samuel Eccleston, S.S. (1801-1851), Archbishop of Baltimore (1834-1851). 

• Born near Chestertown, Maryland, (the son of an Episcopal priest), converted to Catholicism in 1819, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1825.  He later became a Sulpician priest.

Eccleston, the fifth Archbishop of Baltimore, was appointed in 1834 at the age of 33—nine years after his ordination to the priesthood and 15 years after his conversion to Catholicism.  Eccleston convened five provincial councils, which directed, among other things, that Wednesdays in Advent are not to be days of fast and abstinence, priests may not borrow money for church uses without their bishop’s permission, and which also chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, as the patron of the United States.  He also founded St Charles Seminary in Catonsville (the first U.S. preparatory seminary), invited the Redemptorist priests to serve Baltimore’s growing German population, and invited other religious orders to open schools.  He served as archbishop during a time of great growth in Baltimore’s immigrant population.  He was the last Baltimore archbishop to be the only U.S. archbishop.  He died in 1851.

Francis P. Kenrick (1797-1863), Archbishop of Baltimore (1851-1863). 

·         Born in Ireland and ordained a priest there in 1821.

·         Immigrated to the United States to serve the Diocese of Bardstown, Kentucky, and also served as coadjutor bishop of Philadelphia (1830-1842) and Bishop of Philadelphia (1842-1851).

Archbishop Kenrick presided over the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852, which was attended by over 40 U.S. bishops and recommended that actions be taken to improve governance of each diocese, that each parish have a school, that each province have a seminary, that Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament be performed in all dioceses, and that the Society for the Propagation of the Faith be encouraged.  He established the Forty Hours Devotion in the Archdiocese in 1858 and had a younger brother, Peter, who served as the first Archbishop of St. Louis.  Kenrick was a noted theologian and author.  He published an English translation of the New Testament with a commentary.  He died in 1863.

Martin J. Spalding (1810-1872), Archbishop of Baltimore (1864-1872). 

• Born in Kentucky and ordained a priest in 1834 for the Diocese of Bardstown (now the Archdiocese of Louisville).
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Louisville (1848-1850) and Bishop of Louisville (1850-1864).

Spalding was an outstanding speaker, noted author, and skilled canon lawyer and was said to be one of the most influential Catholic apologists of the 19^th Century.  His influence was felt in the U.S. Church for decades to come.  He led the Second Plenary Council in 1866 (which dealt with diocesan management, general education, and education of clergy) and which set standards for ecclesiastical law in the U.S. Church.  He supported the rights of laborers to organize unions and founded St. Mary's Industrial School (later attended by “Babe” Ruth) as well as other institutions.  He led efforts to serve slaves emancipated after the Civil War and to provide aid for needy Southerners.  He established many new parishes and schools within the Archdiocese and was very active at the First Vatican Council in 1869.  The Council approved the doctrine of papal infallibility and Spalding wrote a pastoral letter explaining that some U.S. bishops initially opposed the doctrine, not on religious grounds, but because they thought it would not be well received by non-Catholics in the United States.  He died in 1872.

James R. Bayley (1814-1877), Archbishop of Baltimore (1872-1877). 

• Born in New York City, ordained an Episcopal priest in 1839, converted to Catholicism in 1842, and ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of New York in 1844.
• Also served as the first Bishop of Newark, New Jersey (1853-1872).

Archbishop Bayley was a former Episcopal priest, a nephew of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and a relative to two future presidents—Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt.  Archbishop Bayley implemented several reforms related to the administration of the Archdiocese and established a fund-raising appeal that paid off the debt on the Cathedral and several Catholic societies.  He also wrote books on U.S. church history.  He was never in good health during his time in Baltimore and he died in 1877.

James Gibbons (1834-1921), Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921). 

• Born in Baltimore, lived in Ireland from 1837 to 1853, ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1861.
• Also served as vicariate apostolic of North Carolina (1868-1872) and Bishop of Richmond (1872-1877).
• Served as Archbishop for over 43 years—the fifth longest tenure of any U.S. bishop of a single diocese.

James Gibbons was named a cardinal in 1886 by Pope Leo XIII—only the second American to be so honored.  As Archbishop, he presided over the third plenary council of Baltimore in 1884, which begot the Baltimore Catechism, encouraged Catholic schools in each parish, established the Catholic University of America, and set six Holy Days of Obligation.  He supported the right of workers to form unions and convinced the Vatican not to condemn one of the first U.S. labor unions.  He also promoted, like Archbishop Carroll, a Church based on American ideals, rather than the European cultures of new immigrants.  Gibbons authored many books, including Faith of Our Fathers, a defense of the American Catholic Faith, and was recognized by political leaders and many Americans to be the most prominent American Catholic of his time.  He died in 1921.  During his over 50 years as a bishop, he ordained almost 2,500 priests and consecrated 23 bishops.

Michael J. Curley (1879-1947), Archbishop of Baltimore (1921-1939) and the first and only Archbishop of Baltimore and Washington (1939-1947). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida, in 1904.
• Also served as Bishop of St. Augustine, Florida (1914-1921).

At the time of his appointment, Curley was the youngest U.S. archbishop.  Curley worked to strengthen Catholic education in the Archdiocese—he built 66 new schools—and emphasized the work of Catholic societies, such as the Knights of Columbus, the Holy Name Society, and the Catholic Daughters of America.  Curley was an early and ardent foe of communism and anti-Semitism, which at the time were often linked, as well as revolutions in Spain and Mexico, which he viewed as anti-Catholic.  He worked with labor unions to educate members on Catholic social teaching to offset any Communist influence.  He was an ardent defender of the Church and did not hesitate to take on other bishops.  Pope Pius XII created the Archdiocese of Washington in 1939—territory that had previously belonged to the Archdiocese of Baltimore.  Curley was named to head both archdioceses, which he did until his death from a stroke in 1947.

Francis P. Keough (1890-1961), Archbishop of Baltimore (1947-1961). 

• Born in Connecticut and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1916.
• Also served as Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island (1934-1947).

Keough approved the construction of homes for the elderly and orphans, as well as oversaw the building of new suburban parishes.  He dedicated the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in 1959.  He also expanded the activities of the Catholic Youth Organization and the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.  He was a leader in the U.S. Bishops’ condemnation of racial discrimination in 1958.  Poor health burdened him for the last seven years of his life which ended in 1961.

Lawrence J. Shehan (1898-1984), Archbishop of Baltimore (1961-1974). 

• 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 first Bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut (1953-1961).

Shehan was very active in the Second Vatican Council which led to his being named a Cardinal in 1965.  He implemented the changes from the Second Vatican Council, sought to improve relations with other Christian faiths, and sought greater involvement from the laity.  He was active in the Civil Rights movement—he participated in the 1963 March on Washington—and worked to end discrimination in Catholic institutions within the Archdiocese.  He also opposed the Vietnam War.  He retired in 1974.

William D. Borders (1913-2010), Archbishop of Baltimore (1974-1989). 

• Born in Indiana and ordained a priest in 1940 for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
• Also served as the first Bishop of Orlando, Florida (1968-1974).

Borders earned a Bronze Star for Valor as a World War II chaplain.  Archbishop Borders worked to improve the administration of the Archdiocese and served in several key positions with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.  He also established lay pastoral councils at the parish and archdiocesan levels and advocated for a greater role for women in church leadership.  Although he opposed gay rights legislation, he started a ministry for gay Catholics.  He retired in 1989.

William H. Keeler (1931-    ), Archbishop of Baltimore (1989-2007). 

• Born in Texas, raised in Pennsylvania, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1955.
• Also served as Bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (1983-1989).

Keeler, who was named a Cardinal in 1994, worked to improve bonds with members of other faiths and was a leader in promoting dialogue between Catholics and Jews.  He also promoted pro-life activities, evangelization, and Catholic education.  He started a program to help poor children receive a Catholic education through corporate donations and he started an annual fundraising appeal for the Archdiocese.  He served one term as President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United States Catholic Conference.  He retired in 2007.

Edwin F. O’Brien (1939-    ), Archbishop of Baltimore (2007-2011).

• Born in New York City and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York in 1965.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of New York (1996-1997), Archbishop for the Military Services (1997-2007), and serves as the Grand Master of the Equestrian (Knights) Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher in Rome.

Archbishop O’Brien promoted vocations and sought to help all Catholics—current and former—to deepen their Faith.  Disturbed by a decline in Catholic school enrollment, O’Brien developed a long-term strategy to reverse the trend and to insure that Catholic schools provide a quality education.  He frequently spoke out against abortion and capital punishment.  He also supported the 2002 war in Iraq under the “just war” theory.  O’Brien was named as the Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order (Knights) of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 2011 and was named a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. 

Current Archbishop 

William E. Lori was appointed Archbishop of Baltimore by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.  He was born in Kentucky in 1951 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Washington in 1977.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Washington (1995-2001) and Bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut (2001-2012).  He has served since 2005 as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.

The Cathedrals

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

409 Cathedral Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

The Basilica is named for Mary, the mother of Jesus, and therefore, the Mother of God.  From the earliest days of the Church, Christians believed that Mary, upon her death, was assumed body and soul into Heaven by her Son.  This belief was formalized in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, who declared that the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was a dogma of the Catholic Faith.  The Feast of the Assumption is celebrated on August 15. 

Almighty and everlasting God, You have taken up body and soul into the heavenly glory the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Your Son: Grant, we beseech You, that, ever intent upon heavenly things, we may be worthy to be partakers of her glory. Through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen. 

John Carroll was elected the nation’s first Bishop in 1789 and he selected St. Peter’s to be his first Cathedral.  He had no choice—it was the only Catholic church in Baltimore at the time.  [St. Peter’s was closed in 1841 and was later torn down.  There is now a parking garage on the site—to the right of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.  A new St. Peter’s church was built in 1842 a few blocks west of downtown.  The building is now a Protestant church.]  Bishop Carroll, who became the nation’s first Archbishop in 1808, soon began plans for a new cathedral that would be a source of pride to Catholics.  He selected a site on a hill overlooking downtown Baltimore to build his cathedral and he hired Benjamin Latrobe, Architect of the U.S. Capitol, to design it.  Construction began in 1806 and stopped in 1810 due to funding problems.  The War of 1812 prevented the resumption of construction until 1817.  The building was completed in 1821—six years after Carroll’s death.  The Basilica is considered the Mother Church of Roman Catholicism in the United States and is the first Metropolitan Cathedral in the United States.  St. Peter’s was replaced as the Cathedral church by the Cathedral of the Assumption when it was completed in 1821.

Source is the Basilica website

Latrobe designed a neo-classical cross-shaped building made from sandstone, brick, and granite.  The portico has fluted ionic columns and the Basilica is topped with a dome and twin towers that rise 120 feet above the street.  The interior, renovated in 2006, is dominated by pale yellow, blue, and rose colors.  Natural light is provided by large windows and by 24 skylights in the 72-foot diameter dome.  Paintings of the Assumption, Ascension, and the Transfiguration occupy saucer domes in the ceiling.  Statues and paintings grace the Basilica’s walls as do the Stations of the Cross, donated in 1878.  The pipe organ was built by Hilborne Roosevelt in 1884 and has over 2400 pipes, with 40 stops and 45 ranks.  The Basilica is considered one of the finest examples of neo-classical architecture in the world.  At the time of its construction, it and the U.S. Capitol were considered the only architecturally sophisticated buildings in the United States.

Both pictures were taken by me.

The Basilica is the most historic cathedral in the United States.  From 1808 to 1846, the Archbishop of Baltimore was the only person of that rank in the United States.  Thus many of the nation’s first bishops were consecrated in the Basilica.  Ten councils of U.S. bishops met here in the 19^th Century to guide a growing American Church.  [The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884, for example, begot the Baltimore Catechism, encouraged Catholic schools in each parish, established the Catholic University of America, and set six days as Holy Days of Obligation.]  The Basilica has been visited by kings, at least one President (Andrew Johnson), and one Pope (John Paul II).  More importantly, a dozen people who have since been canonized or are being considered for canonization have worshipped in the Basilica.  The church was made the fourth U.S. minor basilica in 1937—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—a National Landmark in 1972, and a National Shrine in 1993.

The top picture is by me and the second is from the Basilica website.

Additional information about the Basilica, including a tour, can be found on the website at baltimorebasilica.org.  Also see the Archdiocesan website at archbalt.org.  The Cathedral is located in downtown Baltimore and has four weekend masses to serve 375 parish families.

Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
5200 N Charles St
Baltimore, Maryland 21210

The Cathedral is dedicated to Mary as our Queen.  Jesus honors his Mother with the title of Queen of heaven and of earth—of the angels, the saints, and all living people.  The Queenship of Mary is celebrated on August 22.

Queen of heaven, rejoice. Alleluia. The Son whom you were privileged to bear, Alleluia, has risen as he said, Alleluia. Pray to God for us, Alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, Virgin Mary, Alleluia. For the Lord has truly risen, Alleluia.  O God, it was by the Resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that you brought joy to the world. Grant that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his Mother, we may attain the joy of eternal life. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Thomas O’Neill was a wealthy Baltimore merchant who upon his death in 1919 left the Archdiocese a bequest of $20 million to build a new cathedral and other buildings.  Cardinal James Gibbons and his successor, Michael Curley, did not act on the portion of the bequest related to the cathedral.  Francis Keough, who became Archbishop in 1947, took action to build a new cathedral.  Construction began in 1954 and was completed in 1959.  The Cathedral was designed by the Boston firm of McGinnis, Walsh and Kennedy.

Both pictures were taken by me.

The Cathedral is a modified Gothic contemporary design and is made from limestone, granite, and brick—no structural steel was used in construction.  Twin towers rise 134 feet and are topped with 29-foot metal spires.  The main entrance to the Cathedral features a sculpture of Christ the Risen King of the Universe flanked by angels and the Apostles.  Above the doors is a statute of Mary with stone panels depicting the Nativity and the Assumption.  The nave of the Cathedral alone has 398 stained glass windows and 385 sculpted stone panels mostly depicting biblical themes or the lives of the saints.  The Cathedral seats 1,900 and has 13 altars.  There are side chapels dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament, Our Blessed Mother, and Saint Joseph.  There is also a Baptistery and a Thomas O’Neill Memorial Chapel.  The sculpted stone Stations of the Cross were done by Theodore Barbarossa.  The Cathedral features two pipe organs designed by the Moller Company—the gallery organ has over 5,600 pipes and the sanctuary organ has over 1,600 pipes.

All pictures are by me.

Additional information about the Cathedral can be found on its website at cathedralofmary.org.  The Cathedral is located four miles north of downtown Baltimore and has four weekend masses to serve 2,000 parish families.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of 425.

Also located in the Archdiocese is a second basilica—the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, MD.  Built in 1965 to serve as a chapel for her religious order, the building was rededicated to serve as the national shrine for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.  Mother Seton founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s in Emmitsburg in 1809 and was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975.  She is buried in the shrine, which was designated a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1991. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.   For addition information, see the Basilica’s website at setonheritage.org.

All pictures were taken by me.

This blog is about cathedrals and basilicas, but I am making an exception.  If you are visiting the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore, then walk just a couple of blocks to see a stunning and historic church.  The National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori is on Saratoga Street.  The church was built in 1845 in a Southern German neo-Gothic Style and initially served a German community and served as a provincial headquarters for the Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers.  A unique feature of the church is that it had one pastor—John Neumann—who is a canonized saint, and another—Francis X. Seelos, who has been beatified.  St. Alphonsus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  There are video tours on the parish website, stalphonsusbalt.org.

All pictures are from the parish website, except the last two which are from the internet.

Virginia

Catholic History of Virginia 

Spanish explorers led by Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon established a colony (Guandape) on the James River in what is now Virginia in 1526.  Dominican priests were part of the expedition and one of them, Father Antonio de Montesinos, celebrated the first Mass in Virginia in a primitive chapel.  This colony was abandoned a year later.  In 1570, a group of Jesuits (two priests, three brothers, and three novices) established a mission on the James River.  Accompanied by a native guide, Don Luis, who had lived in Spain for 10 years and who had become Catholic, the Jesuits sought to evangelize among the native people.  Their guide, however, abandoned them and the Faith and went back to his people.  Don Luis eventually took several wives.  Told by the Jesuits that this was against Christian teachings, Don Luis and others killed all eight Jesuits in 1571.  These Jesuits are now known as the Martyrs of Virginia and are declared Servants of God—the first step toward canonization.  The Spanish attempted a colony on the Rappahannock River in 1570 but it lasted only a brief time.  The English established their Virginia colony at Jamestown in 1607 and the few Catholics that lived in Virginia during the Colonial period were not allowed to practice their Faith openly.

After the American Revolution, Catholics were allowed to worship freely, but there were only a few hundred Catholics living in Virginia in 1785.  Father Jean Dubois, who later became Bishop of New York, visited Richmond in 1791 and said Mass in the State Capitol—the first Mass celebrated in Richmond.  Dubois also visited St. Patrick’s parish (now known as the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception) in Norfolk that same year.  St. Mary’s Church in Alexandria was established in 1795 with the help of George Washington.  Pope Pius VII created the Diocese of Richmond in 1820 which included all of Virginia (including what is now West Virginia).  Catholics at that time were mainly found in Richmond, Norfolk, and the eastern panhandle of what is now West Virginia.  Alexandria was still part of the District of Columbia at that time and did not become part of the Diocese of Richmond until 1858.  Many of the western counties of Virginia became the Diocese of Wheeling in 1850.  Pope Pius VI created the Diocese of Arlington in 1974 at which time all of Virginia was divided between the Dioceses of Richmond and Arlington.

Diocese of Richmond

The diocese consists of 74 counties in Virginia.  The diocese has 234,000 Catholics (5 percent of the total population) in 143 parishes.

Bishops of Richmond

Patrick Kelly (1779-1829), first Bishop of Richmond (1820-1822). 

·         Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1802.

·         Served as the first Bishop of Richmond (1820-1822) and Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in Ireland from 1822 to 1829.

·         Came to Norfolk in 1821, but returned to Ireland in 1822.

Patrick Kelly, a seminary rector in Ireland, was appointed by Pope Pius VII to be the first Bishop of Richmond in 1820.  He arrived in Norfolk the following year, but found a Diocese that could not support a bishop.  He supported himself by operating a school, but returned to Ireland in 1822 having never come to Richmond.

From 1822 until 1841, the Diocese of Richmond was administered directly by the Archbishop of Baltimore.  In 1822 a report showed about 1,000 Catholics in Virginia, mostly in Norfolk (mostly Irish shipyard workers), Richmond (mostly French), and around Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry.  Irish and Germans laborers settled in Richmond in the 1830s and St. Peter’s Church was established there in 1834.

Richard V. Whelan (1809-1874), Bishop of Richmond (1841-1850). 

• Born in Maryland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Richmond in 1831.
• Also served as the first Bishop of Wheeling (1850-1874).

Whelan became the second Bishop of Richmond at the age of 32 and had only six priests to serve his large Diocese.  He established a seminary near Richmond, but it soon closed.  He recruited Irish priests to work with the Irish railroad workers at Harpers Ferry and in the Shenandoah Valley and he also sought clergy from other European nations.  He also established several churches and schools.  He moved to Wheeling in 1846 to minister to Irish and Italian railroad workers and was named the first Bishop of Wheeling (then Virginia, now West Virginia) in 1850.

John McGill (1809-1872), Bishop of Richmond (1850-1872). 

• Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bardstown, Kentucky, in 1835.

McGill’s Diocese consisted of 7,000 Catholics, 10 churches, and 8 priests.  The Diocese was able to avoid the strong anti-immigrant movement that terrorized Catholics elsewhere—Virginia had few immigrants.  There was anti-Catholic sentiment, but it was somewhat minimized by the actions of Catholic nuns who nursed victims of yellow fever and cholera epidemics.  Bishop McGill served as bishop during the Civil War—when Richmond was the Capital of the Confederate States—and defended Virginia’s secession from the Union.  He recruited European priests to serve the Diocese and brought in religious sisters to open schools and a hospital.  He died in 1872.

James Gibbons (1834-1921), Bishop of Richmond (1872-1877). 

• Born in Baltimore, lived in Ireland from 1837 to 1853, ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1861.
• Also served as vicariate apostolic of North Carolina (1868-1872) and Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921).  He was named a cardinal in 1886 by Pope Leo XIII.

Bishop Gibbons authored Faith of Our Fathers, a popular defense of the American Catholic Faith, in 1876.  He also started a ministry to African-Americans.  He opposed realignment of his Diocese and the Diocese of Wheeling along state lines.  He was appointed Archbishop of Baltimore in 1877 and later became the nation’s second Cardinal.

John J. Keane (1839-1918), Bishop of Richmond (1878-1888). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1866.
• Also served as the first rector of The Catholic University (1888-1897), and Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa (1900-1911).

Bishop Keane strengthened his clergy through periodic meetings and promoted parish missions for the laity.  He supported the right of workers to form unions, and was a leader, along with Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop John Ireland of St. Paul, in wanting the U.S. Catholic church to reflect American culture, rather than the cultures of the European immigrants.  Despite opposition, Keane invited the Josephite Fathers to serve African-American Catholics.  He frequently spoke to Protestant groups in Virginia thus lessening prejudice against Catholics.  He was named the first rector of The Catholic University of America in 1888.

Augustine Van de Vyver (1844-1911), Bishop of Richmond (1889-1911). 

• Born in Belgium and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Richmond in 1870.

Bishop Van De Vyver founded 12 parishes and built 32 churches, including the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.  He expanded the work of the Josephites and also invited Mother Katherine Drexel to build high schools for African-Americans.  He built other schools as well.  He submitted his resignation in 1908, but withdrew it upon the petition of his clergy and the people of the Diocese.  He died in 1911.

Denis J. O’Connell (1849-1927), Bishop of Richmond (1912-1926). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Richmond in 1877.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of San Francisco (1908-1912).

Bishop O’Connell oversaw an increase in the Catholic population during World War I due to new military installations at Norfolk and near Washington.  He also opposed the rising popularity of the anti-Catholic Ku Klux Klan and found support from Virginia Protestants in that effort.  He resigned as Bishop in 1926 due to poor health.

Andrew J. Brennan (1877-1956), Bishop of Richmond (1926-1945). 

• Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1904.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania (1923-1926).

Brennan opened an orphanage for girls and established Catholic Charities in the Diocese, but suffered a severe stroke in 1934.  He turned over his duties to Peter Ireton, appointed coadjutor bishop in 1935, even though Brennan officially remained Bishop until 1945.

Peter L. Ireton (1882-1958), Bishop of Richmond (1945-1958). 

• Born in Maryland and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1906.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop and apostolic administrator of Richmond (1935-1945).

Bishop Ireton administered the Diocese for ten years before beginning his own tenure in 1945 upon the death of Bishop Brennan.  Bishop Ireton oversaw growth in the Catholic population of over 300 percent, especially in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater area.  As a result, Ireton established 42 parishes and built 24 schools.  He encouraged improved race relations and established new parishes for African-Americans.  He also worked to improve relations with Protestants and Jews.  He died in 1958.

John J. Russell (1897-1993), Bishop of Richmond (1958-1973). 

• Born in Maryland and ordained a priest for Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1923.
• Also served as Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina (1950-1958).

Bishop Russell implemented the degrees of the Second Vatican Council, including the establishment of an ecumenical commission (the second in the United States), a Diocesan pastoral council and a priest’s council.  He also sought to improve race relations and publically supported the 1965 March on Selma, Alabama, but he also closed some African-American parishes in the spirit of integration.  He retired in 1973.

Walter F. Sullivan (1928-2012), Bishop of Richmond (1974-2003). 

• Born in Washington, D.C., and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Richmond in 1953.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Richmond (1970-1974).

Sullivan was appointed the 11^th Bishop of Richmond in 1974, the same year that Virginia was divided into the Dioceses of Richmond and Arlington.  Bishop Sullivan was known for progressive positions on war—he was elected Bishop-President of Pax Christi USA, a Catholic organization that promotes peace, in 1991—and ministering to gays and lesbians.  He spoke out against the death penalty and sought to improve relationships with other faith traditions.  He gave women a greater voice in the Church, was personally involved in prison ministry, and worked to improve the lives of the poor in Appalachia.  He retired in 2003.

Current Bishop 

Francis X. DiLorenzo was appointed Bishop of Richmond by Pope John Paul II in 2004.  He was born in Philadelphia in 1942 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1968.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania (1988-1993), apostolic administrator of Honolulu (1993), and Bishop of Honolulu (1994-2004).

Bishop DiLorenzo died in 2017.  Barry C. Knestout was appointed Bishop of Richmond by Pope Francis in 2017.  He was born in Maryland in 1962 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Washington in 1989.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Washington (2008-2017).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

823 Park Avenue

Richmond, Virginia  23220

St. John Eudes was a 17^th Century French priest who preached the loving nature of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Later in the same century, a French nun, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had visions of Jesus revealing that his Sacred Heart was filled with love and mercy for all people.  The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the Friday after the second Sunday after Pentecost.  Many Catholics also show devotion to the Sacred Heart by attending Mass and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ on the first Friday of each month.

O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of (here name your request). Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

When Richard Whelan became the first resident Bishop of Richmond in 1841, he took St. Peter’s Church in downtown Richmond to be his Cathedral—it had been built in 1834 and was the only Catholic church in Richmond.  (St. Peter’s is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.)

 From the parish website

Bishop John McGill purchased land for the current cathedral in 1867 for $5,000.  The new cathedral, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, opened in 1906.  The Cathedral was designed by New York architect Joseph H. McGuire in the Italian Renaissance Revival style. The building is constructed of Virginia granite and Indiana limestone with a 96-foot copper dome and tile roof.

Top is by NJ Conway and the bottom by me.

The interior is supported by 32-foot high arched Corinthian columns.  The Cathedral has four stained-glass windows on each side of the nave that were designed by Francis and Pierre Chigot of France in 1956.  More than 40 other stained-glass windows, many by the Chigots, add beauty to the Cathedral.  These windows depict Christ, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Blessed Mother, saints, the Eucharist, and the Beatitudes.  The Stations of the Cross are bronzed plaques.  There are four chapels dedicated to the Sacred Heart, the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and St. Vincent de Paul.  The Cathedral pipe organ has 3,899 pipes.  The Cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The 61-bell Cathedral Carillon was made by Van Bergen Foundries of South Carolina in 1995 and was a gift from former Bishop Walter Sullivan, to celebrated of the 175th Anniversary of the Diocese of Richmond and the 25th Anniversary of Bishop Sullivan's episcopacy.

All pictures by me.

Additional information can be found at richmondcathedral.org, the Cathedral website, and on richmonddiocese.org, the Diocesan website.  The Cathedral is located less than a mile northwest of downtown Richmond and has four weekend masses to serve 1300 parish families.

Also located in the Diocese of Richmond is the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk.  This church was established as St. Patrick’s parish in 1791—the first in the Diocese of Richmond—and in its early years served a mostly French and Irish congregation.  The current church was built in 1858 (to replace a church burned by a group of anti-Catholics) and was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary—the first church so dedicated after Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.  By 1961, St. Mary’s had become an African-American parish.  Pope John Paul II designated as a minor basilica in 1991.  It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  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 first picture is from the parish website and the second from Wikipedia.

Diocese of Arlington

The diocese consists of 21 counties in northern Virginia.  The diocese has 458,000 Catholics (15 percent of the total population) in 69 parishes.

Bishops of Arlington

Thomas J. Welsh (1921-2009), first Bishop of Arlington (1974-1983). 

• Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1946.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia (1970-1974) and Bishop of Allentown, Pennsylvania (1983-1997).

The Diocese had 136,000 Catholics in 49 parishes at its founding and grew quickly. Bishop Welsh established six new parishes and improved educational opportunities in the Diocese through the establishment of new schools—Catholic school enrollment increased 20 percent. He also established a diocesan newspaper and an Office of Migration and Refugee Services. He helped establish Christendom College in Front Royal and Catholic Distance University, an online university for Catholic studies. He was appointed Bishop of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1983.

John R. Keating (1934-1998), Bishop of Arlington (1983-1998).

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1958.

Bishop Keating was extraordinarily successful in encouraging priestly ordinations with 84 in 15 years. He also created of 8 new parishes and built many new churches and schools to serve the growing Diocese—from just over 180,000 Catholics in 1983 to 336,000 in 1998. He was noted for being one of two U.S. bishops to not allow female altar servers. He died of a heart attack while visiting Rome in 1998.

Paul S. Loverde (1940-    ), Bishop of Arlington (1999-2016).

• Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, in 1965.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Hartford, Connecticut (1988-1993) and Bishop of Ogdensburg, New York (1993-1999).

Bishop Loverde was very successful in promoting vocations.  He ordained dozens of men to the priesthood and reinstated the permanent diaconate program.  He established a development campaign and opened new parishes to meet the demand from increased population growth.  Unlike the first two Bishops of Arlington, Loverde allowed female altar servers at the discretion of each parish’s pastor.  He also welcomed religious orders to serve in the Diocese.

Current Bishop 

Michael F. Burbidge was appointed Bishop of Arlington by Pope Francis in 2016.  He was born in Pennsylvania in 1957 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1984.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia (2002-2006) and Bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina (2006-2016).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Thomas More
3901 Cathedral Lane
Arlington, Virginia 22203

Thomas More achieved much in life and attained a martyr’s crown in heaven.  His intelligence and integrity brought him to the attention of the English king, Henry VIII.  Henry appointed Thomas as his Lord Chancellor in 1529.  Henry’s establishment of the Church of England broke Thomas’ loyalty to his king, as Thomas was a pious Catholic.  His beliefs led to his beheading in London in 1535.  He is the patron saint of lawyers and politicians and his feast is June 22.

Thomas More, counselor of law and statesman of integrity, merry martyr and most human of saints:  Pray that, for the glory of God and in the pursuit of His justice, I may be trustworthy with confidences, keen in study, accurate in analysis, correct in conclusion, able in argument, loyal to clients, honest with all, courteous to adversaries, ever attentive to conscience. Sit with me at my desk and listen with me to my clients' tales. Read with me in my library and stand always beside me so that today I shall not, to win a point, lose my soul. Pray that my family may find in me what yours found in you: friendship and courage, cheerfulness and charity, diligence in duties, counsel in adversity, patience in pain—their good servant, and God's first. Amen.

St. Thomas More parish was founded in 1938—the third parish in Arlington.  The parish met in the school until the first church building was completed in 1950.  The current church was completed in 1961 and became the Cathedral for the Diocese of Arlington in 1974.

The top picture is from the Cathedral website, the middle was taken by me, and the bottom by Wikipedia.

The Cathedral has a modern design and is constructed with red bricks and marble.  A dome sits atop the Cathedral and the bell tower contains six bells.  Inside, 1,500 people can have unobstructed views of the altar.  The Cathedral also features several tall and thin stained glass windows.  A Newcomer pipe organ was installed in 1981.

All are by me.

Additional information can be found on the Cathedral website cathedralstm.org and the Diocesan website arlingtondiocese.org.  The Cathedral rises above Arlington Boulevard in central Arlington and has six weekend masses, including one in Spanish, to serve 2,500 parish families.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of over 300.

West Virginia

Catholic History of West Virginia 

The first Mass in what is now West Virginia was likely said by Father Joseph de Bonnecamps, who accompanied the French explorer Celeron de Blainville to the area near present day Wheeling and Point Pleasant in 1749.  By 1830, the northwestern counties of Virginia had a population of about 177,000, and Catholic churches had been established in Wheeling, Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, and Harpers Ferry.  Pope Pius IX split the State of Virginia into two dioceses in 1850—the Diocese of Richmond that had been created in 1820 and the newly established Diocese of Wheeling.  The northwestern counties did not agree with Virginia’s decision to secede from the United States and in 1863 formed the new state of West Virginia, with Wheeling as the capital—Charleston became the capital in 1885.

Diocesan boundaries in 1863 did not correspond to state boundaries.  Some of the southwestern counties of Virginia were part of the Diocese of Wheeling and some counties of West Virginia—notably the Eastern Panhandle—were part of the Diocese of Richmond.  This did not change until 1974, when the name of the Wheeling diocese was changed to the Diocese of Wheeling and Charleston, the boundaries of the Diocese became the same as the State of West Virginia, and Sacred Heart Church in Charleston was designated Co-Cathedral for the Diocese.

Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

The diocese consists of the State of West Virginia.  The diocese has 73,000 Catholics (4 percent of the total population) in 110 parishes.

Bishops of Wheeling

Richard V. Whelan (1809-1874), first Bishop of Wheeling (1850-1874). 

• Born in Maryland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Richmond in 1831.
• Also served as Bishop of Richmond (1841-1850).

Richard Whelan had served as Bishop of Richmond since 1841, but had lived in Wheeling since 1846.  Bishop Whelan found a Diocese of 5,000 Catholics in four churches (in Wheeling, Weston, Wytheville, and Summersville) served by six priests.  He established the first Catholic cemeteries (including Mount Calvary) and Wheeling Hospital and oversaw the construction of several new churches, including St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Wheeling and St. John the Evangelist Chapel in Sweet Springs, the oldest standing church in the Diocese (1859).  West Virginia became a State in 1863, although some West Virginia counties remained in the Diocese of Richmond and some Virginia counties were part of the Diocese of Wheeling.  Whelan oversaw an increase in the Diocese in the number of Catholics (5,000 to 18,000), churches (4 to 45), and priests (6 to 29).  He died in 1874.

John J. Kain (1841-1903), Bishop of Wheeling (1875-1893). 

• Born in Virginia and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wheeling in 1866.
• Also served as coadjutor Archbishop of St. Louis (1893-1895), and Archbishop of St. Louis (1895-1903).

Bishop Kain was only 34 and was the youngest U.S. bishop at the time of his appointment.  He built a chapel in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, in which are entombed four Bishops of Wheeling.  Kain sought to address the Diocese’s debt resulting from its rapid expansion.  He also started a fund to care for elderly priests and opened two orphanages.  He was appointed coadjutor Archbishop of St. Louis in 1893 and became Archbishop of St. Louis two years later.

Patrick J. Donahue (1849-1922), Bishop of Wheeling (1894-1922). 

• Born in England and earned a law degree prior to being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1885.

During Donahue’s time as Bishop, the number of Catholics grew from 20,000 to 62,000 and he established 150 new parishes and missions, as well as hospitals in Parkersburg, Charleston, Richwood, and Buckhannon, and established the diocese’s first monthly newspaper in 1895.  He also brought in religious orders of priests, brothers, and nuns, to serve the Catholic immigrants coming to West Virginia coal mines and other industries.  He died in 1922.

John J. Swint (1879-1962), Bishop of Wheeling (1922-1962). 

• Born in Pickens, West Virginia, and ordained a priest in 1904 for the Diocese of Wheeling.

Bishop Swint established many organizations within the Diocese, including Catholic Charities, homes for orphans and the aged, three new hospitals (not counting six others purchased or enlarged), a weekly diocesan newspaper—the West Virginia Register (the name was later changed to the Catholic Spirit)—and the first non-profit nursing facility in West Virginia.  He also appointed the first superintendent for Diocesan schools, dedicated the new St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Wheeling in 1926, and established Wheeling College in 1954.  He built 101 churches and more than three dozen schools.  He was also a noted preacher.  He was named by Pope Pius XII to be an honorary Archbishop in 1954.  He died in 1962 and was one of 19 U.S. bishops to serve 40 or more years as bishop of a single diocese.

Bishops of Wheeling-Charleston

Joseph H. Hodges (1911-1985), Bishop of Wheeling (1962-1974) and first Bishop of Wheeling and Charleston (1974-1985). 

• Born in Harpers Ferry and ordained a priest in 1935 for the Diocese of Richmond.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Richmond (1952-1962) and coadjutor bishop of Wheeling (1962).

Hodges, who had briefly served as coadjutor bishop for the Diocese, became Bishop upon the death of Archbishop Swint.  Bishop Hodges made several changes as a result of the Second Vatican Council, including a mandate that parish councils be established throughout the diocese, the appointment of the first lay extraordinary ministers, and the creation of advisory councils for nuns and the laity.  He created several new Diocesan offices, including a vocations directorate and a pro-life office.  He worked to improve Catholic outreach to rural residents and to strengthen relations with other Christian churches.  He was a strong advocate for social justice for the people of Appalachia.  He became the first Bishop of Wheeling and Charleston in 1974 at which time the Diocesan boundaries became the same as those of West Virginia.  He died in 1985.

Francis B. Schulte (1926-2016), Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston (1985-1988). 

• Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest in 1952 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia (1981-1985) and Archbishop of New Orleans (1988-2002).

Bishop Schulte restructured diocesan services and worked closely with leaders of other Christian denominations.  He also appointed the first lay superintendent of Diocesan schools prior to being named Archbishop of New Orleans in 1988.

Bernard W. Schmitt (1928-2011), Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston (1989-2004). 

• Born in Wheeling and ordained a priest in 1955 for the Diocese of Wheeling.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Wheeling and Charleston (1988-1989).

Bishop Schmitt led the Ninth Diocesan Synod to plan for the future of the Diocese.  He also established a commission for persons with disabilities, a rural ministry conference, and the West Virginia Catholic Foundation—an endowment program for Catholic institutions and organizations.  He wrote a pastoral letter on marriage and began the Gabriel Project to help women with unwanted pregnancies.  He retired in 2004.

Current Bishop 

Michael J. Bransfield was appointed Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston by Pope John Paul II in 2004.  He was born in Philadelphia in 1943 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1971.  He previously served as director of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington (1986-2004).

The Cathedrals

Cathedral of St. Joseph

13^th and Eoff Streets

Wheeling, West Virginia  26003

St. Joseph was 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.

O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that, having engaged here below your Heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.

The first parish in Wheeling—St. James—was established in 1828.  The church was a small structure located at Eleventh and Chapline Streets.  A second St. James church was built on the site of the current Cathedral in 1849 and the following year became the Cathedral for the newly established Diocese of Wheeling.  Bishop Richard Whelan, who was the Bishop of Richmond during construction of the church, is credited with designing the church and supervising construction.  He even went so far as to climb to the top of the steeple—200 feet above the ground—to install the cross.  The building was constructed of brick and white sandstone and measured 150 feet by 80 feet.  The name of the Cathedral was changed in 1872 to honor St. Joseph apparently because no one could remember whether the Cathedral was named for St. James the Greater or St. James the Less.

The old Cathedral was torn down in 1923 after it had been damaged by fire.  Construction of the current Cathedral of St. Joseph was completed in 1926.  It was designed in the Lombard Romanesque style by Edward J. Weber of Pittsburgh.  The structure, which cost about $500,000 to construct, is made of Indiana limestone, measures 198 feet in length, and features a dome that rises 148 feet from the ground.  The bell tower has three bells, the largest of which weighs 2,000 pounds.  The Cathedral seats about 600 people.

Source is the Diocesan website.

The entrance of the Cathedral has many stone carvings by Frank Aretz of Pittsburgh.  A statue of St. Joseph is above the entrance.  Three arches above the doors feature Jesus Christ, the Blessed Mother, St. John the Baptist, the Twelve Apostles, and symbols of seven sacraments and gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The rose window features the four evangelists.

The Cathedral’s stained glass windows were designed by George Sotter of Pennsylvania.  The windows show scenes from the life of St. Joseph and of Old Testament prophets.  The dome windows are Griesaille glass and show the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Urial, and Raphael.  Frescos were designed and executed by Felix Lieftuchter of Cincinnati and feature angels and saints.  A marble altar baldachin rises above the former altar--the main altar is now under the dome.  A marble, bronze, and copper baptismal font stands near the entrance to the Cathedral and features the names of the four rivers in the Garden of Eden:  Gehon, Phiso, Euphrates, and Tigris.

The Stations of the Cross are were also designed and carved by Frank Aretz and are gilded, high-relief and set in the Cathedral walls.  The pipe organ has 2,896 pipes.  A courtyard was constructed in 1996 and has statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Blessed Mother, and St. Joseph.

The Cathedral website, saintjosephcathedral.com has greater detail about the Cathedral and has wonderful background pictures.  Also see the diocesan website dwc.org.  The Cathedral is located in downtown Wheeling and has three weekend masses to serve 600 parish families.

The first two pictures are from pinterest and the last from the Cathedral website.

Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

1032 Virginia Street, East

Charleston, West Virginia  25302

St. John Eudes was a 17^th Century French priest who preached the loving nature of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Later in the same century, a French nun, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had visions of Jesus revealing that his Sacred Heart was filled with love and mercy for all people.  The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the Friday after the second Sunday after Pentecost.  Many Catholics also show devotion to the Sacred Heart by attending Mass and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ on the first Friday of each month.

O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of (here name your request). Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

Sacred Heart parish was established in 1866 with 63 families and is the oldest of Charleston’s three parishes.  Parishioners originally met in a store and then in a brick building, which served as church and school.  Finally, in 1869, a small wooden church was built where today’s rectory stands.  The current Romanesque Revival building was constructed between 1895 and 1897 and was designed by H.B. Rowe of Lexington, Kentucky.  It became Co-Cathedral for the Diocese in 1974 and was designated a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI 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.  Capuchin priests administered the parish from 1901 to 1980.

The first picture is from the Cathedral website, the other is by me.

The Co-Cathedral has a single 120-foot bell tower with three bells made by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore and installed in 1911.  The main altar is made of marble and on either side are statues of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.  The sanctuary ceiling is a painting by John Baker.  The stained glass windows depict saints and were made in Munich, Germany, in 1909.  The Stations of the Cross were installed in 1916.  The Schantz pipe organ has a three-manual console and 3,000 pipes.  There is also a statue of a pregnant Virgin Mary, but I do not know the story behind it.

 All of these pictures were taken by me.

The Meditation Gardens outside the Cathedral feature bronze statues of the Annunciation and the Tree of Life with the Crucified Christ designed by John Collier and installed in 2008. 

The Cathedral is located in downtown Charleston and has five weekend masses to serve 1,000 parish families.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of 400.  The Co-Cathedral’s website is sacredheartcocathedral.com.

Delaware

Catholic History of Delaware

The first European visitor to what is now Delaware was likely Henry Hudson, of the Dutch East India Company, who sailed into Delaware Bay in 1609.  Early colonists in the territory tended to be Dutch or Swedish, but there were small Catholic communities near Middletown and at Willow Grove by the mid-1700s.  Those few Catholics were served periodically by Jesuit priests from St. Xavier Mission in Cecil County, Maryland.  The first Catholic Church in Delaware was built by a Jesuit priest from the Mission, Father Matthew Sittensperger (also known as Matthew Manners), at Coffee Run, 1775.  The successor to this church is St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Hockessin.

Father Patrick Kenny became pastor of St. Mary’s in 1805, and in 1816, he built the Delaware’s second Catholic church—St. Peter’s in Wilmington.  This church became the cathedral of the Diocese of Wilmington when it was created in 1868.  Immigrants from Ireland and Haiti had come to Wilmington starting in the late 1700s.  The 19^th Century would see large numbers of immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Poland, and Italy.

Diocese of Wilmington

 The diocese consists of Delaware and 9 counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  The diocese has 243,000 Catholics (18 percent of the total population) in 57 parishes. 

Bishops of Wilmington

Thomas A. Becker (1832-1899), first Bishop of Wilmington (1868-1886). 

• Born in Pittsburgh, converted to Catholicism in 1853, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Richmond in 1859.  He was born as Thomas Baker, but was required by his Protestant parents to change his last name after his conversion to Catholicism.
• Also served as Bishop of Savanna, Georgia (1886-1899).

Becker had only been a Catholic for 15 years at the time of his appointment and had been arrested by the Union during the Civil War because of his pro-secessionist sympathies.  His new Diocese had 18 churches and 8 priests.  Becker greatly increased the number of churches (especially in rural areas), schools, and priests and was noted for his writing and speaking abilities.  He was one of the first bishops to advocate for a national Catholic university and defended the Faith against accusations made by the Episcopal bishop of Wilmington.  He was an early defender of workers’ rights.  Becker was named Bishop of Savanna, Georgia in 1886. 

Alfred A. Curtis (1831-1908), Bishop of Wilmington (1886-1896). 

·         Born in Maryland, converted to Catholicism in 1872, and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1874. 

Bishop Curtis had only been a Catholic for 14 years at the time of his appointment.  He invited members of the Benedictine, Ursuline, and Visitation orders to serve the people of his diocese.  He was a noted preacher and built several new churches.  He also established a church, school, orphanage, and training school for African-Americans with the help of the Josephite Fathers and Mother Katherine Drexel.  He resigned in 1896 because of poor health.  At that time, there were 22 churches and 18 missions served by 30 priests.

John J. Monaghan (1856-1935), Bishop of Wilmington (1897-1925).

·         Born in South Carolina and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1880. 

Bishop Monaghan created seven new parishes as well as several missions and schools, including the Salesianum School, run by the Oblates of St. Fances de Sales.  He also established St. Francis Hospital (operated by the Sisters of St. Francis of Glen Riddle) and a home for the aged (operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor).  He resigned in 1925 due to poor health. 

Edmond J. FitzMaurice (1881-1962), Bishop of Wilmington (1925-1960). 

·         Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1904. 

Bishop FitzMaurice oversaw a period of great growth in the diocese with the Catholic population more than doubling in 35 years, which triggered the construction of over two dozen new parishes and missions and almost 30 new schools—mostly outside of Wilmington.  He also encouraged the growth of Catholic organizations, such as Catholic Charities, the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Catholic Youth Organization, and the Catholic Television Guild.  Knights of Columbus councils grew from one to ten.  He retired in 1960. 

Michael Hyle (1901-1967), Bishop of Wilmington (1960-1967). 

·         Born in Maryland and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1927.

·         Also served as coadjutor bishop of Wilmington (1958-1960). 

As coadjutor bishop, Hyle became Bishop upon the retirement of Bishop FitzMaurice.  Bishop Hyle attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented its reforms, including the formation of parish councils throughout the diocese.  He also established the diocesan newspaper (the Dialog), and was a leader in the ecumenical and civil rights movements.  He established a development program and opened a Newman Center at the University of Delaware.  He died in 1967. 

Thomas J. Mardaga (1913-1984), Bishop of Wilmington (1968-1984). 

·         Born in Maryland and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore-Washington in 1940.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore (1967-1968). 

Bishop Mardaga continued the implementation of reforms from the Second Vatican Council, such as establishing a lay advisory council and making liturgical reforms.  He also helped form the Delmarva Ecumenical Agency to better work with non-Catholic clergy and established a special ministry for migrant workers.  He improved the Diocese’s public relations efforts and completed the building of St. Mark High School.  He died from cancer in 1984. 

Robert E. Mulvee (1930-    ), Bishop of Wilmington (1985-1995). 

·         Born in Boston and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire in 1957.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire (1977-1985), coadjutor bishop of Providence, Rhode Island (1995-1997), and Bishop of Providence (1997-2005). 

Mulvee helped restructure the Delmarva Ecumenical Agency into the Christian Council of Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore.  He also founded three new missions and one new parish as the number of Catholics grew to 165,000.  He was appointed coadjutor bishop of Providence, Rhode Island, in 1995, and became Bishop two years later. 

Michael A. Saltarelli (1932-2009), Bishop of Wilmington (1995-2008). 

·         Born in New Jersey and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, in 1960.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Newark (1990-1995). 

Bishop Saltarelli established a new Catholic high school in Kent County and worked to serve the growing needs of the Church outside of Wilmington, especially among recent immigrants.  He  established a capital campaign to fund the construction and renovation of church buildings and he opened St. Thomas More High School in Magnolia.  He ordained 23 new priests and 47 permanent deacons and expanded the Hispanic ministry.  He also spoke out on the right-to-life and the need to reach out to inactive Catholics.  He set up the For the Sake of God’s Children program to prevent sexual abuse and he publically released the names of 20 diocesan priests accused of sexual abuse.  He retired in 2008 and the Diocese declared bankruptcy the following year due to claims paid for sexual abuse by Diocesan employees. 

Current Bishop 

W. Francis Malooly was appointed Bishop of Wilmington by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.  He was born in Baltimore in 1944 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1970.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore (2001-2008). 

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Peter

500 N. West Street

Wilmington, Delaware  19801

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.  The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul is celebrated on June 29.

O Holy Apostle, because you are the Rock upon which Almighty God has built His Church, obtain for me I pray you: lively faith, firm hope, and burning love, complete detachment from myself, contempt of the world, patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, recollection in prayer, purity of heart, a right intention in all my works, diligence in fulfilling the duties of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the will of God and perseverance in the grace of God even unto death; that so, by means of your intercession and your glorious merits, I may be made worthy to appear before the Chief and Eternal Shepherd of Souls, Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns forever. Amen. 

St. Peter’s parish was established in 1796 and the current church was completed in 1818 under the direction of Father Patrick Kenny.  The church, designed by Pierre Bauduy, was made of brick and was only about 30 feet wide by 40 feet long.  In 1829, a bell tower was added and the length of the church extended to 60 feet.  The parish initially served a French Haitian and Irish congregation and later served a predominately Italian congregation.  St. Peter’s became the Cathedral church for the new Diocese of Wilmington in 1868 and in the years that followed, additional changes were made including enlargement of the sanctuary, addition of a marble baptistery, installation of stained glass windows, and the addition of a dome.  Structural renovations were undertaken in 1981 and 1991.

Picture is from Wikipedia

Today, St. Peter’s is a Romanesque building made of red brick with distinctive blue doors.  The Cathedral features an Austin organ with 1,532 pipes and a custom-built chancel organ.  The Cathedral also has several beautiful stained glass windows.  The six clerestory windows are thought to be designed in Munich, Germany, by either Franz Xavier Zettler or his pupil, Franz Mayer.  The windows feature events from the life of Christ, including the Wedding Feast at Cana, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Last Supper.  Stained glass in the dome contains several angels watching over the Cathedral.  A shrine to Our Blessed Mother was built in 1981.  Additional details can be found at the Cathedral website at cathedralofstpeter.com and the diocesan website at cdow.org.

The Cathedral is located in downtown Wilmington and has three weekend masses.  The parish school dates to 1830 when St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Daughters of Charity were invited to Wilmington.  The school is now run by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and has 220 elementary students.

All are from the Cathedral webite.