Province of St. Paul and Minneapolis

I have visited all of the cathedrals and basilicas in this province, except for the cathedral in Crookston.  The two cathedrals in the Twin Cities are nothing short of spectacular.  Both have virtual tours on the websites that are worth viewing.  St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls is an unexpected gem.

Pope Leo XIII established the Province of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1888.  The Province consists of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and nine dioceses in the States of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.  The Province has 1.5 million Catholics, 22 percent of the total population.  In 2000, 1.6 million Catholics made up 26 percent of the total population.

Map of the Province 

Minnesota

Catholic History of Minnesota

The first Catholics to come to what is now Minnesota were French fur traders, including Groseilliers, Radisson, and Du Lhut in the mid- to late-17^th century.  Father Louis Hennepin accompanied a party of fur-traders to the Falls of St. Anthony in 1680 (today’s Minneapolis).  Other Frenchmen explored northern Minnesota the same year and the area was claimed by France in 1689.  The French soon established forts on Lake Pepin, one of which, Fort Beauharnois, was established in 1727 near what is now Old Frontenac.  Jesuit missionaries, Michel Guignas and Nicholas de Gonnor, built a small Catholic chapel dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel within the fort, and celebrated the first Mass in Minnesota.  Over the next century, missionaries would occasionally visit the area to attend to the spiritual needs of the few Catholics, including those among the Dakota and Ojibwa tribes.

Minnesota became part of the United States in three phases—the last of which included northwestern Minnesota in 1818.  The United States Army established Fort Snelling in 1819 at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.  A Swiss Catholic colony (Mendota) was established near Fort Snelling in the 1830s and Bishop Mathias Loras of Dubuque, whose diocese included a portion of Minnesota, visited this area in 1839.  The next year, Loras sent a missionary to Minnesota, Father Lucien Galtier, to minister to the 200 or so Catholics in the area.  In 1841, Father Galtier built a log chapel dedicated to St. Paul in a village known as Pig’s Eye, located on a bluff along the northern side of the Mississippi River.

Father Galtier, not surprisingly, did not like the name Pig’s Eye, so he started to call the town St. Paul—after the name of his church.  The name became popular and the City of St. Paul grew up around this small chapel.  In 1850, shortly after Minnesota became a Territory, Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of St. Paul, which consisted of the current states of Minnesota, and portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  Minnesota became the 32^nd State in 1858.

Meanwhile, in northern Minnesota, in 1835, Bishop Frederick Baraga of Marquette, Michigan, landed on the north shore of a river at the site of present day Duluth.  Bishop Baraga named the river, Cross River, because he had erected a cross at the site in thanksgiving for a safe crossing of Lake Superior.  German Catholics started settling near St. Cloud in the 1850s and in 1875 Pope Pius IX created the Vicariate of Northern Minnesota to provide the spiritual needs of immigrants and Native Americans.  Rupert Seidenbusch, a Benedictine priest from Germany, served as vicar apostolic of Northern Minnesota from 1875 until 1888.  The following year, Pope Leo XXIII split the Vicar Apostolic of Northern Minnesota into the Dioceses of Duluth and St. Cloud.  Catholic settlement in Southern Minnesota dates to 1683 when Nicolas Perrot established a trading post near what is now Wabasha, but few towns were established in the area until the 1850s.  Bishop Cretin, the first Bishop of St. Paul, established parishes in Mankato and Winona in the mid-1850s.  By 1860, with an influx of immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Poland, and Eastern Europe, there were about 10 parishes.

The population of Minnesota almost doubled between 1880 and 1890.  Minneapolis’ population grew from 47,000 to 165,000 during the decade to become the nation’s 18^th largest city.  Similarly, St. Paul’s population increased from 41,000 to 133,000.  The population of the Dakotas tripled during the decade.  In response to this growth, Pope Leo XIII raised the see of St. Paul to the level of an archdiocese in 1888.  The new Province of St. Paul included the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.  The following year, the Pope created the Dioceses of Duluth, St. Cloud, and Winona, as suffragan sees of the Archdiocese of St. Paul.  Pope Pius X created the Diocese of Crookston in 1909 and Pope Pius XII created the diocese of New Ulm in 1957.  The Archdiocese of St. Paul was renamed as the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1966.

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis consists of 12 counties in southern Minnesota. The archdiocese has 825,000 Catholics (25 percent of the total population) in 187 parishes.

Bishops of St. Paul

Joseph Cretin (1799-1857), first Bishop of St. Paul (1851-1857). 

• Born in France and ordained a priest in 1823.

Bishop Cretin's new Diocese had 1,000 Catholics served by four log churches (in St. Paul, Mendota, and St. Anthony, in Minnesota, and Pembina in North Dakota).  He actively recruited Irish, German, and Canadian Catholics to settle in Minnesota and the Dakotas and he built new churches and schools for them.  He established St. Joseph’s Hospital—the first in Minnesota.  He brought in religious orders, including Benedictine priests and sisters and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, to teach in the schools and staff hospitals.  He was a leader in the temperance movement and he built the second and third Cathedrals of St. Paul.  At the time of his death, there were about 50,000 Catholics, 29 churches, and 35 stations in the Diocese.  Bishop Cretin died in 1857.

Thomas L. Grace, O.P. (1814-1897), Bishop of St. Paul (1859-1884). 

• Born in South Carolina and ordained a Dominican priest in 1839—the first South Carolinian to be ordained a priest.

Bishop Grace was a skilled administrator who worked to increase vocations, improve Catholic education, and he wrote a constitution to govern the Diocese.  He also built schools, hospitals, and homes for orphans and the elderly.  He established lay organizations and a Diocesan newspaper to counter anti-Catholic attacks by the Know-Nothing party.  The Catholic population continued to grow, and at the time of the Bishop’s resignation in 1884 due to poor health, numbered 130,000 served by 195 churches and 51 missions.

Archbishops of St. Paul

John Ireland (1838-1918), Bishop of St. Paul (1884-1888), and first Archbishop of St. Paul (1888-1918). 

• Born in Ireland, came to St. Paul with his parents in 1852, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Paul in 1861.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of St. Paul (1875-1884).
• Appointed Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska in 1875, but Bishop Grace successfully petitioned the Vatican to appoint Ireland as coadjutor bishop of St. Paul instead.

As coadjutor bishop, Ireland became Bishop upon the resignation of Bishop Grace.  Archbishop Ireland worked with railroad magnet, James Hill, to establish Catholic colonies, especially for the Irish, along railroad lines—but banned saloons in the towns.  He built both the current Cathedral of St. Paul and the Basilica of St. Mary, helped establish the University of St. Thomas and St. Catherine’s College, founded St. Paul Seminary, and promoted the Catholic University of America.  He devised a creative, though unsuccessful method of public funding for Catholic schools.  He was a leading figure in the Americanist movement—a movement that sought to show that Catholics could be good American citizens while remaining Catholic.  Ireland took progressive stands on labor and race relations.  He was regarded as one of the most prominent U.S. Catholics of his time and he eloquently presented his thoughts orally and in writing.  Archbishop Ireland died in 1918.

Austin Dowling (1868-1930), Archbishop of St. Paul (1919-1930). 

• Born in New York City and ordained a priest in 1891 for the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island.
• Also served as the first bishop of Des Moines, Iowa (1912-1919)

Archbishop Downing promoted Catholic education (through the establishment of a Catholic teachers college and new high schools, including Cretin and De La Salle), supported several lay women’s organizations, and sought to meet the needs of rural Catholics.  He also established Catholic Charities in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.  He helped found the National Catholic Welfare Conference which fought an Oregon law that required children to be educated in public schools.  He died in 1930.

John G. Murray (1877-1956), Archbishop of St. Paul (1931-1956). 

• Born in Connecticut and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford in 1900.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Hartford, Connecticut (1920-1925) and Bishop of Portland, Maine (1925-1931).

Archbishop Murray established Catholic Labor Schools to educate workers on Catholic teaching regarding workers’ rights and the Family Guild to improve Catholic family life.  Archbishop Murray also saw the Archdiocese through the Great Depression, World War II, and the post-war building boom when 88 new parishes and 61 new elementary schools opened (including an elementary school for African-American children in St. Paul).  He built homes for the sick and aged and established youth programs.  He hosted the 1941 national Eucharistic Conference.  He was noted for his people skills—he often rode streetcars—and had a radio program on WCCO.  He died in 1956.

William O. Brady (1899-1961), Archbishop of St. Paul (1956-1961). 

• Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest in 1923 for the Diocese of Fall River, but soon thereafter became a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.
• Also served as Bishop of Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1939-1956) and coadjutor archbishop of St. Paul (1956).

Brady became Archbishop upon the death of Archbishop Murray.  Archbishop Brady improved the Archdiocesan newspaper, promoted Catholic women’s groups, and sought to improve liturgies.  He also increased the number of Catholic high schools (4 were built and 7 more were planned) and the number of diocesan priests (through the Opus Sancti Petri program).  Brady also assisted Cathedral parish families displaced by freeway construction. He championed the use of English during Mass, although this change did not take place until after his death in 1961.

Archbishops of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Leo Binz (1900-1979), Archbishop of St. Paul (1961-1966), and first Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1966-1975). 

• Born in Illinois and ordained a priest in 1924 for the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Winona (1942-1949), coadjutor archbishop of Dubuque (1949-1954), and Archbishop of Dubuque (1954-1961).

Binz became the first Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis with the renaming of the Archdiocese in 1966.  Archbishop Binz served on Pope Paul VI’s Birth Control Commission and worked to improve conditions for Native Americans in the Archdiocese.  He attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented the Council’s decrees within the Archdiocese.  Binz promoted religious education and racial justice, and championed workers’ rights.  Binz also expanded the work of Catholic Charities.  He resigned in 1975 due to poor health. 

Leo C. Byrne was appointed coadjutor archbishop in 1967.  Byrne administered the Archdiocese for the last several years of Archbishop Binz’s tenure and was expected to become Archbishop upon Binz's death or retirement.  Sadly, Bryne died in 1974, a year prior to Binz's retirement.  As administrator, Byrne continued implementation of the Second Vatican Council including the establishment of a permanent diaconate program and seeking greater lay involvement in Church governance.  He also established a retirement home for priests.  He advocated for workers’ rights and for better ecumenical relationships.  Byrne was born in Missouri in 1908 and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1933.

John R. Roach (1921-2003), Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1975-1995). 

• Born in Prior Lake, Minnesota, and ordained a priest in 1946 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1971-1975).

Archbishop Roach was the first and so far only Bishop or Archbishop of St. Paul to be born in Minnesota.  Archbishop Roach appointed more women to Archdiocesan organizations and improved ministries to immigrant groups, such as the Hmong, Vietnamese, and Hispanics.  He also established the Committee on the Adoption Option to help women with unwanted pregnancies and Faith Gathering, a spiritual renewal experience in which Catholics learned more about their Faith and key moral issues.  He also influenced a state law mandating public service to handicapped children attending non-public schools, established an AIDS ministry, and brought attention to human rights violations around the world.  Roach served as president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United States Catholic Conference from 1980 to 1983.  He retired in 1995.

Harry J. Flynn (1933-    ), Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1995-2008). 

• Born in New York and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Albany in 1960.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana (1986-1989), Bishop of Lafayette (1989-1994), and coadjutor archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1994-1995).

Flynn became Archbishop upon the retirement of Archbishop Roach.    Archbishop Flynn strengthened immigrant Catholic communities in the Twin Cities, such as the Hmong and Vietnamese. He also supported the pro-life movement, spoke out against the death penalty, and worked to improve the Archdiocese’s social services.  Flynn improved financial compensation for church workers and encouraged greater involvement by the laity in the Church.  He sought to improve the lives of those in poor countries by having Archdiocesan parishes establish relations with parishes in those countries.  He retired in 2008.

John C. Nienstedt, (1947-    ), Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (2008-2015)

• Born in Michigan and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1974.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Detroit (1996-2001), Bishop of New Ulm (2001-2007), and coadjutor archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (2007-2008).

Archbishop Nienstedt developed a strategic plan for the Archdiocese that resulting in the reduction of parishes from 213 to 188.  He also unsuccessfully fought legislation that legalized same-sex marriage in Minnesota. Archbishop Nienstedt resigned 2015 due to his handling of sexual abuse allegations against Archdiocesan priests.  That same year the Archdiocese declared bankruptcy and was criminally charged with failing to protect sexual abuse victims. 

Current Archbishop

Bernard A. Hebda was appointed apostolic administrator St. Paul and Minneapolis by Pope Francis in 2015 and was appointed Archbishop the following year.  He was born in Pennsylvania in 1959 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1989.  He previously served as Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan (2009-2013) and coadjutor archbishop of Newark, New Jersey (2013-2015).

The Cathedrals

The Twin Cities are blessed with two of the greatest cathedrals in the United States—both because of the vision of Archbishop John Ireland.

Cathedral of St. Paul

239 Selby Avenue

St. Paul, Minnesota  55102

St. Paul, originally known as Saul, persecuted the early church, but was converted to Christianity by a vision of Jesus.  He spread the message of Christ to communities throughout much of the Roman Empire, becoming the Apostle to the Gentiles.  Many of his letters to early Christian communities have been retained in the New Testament.  He was beheaded in Rome either in 64 or 67 A.D.  The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul is celebrated on June 29.

O St Paul, chosen vessel of the Lord, who carried the Name of Jesus to kings and heathens, who suffered so much for Christ, and was never allured from the love of Him: like a brave soldier of Christ, you fought a good battle, a zealous teacher, you preached far and wide the true faith, and the just and merciful God has, therefore, rewarded you with the crown of justice: pray to God for me, that I may become an instrument of honor, adorned with the Christian virtues, with which you are already decorated. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The current Cathedral of St. Paul is the fourth building to bear the name.  The small log church built by Father Galtier briefly served as the first cathedral, but was quickly replaced by Bishop Cretin with a modest brick and stone building in 1851.  The second cathedral was located at the northwest corner of Sixth and Wabasha streets in a building which served as church, rectory, school, and seminary.  A third cathedral was completed in 1858 in the same block as the second cathedral.  [The block is now occupied by the Hamm Building.]  The third cathedral was larger than the second, and at the time of its completion, was the largest church in the Twin Cities.

Construction began on the current Cathedral of St. Paul in 1904 and it was completed in 1915.  The Cathedral is located on top of a hill overlooking downtown St. Paul.  The architect, Emmanuel Masqueray, was the chief architect of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.  He designed a Classical Renaissance building that incorporated Minnesota stone—Rockville granite from St. Cloud for its outer walls and American Travertine from Mankato for its interior walls.  The Cathedral seats 3,000 and the Cathedral dome sores to a height of 306 feet above street level.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Both pictures were taken by me.

Much of Christian theology can be learned from simply looking up at the interior of the dome and at the ceiling of the sanctuary.  The dome features 24 stained-glass windows depicting the nine choirs of angels.  They were designed by Chester Weston.  The dome also has four 375-square foot mosaics designed by Michelangelo Bedini that represent the four cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.  A painting of a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, looks down from the sanctuary ceiling.  Below the dove are seven paintings representing the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and below each painting is a stained-glass window representing one of the seven Sacraments.  The windows were designed by Charles Connick.  Connick also designed the rose windows above the north, south, and east entrances.  Above the main altar rises a 24-foot baldachin made of bronze and black and gold marble.  The Cathedral has 11 side chapels, including six dedicated to the patron saints of Catholic ethnic groups that settled in Minnesota:  St. Patrick for the Irish, St. John the Baptist for the French Canadians, St. Boniface for the Germans, St. Anthony for the Italians, Saints Cyril and Methodius for the Slavs, and St. Therese of Lisieux for the French.  An Ernest Skinner pipe organ was installed in 1927 and a second organ made by Aeolian-Skinner was installed in 1963.  Together the organs have over 4,500 pipes with 71 ranks and 80 stops.

For more information, see the Cathedral’s website at cathedralsaintpaul.org and the Archdiocesan website at archspm.org.  There is a virtual tour on the Cathedral website.  The Cathedral overlooks downtown St. Paul and has five weekend masses.

The first picture is from the Cathedral website and the last is from pinterest.  All others are by me.

Basilica of St. Mary

88 N. 17^th Street

Minneapolis, Minnesota  55403

The basilica is named for Mary, the Mother of God.

Hail Mary, full of grace.  The Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Immaculate Conception parish was established in 1868 as the first Minneapolis parish on the west bank of the Mississippi River.  The first church was replaced by a limestone structure in 1873, located at Third Street and Third Avenue North, but by the turn of the century the building was too small for the parish.  Around this time, Archbishop Ireland decided to build not only the Cathedral of St. Paul, but also a Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, to replace Immaculate Conception parish.  He chose Emmanuel Masqueray to design both buildings.  The Beaux Arts Pro-Cathedral was dedicated in 1915 and is located on the west side of downtown Minneapolis.  Work on the interior of the Pro-Cathedral continued through the 1920s.

Picture taken by me.

Basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  The Basilica of St. Mary was given this title in 1926, the first such church to be honored in the United States.  In 1966 the Basilica was dedicated as Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, officially completing the vision of Archbishop Ireland.  The Basilica is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The exterior of the building was constructed with Bethel White granite from Vermont.  The building measures 278 feet long by 120 feet wide and the cross on top of the dome rises 200 feet above the ground.  Inside the Basilica, a Botticino marble baldachin supported by four Breche opal columns rise above the main altar, both built by Italian artisans.  The windows in the dome feature symbols of the Virgin Mary and statues of the Twelve Apostles surround the sanctuary.  The Basilica has several chapels and side altars dedicated to Mary and Joseph and many other saints, including St. Anne, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Anthony of Padua.  The four dozen stained glass windows depict biblical themes and were made by Thomas Gaytee, a student of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The Basilica, which seats 3,000, is located near downtown Minneapolis and has six weekend masses to serve over 6,700 parish households—60 percent of which are made up of young adults.  The parish website is mary.org and includes a virtual tour.

 

 

 

 

The first picture is by flickr and the rest are mine.

Diocese of Duluth

The diocese consists of 10 counties in northeastern Minnesota.  The diocese has 53,000 Catholics (12 percent of the total population) in 83 parishes.

Bishops of Duluth

I have limited information about the Bishops of Duluth and much of that is from Wikipedia.

James McGolrick (1841-1918), first bishop of Duluth (1889-1918). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1867 for the Diocese of St. Paul.

Bishop McGolrick’s new diocese had a Catholic population of 19,000 served by about 20 priests.  He died in 1918.

John T. McNicholas, O.P. (1877-1950), Bishop of Duluth (1918-1925). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a Dominican priest in 1901.
• Also served as Archbishop of Cincinnati (1925-1950).

Bishop McNicholas was appointed Archbishop of Cincinnati in 1925.

Thomas A. Welch (1884-1959), Bishop of Duluth (1926-1959). 

• Born in Faribault, Minnesota, and ordained a priest in 1909 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.

According to Wikipedia, Welch remedied the financial crisis in the diocese and also constructed the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary.  Bishop Welch died in 1959.

Francis J. Schenk (1901-1969), Bishop of Duluth (1960-1969). 

• Born in Wisconsin and ordained a priest in 1926 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.
• Also served as Bishop of Crookston (1945-1960).

According to Wikipedia, Bishop Schenk attended all sessions of the Second Vatican Council.  He died in 1969.

Paul F. Anderson (1917-1987), Bishop of Duluth (1969-1982). 

• Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest in 1943 for the Archdiocese of Boston.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Duluth (1968-1969) and auxiliary bishop of Sioux Falls (1983-1987).

Anderson had been appointed coadjutor bishop of Duluth in 1968 and became Bishop upon the death of Bishop Schenk.  According to Wikipedia, Bishop Anderson earned a reputation as an advocate for progressive causes and worked to implement the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.  He organized regional pastoral councils, encouraged charismatic services, and improved Catholic relations with Protestants and Jews.  It is said that he privately believed in the ordination of women, and he did appoint one of the first laywomen to serve on a diocesan matrimonial court.  Bishop Anderson resigned in 1982, according to one source, to find other means of ministry, and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Sioux Falls in 1983.

Robert H. Brom (1938-    ), Bishop of Duluth (1983-1989). 

• Born in Arcadia, Wisconsin, and ordained a priest in 1963 for the Diocese of Winona.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of San Diego, California (1989-1990) and as Bishop of San Diego (1990-2013).

Bishop Brom was named coadjutor bishop of San Diego in 1989 and became Bishop of San Diego the following year.

Roger L. Schwietz, O.M.I. (1940-    ), Bishop of Duluth (1989-2000). 

• Born in St. Paul and was ordained a priest for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1967.
• Also served as coadjutor archbishop of Anchorage, Alaska (2000-2001), and served as Archbishop of Anchorage (2001-2016).

Bishop Schwietz served as Episcopal Moderator for Teens Encounter Christ and wrote three pastoral letters:  A Call to Charity; A Call to Conversion and A Call to Hope.  He was named coadjutor bishop of Anchorage, Alaska, in 2000 and became Archbishop the following year.

Dennis M. Schnurr (1948-    ), Bishop of Duluth (2001-2008). 

·         Born in Iowa and ordained a priest in 1974 for the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa.

·         Also served as coadjutor archbishop of Cincinnati (2008-2009), and serves as Archbishop of Cincinnati (since 2009)

He was named coadjutor archbishop of Cincinnati 2008 and became Archbishop the following year.

Current Bishop

Paul Sirba was appointed Bishop of Duluth by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.  He was born in Minneapolis in 1960 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1986.  He previously served in several positions with the Archdiocese including vicar general and moderator of the curia.  The Diocese of Duluth declared bankruptcy in 2015 due to sexual abuse claims.

The Cathedral

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary

2801 East 4^th Street

Duluth, Minnesota  55812

The cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, specifically through her encouragement of the recitation of the Rosary.  The Rosary had its origins in the early Church and came to its present form during medieval times.  The Rosary is a series of prayers said while contemplating the key events in the lives of Jesus and Mary.  October 7 is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

O Virgin Mary, grant that the recitation of your Rosary may be for me each day, in the midst of my manifold duties, a bond of unity in my actions, a tribute of filial piety, a sweet refreshment, an encouragement to walk joyfully along the path of duty. Grant, above all, O Virgin Mary, that the study of the fifteen mysteries may form in my soul, little by little, a luminous atmosphere, pure, strengthening, and fragrant, which may penetrate my understanding, my will, my heart, my memory, my imagination, my whole being. So shall I acquire the habit of praying while I work, without the aid of formal prayers, by interior acts of admiration and of supplication, or by aspirations of love.  I ask this of you, O Queen of the Holy Rosary, through Saint Dominc, thy son of predilection, the renowned preacher of your mysteries, and the faithful imitator of your virtues. Amen.

Father John Cebal came to Duluth in 1860 and Catholics met for Mass in temporary buildings until 1870, when the first Sacred Heart church was built.  This building was a simple wood frame building measuring 70 feet by 35 feet.  It was located at 2^nd Avenue West and 4^th Street and became the first cathedral for the Diocese in 1889.  Fire destroyed this building in 1892 and work began on a new Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1894 and was substantially completed in 1896.  Sacred Heart Cathedral, now the Sacred Heart Music Center, was designed by Duluth architect Gearhard Tenbusch, in a Gothic Revival style.  Sacred Heart Cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Our Lady of the Rosary, the current Italianate-style Cathedral, was completed in 1957.  [I do not know why Sacred Heart was replaced as the Cathedral, but it may have been because of size.  As a music center it seats 400, which is adequate for an arts venue, but not for a cathedral.]

The former Sacred Heart Cathedral from Wikipedia.

 

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary by me.

I could not find a description of the Cathedral.  Some information can be found on the Cathedral website at duluthcathedral.com and on the Diocesan website at dioceseduluth.org. The Cathedral is located about five miles northeast of downtown Duluth and has three weekend masses.  Holy Rosary elementary school has an enrollment of over 250.

The first picture is from the Cathedral website and the other two are by me.

Diocese of St. Cloud

The diocese consists of 16 counties in central Minnesota.  The diocese has 131,000 Catholics (23 percent of the total population) in 131 parishes.

Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Minnesota

Rupert Seidenbusch, O.S.B. (1830-1895), Vicar Apostolic of Northern Minnesota (1875-1888). 

• Born in Germany and ordained a Benedictine priest in 1853.
• Served as first abbot of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville.

Seidenbusch’s Vicariate was the frontier.  One source says that there were more bears and coyotes than people and primitive roads were often impassable in winter.  That did not deter Bishop Seidenbusch.  At the time of his resignation in 1888, the Vicariate had 65 churches and one hospital.

Bishops of St. Cloud

Otto Zardetti (1847-1902), first Bishop of St. Cloud (1889-1894). 

• Born in Switzerland and ordained a priest in Europe in 1870.
• Also served as Archbishop of Bucharest, Romania (1894-1902).

In 1889, Pope Leo XXIII split the Vicariate into the new Dioceses of St. Cloud and Duluth and appointed Otto Zardetti as the first Bishop of St. Cloud.  Bishop Zardetti established a monthly newspaper, promoted Catholic schools, imported priests, and brought Franciscan sisters to Little Falls.  Most Catholics were German, but there were Poles, French-Canadian, and Irish as well.  Nearly all were poor and were often in isolated parishes serving a particular ethnic group.  Churches and schools were built through hard work and sacrifice by these good people.  Bishop Zardetti worked to unite his Diocese and was also known as being a good homilist.  Bishop Zardetti grew tired of the difficulties of travel within his Diocese and of the climate and returned to Europe in 1894.  He was named Archbishop of Bucharest, Romania, the same year. 

Martin Marty, O.S.B. (1834-1896), Bishop of St. Cloud (1894-1896). 

• Born in Switzerland and ordained a Benedictine priest in 1856.
• Also served as Vicar Apostolic of the Dakota Territory (1879-1889) and first Bishop of Sioux Falls (1889-1894).

Bishop Marty served slightly more than a year before his death in 1896.  His major contribution was the incorporation of parishes.  At a time and place when churches and schools were often built by the labor and funds of the parishioners, there was often confusion about parish ownership and finances.  Incorporation legally brought the parishes into control of the Diocese.

James Trobec (1838-1921), Bishop St. Cloud (1897-1914). 

• Born in Austria and ordained a priest in 1865 for the Diocese of St. Paul.

Bishop Trobec found a Diocese that was no longer on the frontier—transportation and commercial systems were well in place.  It was a period of great growth and the number of parishes, priests, and Catholic students nearly doubled while he was Bishop.  Trobec retired in 1914 at which time the Diocese had 123 parishes and 25 schools.

Joseph F. Busch (1866-1953), Bishop of St. Cloud (1915-1953). 

• Born in Red Wing and ordained a priest for Archdiocese of St. Paul in 1889.
• Also served as Bishop of Lead, South Dakota (1910-1915).

Busch, the first American-born Bishop of St. Cloud, established 15 parishes (between the World Wars) and started a Diocesan newspaper.  He also built an orphanage and an episcopal residence that is now the chancery.  Busch ordered all parishes to have at least one Sunday homily spoken in English and announced that Diocesan activities would be conducted in English.  He also supported greater input from the laity and encouraged Catholic women’s groups.  Busch became the first chairman of the Stearns County chapter of the American Red Cross in 1917.  Bishop Busch died in 1953.  

Peter Bartholome (1893-1982), Bishop of St. Cloud (1953-1968). 

• Born in Bellechester, Minnesota, and ordained a priest in 1917 for Diocese of Winona.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of St. Cloud (1942-1953).

Peter Bartholome became Bishop of St. Cloud upon the death of Bishop Busch.  Bishop Bartholome attended the Second Vatican Council and served during a time of growth in the Diocese.  He built 28 churches and 31 schools to keep up with the 42 percent increase in the number of Catholics.  Bartholome reorganized Catholic Charities in the Diocese, established lay organizations and leadership, and encouraged vocations.  He promoted rural and family life movements and was a national leader in these efforts.  He started marriage preparation classes to combat higher divorce rates following the Second World War and urged Catholics to support family farms.  He cared about his priests and sent young priests to parishes with competent pastors.  Bishop Bartholome retired in 1968.

George H. Speltz (1912-2004), Bishop of St. Cloud (1968-1987). 

• Born in Altura, Minnesota, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Cloud in 1940.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Winona (1963-1966) and coadjutor bishop of St. Cloud (1966-1968).

Speltz became Bishop upon the retirement of Bishop Bartholome.  Bishop Speltz implemented the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, including the establishment of parish councils and a diocesan pastoral council, celebrating vigil masses, using permanent deacons and Eucharistic ministers.  He promoted pro-life initiatives and settled Asian refugees following the Vietnam War.  He also served as president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference from 1970 to 1972 and he started several programs to serve the poor and needy, including housing programs.  Growth in the Diocese stagnated while he was Bishop which led to the consolidation of some schools.  Bishop Speltz retired in 1987.

Jerome G. Hanus, O.S.B. (1940-    ), Bishop of St. Cloud (1987-1994). 

• Born in Nebraska and ordained a Benedictine priest in 1966.
• Also served as coadjutor archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa (1994-1995), and serves as Archbishop of Dubuque (1995-2013).

Hanus previously served as the former abbot for the Conception Abbey in Missouri and president of the Swiss American Benedictine Congregation.  Bishop Hanus connected well with people and was known for playing racquetball with the laity and cards with other priests.  He promoted the Church’s health care ministry by supporting Catholic health facilities, hiring parish nurses, and giving greater responsibility to the laity.  He also professionalized the Diocese’s accounting systems and investment decisions, initiated a retirement fund for priests, hired a development director, and increased pay and benefits for Diocesan staff.  Hanus was named coadjutor archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa, in 1994 and became Archbishop the following year.

John F. Kinney (1937-    ), Bishop of St. Cloud (1995-2013). 

• Born in Iowa and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1963.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1977-1982) and Bishop of Bismarck, North Dakota (1982-1995). 

Bishop Kinney continued to implement the changes from the Second Vatican Council through the creation of programs for the laity, encouragement of lay ministers, and issuance of pastoral letters on social justice and marriage.  He partnered the Diocese with dioceses in Africa and South America.  He also served as the first chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ committee on clergy sexual abuse and listened to victims and their families concerning the harm done to them.  He also consolidated some parishes due to fewer Catholics and fewer priests. Bishop Kinney retired in 2013.

Current Bishop

Donald Kettler was appointed Bishop of St. Cloud by Pope Francis in 2013.  He was born in Minneapolis in 1944 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1970. He previously served as Bishop of Fairbanks, Alaska (2002-2013).

The Cathedral

The Cathedral of St. Mary

25 8^th Ave S.

St. Cloud, Minnesota  56301

The Cathedral is name for Mary, the Mother of God.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions, but, in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

Bishop Rupert Seidenbusch was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Northern Minnesota in 1875 and he initially selected St. Mary’s church to be his Cathedral.  St. Mary’s parish had been founded in 1855 by Benedictine priests for German immigrants to St. Cloud.  Bishop Seidenbusch established Holy Angels parish in 1883 to serve non-German Catholics in St. Cloud and this church became the Diocesan Cathedral.  This Romanesque church (now a performing arts center located on the grounds of Cathedral High School) served as the Cathedral until it was severely damaged by a 1933 fire caused by lightening.  Bishop Joseph Busch selected St. Mary’s as the diocesan Cathedral in 1937.

Former Holy Angels Cathedral by mntreasures.com.

The first St. Mary’s church was a small, wooden building located across from the present-day parish office.  This was replaced in 1864 by a more substantial Gothic building located on West St. Germain Street at Ninth Avenue North on the same block as the current Cathedral.  This church burned in 1920.  The current brick Cathedral of St. Mary was built in the Romanesque basilica style between 1922 and 1931 and is modeled after a 5^th Century church in Ravenna, Italy.  It was designed by Nairne Fischer of St. Cloud.  The bell tower on the south side of the church rises 120 feet.

First picture by pinterest and the second by me.

Inside the Cathedral, the Madonna and Child statue to the left of the main altar was designed by William Thompson of Georgia and was dedicated in 1984.  The Stations of the Cross were made in Germany and the 27 rank tracker pipe organ was built by Kevin Marrin of Cold Spring, Minnesota.  It was installed in 1984.

The first picture is from praytellblog.com and the rest were taken by me in a dark building.

The St. Cloud shrine is located on the right side of the church.  St. Cloud was a 6^th Century heir to the French throne. He renounced his title to become a religious hermit and later became the parish priest for his small village.  The statue of St. Cloud was given to Bishop Joseph Busch by the Archbishop of Paris, France, in 1922.  It is a replica of a 17^th Century statue in France and the shrine contains relics of St. Cloud as well as other relics.  The hand holding the chalice and the chalice itself are from an 8^th Century statue.  The shrine also has two wood reliefs—one of Saint Remigius, Bishop of Rheims and mentor to St. Cloud, and one of Saint Clothilde, grandmother of Saint Cloud.

Taken by me.

Additional information about the Cathedral can be found on its website, stmarystcloud.org and on the Diocesan website at stcdio.org.

The Cathedral is located in downtown St. Cloud and has three weekend masses.  The Cathedral staff also serves St. Augustine’s parish, which has two weekend masses and Christ Church Newman Center, which has three weekend masses.  St. Augustine & St. Mary’s Cathedral School enrolls over 200 elementary school children and Cathedral High School and John XXIII Middle School have a total of 700 students.

Diocese of Winona

The diocese consists of 20 counties in southern Minnesota.  The diocese has 135,000 Catholics (23 percent of the total population) in 114 parishes.

Bishops of Winona

Joseph B. Cotter (1844-1909), first Bishop of Winona (1889-1909). 

• Born in England and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Paul in 1871.

Bishop Cotter had previously served as pastor of what became St. Thomas Cathedral parish in Winona.  As bishop, he increased the number of parishes in the diocese from 45 to 72, the number of diocesan priests from 45 to 85, and the number of Catholic school students from 2,700 to 4,600.  Bishop Cotter also invited orders of religious sisters to work in the Diocese.  Mother Alfred Moes had already moved her Sisters of St. Francis to Rochester in 1882.  They opened what later became the College of St. Teresa in Winona in 1894.  Mother Alfred also wanted to build a hospital in Rochester and worked with local physicians William Mayo and his sons William and Charles to open St. Mary’s Hospital 1889.  This hospital evolved into the Mayo Clinic.  Bishop Cotter died in 1909.

Patrick R. Heffron (1860-1927), Bishop of Winona (1910-1927). 

• Born in New York City, grew up near Rochester, Minnesota, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Paul in 1884.

Bishop Heffron established a diocesan newspaper, Cotter High School (1911), and St. Mary’s University (1913).  According to Wikipedia, Heffron was also shot during Mass by an emotionally unstable priest in 1915, but survived.  He died in 1927.

Francis M. Kelly (1886-1950), Bishop of Winona (1928-1949). 

• Born in Mexico and ordained a priest in 1912 for the Diocese of Winona.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Winona (1926-1928).

Kelly was the first and so far only Bishop of Winona who was a priest for the Diocese.   He established Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary.  He resigned in 1949 and died the following year. 

Edward A. Fitzgerald (1893-1972), Bishop of Winona (1949-1969). 

• Born in Iowa and ordained a priest in 1916 for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Dubuque (1946-1949).

Bishop Fitzgerald, like all bishops of his era, built many new schools and churches (including Sacred Heart Cathedral) in the post-war period.  He also attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented the changes from the Council.  He retired in 1969.

Loras J. Watters (1915-2009), Bishop of Winona (1969-1986). 

• Born in Dubuque, Iowa, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque in 1941.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Dubuque (1965-1969).

I have no information about Bishop Watters.  He retired in 1986. 

John G. Vlazny (1937-    ), Bishop of Winona (1987-1997). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1961.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Chicago (1983-1987) and as Archbishop of Portland, Oregon (1997-2013).

According to Wikipedia, Bishop Vlazny increased the involvement of the laity, decentralized the diocesan staff, and created the Offices of Youth and Family Life. He also started the tradition of the "Harvest Mass," an annual outdoor liturgy celebrated on a farm in the diocese. In 1994, he asked Catholics to consider ending gambling as a source of revenue for parishes and schools.  He was appointed Archbishop of Portland, Oregon, in 1997.

Bernard J. Harrington (1933-    ), Bishop of Winona (1998-2009).

• Born in Detroit and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1959.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Detroit (1994-1998).

I have no information about Bishop Harrington.  He retired in 2008.

Current Bishop

John M. Quinn was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Winona by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 and he became Bishop the following year.  He was born in Detroit in 1945 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1972.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Detroit (2003-2008).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

360 Main Street

Winona, MN  55987

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.

My God, I offer You all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the intentions for which He pleads and offers Himself in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in thanksgiving for Your favors, in reparation for my sins, and in humble supplication for my temporal and eternal welfare, for the needs of our holy Mother the Church, for the conversion of sinners, and for the relief of the poor souls in purgatory.

The first Catholic parish in Winona was established in 1856 and was dedicated to St. Thomas.  This church, located on Wabasha Street near Center Street, served as the first Cathedral for the Diocese of Winona.  By the 1940s, the parish needed a larger church and Bishop Fitzgerald merged St. Thomas parish with the nearby historically German parish, St. Joseph, to create a new cathedral parish.  The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was dedicated in 1952.

Both picture by me.

The limestone Cathedral is designed in the Gothic Revival style with one spire.  The Cathedral has a Gress-Miles pipe organ that was renovated in 2007.  There is also a stained glass window dedicated to Christ the King and a full immersion baptismal font.  There are also shrines dedicated to the Blessed Mother and to St. Joseph.  Some additional information can be found on the Cathedral website at cascwinona.org and on the Diocesan website at dow.org.

 

All pictures are by me, except the last on from pinterest.

The Cathedral is located in downtown Winona and has three weekend masses.  A fourth mass is celebrated when Winona State University is in session.  The Cathedral staff also serves St. Casimir’s parish, which has two weekend masses.

Also in the Diocese is the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kosta in Winona.  The first St. Stanislaus Kosta church was built by Winona’s Polish community in 1872.  The current Romanesque church was completed in 1895.  It is built in the form of a Greek cross with a dome and twin towers.  A baldachin rises above the main altar.  In 1995, a marble statue of the Pieta was installed.  Pope Benedict XVI designated St. Stanislaus a minor basilica in 2011. Basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  The Basilica is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The Basilica website is ssk-sjn.weconnect.com.

All pictures are by me.

Diocese of Crookston

The diocese consists of 14 counties in northwestern Minnesota.  The diocese has 31,000 Catholics (11 percent of the total population) in 66 parishes.

Bishops of Crookston

Timothy Corbett (1858-1939), first Bishop of Crookston (1910-1938). 

• Born in Mendota, Minnesota, and ordained a priest in 1886 for the Diocese of St. Paul.

Bishop Corbett built more than 50 churches and 12 schools to meet the needs of new immigrants coming to the Diocese.  Bishop Corbett established statutes for the Diocese and educational programs that were models for other dioceses.  Corbett retired in 1938.

John H. Peschges (1881-1944), Bishop of Crookston (1938-1944). 

• Born in West Newton, Minnesota, and ordained a priest in 1905 for the Diocese of Winona.

Bishop Peschges established the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine within the Diocese, religious courses for rural youth, and several organizations for agricultural development.  He died in 1944.

Francis J. Schenk (1901-1969), Bishop of Crookston (1945-1960). 

• Born in Wisconsin and ordained a priest in 1926 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.
• Also served as Bishop of Duluth (1960-1969).

Bishop Schenk built over 30 new churches and established a Diocesan social service agency and a newspaper.  He also started the Catholic Youth Organization within the Diocese and summer boarding schools for several thousand children of migrant Mexican workers.  Schenk was named Bishop of Duluth in 1960.

Laurence A. Glenn (1900-1985), Bishop of Crookston (1960-1970). 

• Born in the State of Washington and ordained a priest in 1927 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Duluth (1956-1960).

Bishop Glenn attended the Second Vatican Council and began implementing the changes of the Council.  He also established Newman Student Centers at Bemidji State University and Moorhead State University.  Bishop Glenn retired in 1970.

Kenneth J. Povish (1924-2003), Bishop of Crookston (1970-1975). 

• Born in Michigan and ordained a priest in 1950 for the Diocese of Saginaw.
• Also served as Bishop of Lansing, Michigan (1975-1995).

Bishop Povish continued implementation of the decisions of the Second Vatican Council by establishing parish councils in each parish and a Pastoral Council for the Diocese, and encouraging liturgical and ecumenical renewal.  He was named Bishop of Lansing, Michigan, in 1975.

Victor H. Balke (1931-    ), Bishop of Crookston (1976-2007). 

• Born in Illinois and ordained a priest in 1958 for the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois.

Bishop Balke encouraged lay groups such as Teens Encounter Christ, Cursillo, and Marriage Encounter.  He also restructured Diocesan offices and codified policies.  He established a program to aid victims of clergy sexual abuse and served as chairman of Catholic Home Missions.  He also started a retirement program for priests and a benefits program for all diocesan employees.  He built the current Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and encouraged building renovations in the Diocese’s parishes.  He retired in 2007.

Current Bishop

Michael J. Hoeppner was appointed Bishop of Crookston by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007.  He was born in Winona in 1949 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Winona in 1975.  He previously served in various pastoral and diocesan positions for the Winona diocese prior to becoming vicar general of the Diocese. 

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

702 Summit Ave.

Crookston, Minnesota 56716

Many Christians believe that humans are born into sin—known as original sin.  This sin is erased through baptism and the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Catholics believe that Mary, through the grace of God, was conceived without the stain of original sin—the Immaculate Conception.  She was given the honor because of her role as the Mother of God.  The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8.

O God,  who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through her intercession,  to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

When Bishop Corbett became the first Bishop of Crookston in 1910, he immediately made plans to build a new Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  The red-brick neo-Gothic Cathedral, completed in 1912, had three towers and could seat 1,000 people.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is being redeveloped for secular uses.  The current modern Cathedral was built by Bishop Balke in 1990.

Picture of former cathedral by pinterest.

My description is tentative, because it is the only cathedral in Minnesota that I have not seen and there are few pictures on the internet.  The Cathedral’s website is crookstoncathedral.com and features a tour of the Cathedral and explanations, including the symbolism, of many of the features in the Cathedral.  However, it is in PDF and I can not copy it here.  The Diocesan website is crookston.org.

Picture by cleanenergyresourceteams.org

The Cathedral is built in the modern style with two towers.  The west tower holds three bells, the largest of which weighs 2,000 pounds and came from St. Anne’s parish in Crookston, which closed in 1980.  Over the entrance are the words “I am the Immaculate Conception” spoken by Our Blessed Mother to St. Bernadette in 1858 at Lourdes, France.  Just inside is a full immersion baptismal font.  Near the font is an image of the Holy Spirit and statues of St. Peter and St. Paul.  Within the sanctuary are the main altar, the ambo, and the cathedra (or Bishop’s chair).  All were designed by Father John Buscemi based upon Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School of design.  The altar contains an altar stone from the old Cathedral.  The sanctuary’s crucifix was carved from bass wood and hand-painted by Demetz Studios of Italy.

The Cathedral’s pipe organ is an Opus 2132 made by the Reuter Organ Company of Kansas. It has a two-manual keyboard and has 31 ranks and 1,789 pipes.  The Cathedral’s Stations of the Cross are glass mosaics in the Venetian style and hand crafted in Italy.  West of the sanctuary is a statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception carved from Italian carrara marble.

The Cathedral has three chapels.  The Blessed Sacrament Chapel contains the tabernacle holding the Blessed Sacrament.  The tabernacle was the main tabernacle of the Old Cathedral.  The Holy Family shrine has statues of Mary and Joseph and a crucifix, which formerly were in the Old Cathedral and were made in Oberammergau, Germany.  The third chapel has statues of St. Anne and Our Lady of Fatima and images of the Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Elsewhere in the Cathedral are statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and of St. Michael the Archangel.

The Cathedral is located less than a mile east of downtown Crookston and has two weekend masses.  In addition, Mass in Spanish is offered twice a month and a teen mass is also offered twice a month.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of 100.  Crookston is one of a dozen U.S. diocesan sees that has a population of fewer than 20,000 and is one of only 7 diocesan sees in which the Cathedral parish is the only parish.

 

Diocese of New Ulm

The diocese consists of 15 counties in southwestern Minnesota.  The diocese has 57,000 Catholics (20 percent of the total population) in 76 parishes.

Bishops of New Ulm

Alphonse J. Schladweiler (1902-1996), first Bishop of New Ulm (1957-1975). 

• Born in Milwaukee and ordained a priest in 1952 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.

Bishop Schladweiler organized the new diocese, established a diocesan newspaper, and ordained 64 priests for the Diocese.  He attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented its decrees.  Schladweiler created consultative bodies of priests, nuns, and lay people, and he established a diocesan mission in Guatemala.  He retired in 1975.

Raymond A. Lucker (1927-2001), Bishop of New Ulm (1975-2000). 

• Born in St. Paul and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul in 1952.

Bishop Lucker sought to bring about spiritual renewal in part through the RENEW program—New Ulm was the fifth U.S. diocese to do so.  Lucker was considered a leader in the catechetical renewal movement and was cofounder of the Catechetical Forum.  He also established an endowment fund, a long-term planning process, and an Hispanic ministry.  He was a member of Pax Christi—the Catholic peace movement.  He was the first U.S. bishop to appointment lay people as parish administrators.  Lucker supported the use of artificial birth control and the ordination of women and married men.  Bishop Lucker retired in 2000 due to poor health.

John C. Nienstedt (1947-    ), Bishop of New Ulm (2001-2007). 

• Born in Michigan and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1974.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Detroit (1996-2001), coadjutor Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (2007-2008) and Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (2008-2015).

Bishop Nienstedt established a permanent diaconate program and a long term plan for parishes.  He also worked with farmers to get a first-hand experience with his flock.  He was appointed coadjutor Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 2007 and became Archbishop the following year.   

Current Bishop

John M. LeVoir was appointed Bishop of New Ulm by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.  He was born in Minneapolis in 1946 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1981.  He previously served as a pastor in the Archdiocese.

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

605 N. State St.

New Ulm, Minnesota  56073

The Holy Trinity is God in three divine persons, God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.  The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity is commemorated on the Sunday after Pentecost.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Holy Trinity parish dates back to 1856 when Franz Weninger, a Jesuit priest, started a ministry in New Ulm.  A small chapel was begun two years later but was never completed due to the Sioux Uprising.  A new church, located where the Catholic middle school now stands, was completed in 1870—it had about 3,500 square feet of floor space and was graced with a steeple.  Unfortunately, it was destroyed 11 years later by a tornado.  A new church—the current building—was begun in 1890 and completed in 1903.  The church became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of New Ulm in 1957.  The Cathedral is now part of the Holy Cross Area Faith Community along with St. Gregory the Great, Lafayette; St. Mary, New Ulm; St. John the Baptist, Searles; and St. George, West Newton Township.

The red-brick Cathedral has a main tower in front with a clock and a smaller domed tower in the rear.  The interior was originally designed by Alexander Schwendinger in a German baroque style featuring dark colors and gold leaf.  The Cathedral has numerous paintings depicting the life of Christ and of the saints.  The sanctuary features a large painting of the Holy Trinity and the Twelve Apostles.

The first picture is from the Cathedral's website and the second from flickr.

The Cathedral's pipe organ is a Daniel Jaeckel (Opus 4) organ installed in 1981.  It was recently restored, with almost all of its pipes being refurbished.  A new three-manual moveable console was installed.  The parish website is holycrossafc.org/cathedral-of-the-holy-trinity and the Diocese website is dnu.org.

Picture is from flickr.

The Cathedral is located in downtown New Ulm and has four weekend masses.  The other churches in the Holy Cross Area Faith Community have a total of five weekend masses.  New Ulm is one of a dozen diocesan sees that has a population of fewer than 20,000.

North Dakota

Catholic History of North Dakota

French Canadian explorers, Pierre and Francois Verendrye, came to the area that is now North Dakota around 1740, accompanied by a Jesuit priest, Father Coquart.  However, the first Catholic missionary activity in the area did not take place until 1818 when the Bishop of Quebec, J. Octave Plessis, sent two priests—Joseph Provencher and Josef Severe Dumoulin—to Fort Douglas, now St. Boniface, Manitoba.  Later that year, Father Dumoulin established a mission at Pembina in what is now North Dakota.  He was recalled to Quebec when it was determined that Pembina was in the United States—that portion of eastern North Dakota did not became part of the United States until 1818.

Starting in 1831, Father George Belcourt ministered to the needs of the early Catholic settlers and became a missionary to the Native Americans.  He composed a grammar book and dictionary in the Algonquin language.  Father Pierre DeSmet, a Jesuit, ministered to the Mandan and Gros Ventre tribes from 1840 to 1870.  Father Jean Baptiste Marie Genin established a mission at Fort Totten in 1865.  The Sisters of Charity (Grey Nuns) of Montreal under Sr. Mary Clapin built a school there in 1874 for the Dakota tribe.  Various priests served as chaplains at Fort Totten, including Father Jerome Hunt, O.S.B., who wrote several publications in the Dakota language, such as a Bible history, prayer books, and hymnals.  In 1850, Pope Pius IX made the Dakotas east of the Missouri River part of the Diocese of St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Dakotas west of the River part of the vast Vicariate Apostolic of the Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountians.

The Dakota Territory (consisting of what is now South Dakota and North Dakota) was established in 1861, and in 1879, Pope Leo XIII named Abbot Martin Marty, OSB, of St. Meinrad's Abbey in Indiana to be Vicar Apostolic of the Territory.  Irish Catholics started coming to North Dakota to build railroads in the 1870s and 1880s and they were soon followed by other immigrant groups, especially Germans in western North Dakota.

North Dakota became a State in 1889 and in the same year, Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Jamestown to serve all of North Dakota.  The first bishop of Jamestown, John Shanley, moved his see to the much larger city of Fargo in 1897.  North Dakota’s population increased from 320,000 in 1900 to 577,000 in 1910.  To deal with this growth, Pope Pius X created the Diocese of Bismarck in 1909 to serve western North Dakota.

Diocese of Fargo

The diocese consists of 30 counties in eastern North Dakota.  The diocese has 71,000 Catholics (17 percent of the total population) in 131 parishes.

Bishops of Fargo

John Shanley (1852-1909), first and only Bishop Jamestown (1889-1897) and the first Bishop of Fargo (1897-1909). 

• Born in New York and ordained a priest for Diocese of St. Paul in 1874.

Bishop Shanley was an effective defender of the Faith in a state that was largely Protestant and anti-Catholic.  He served as Bishop at a time of great growth with the Catholic population of North Dakota increasing from 30,000 to 70,000, many foreign-born.  As a result he built more than 150 churches, including the Cathedral of St. Mary.  Construction on the Cathedral was delayed due to a fire that destroyed much of downtown Fargo.  Bishop Shanley donated substantially to reconstruction of the downtown area.  He also opened more than two dozen schools and three hospitals, run by religious orders.  He had special concern about the spiritual, material, and educational needs of those in rural areas and of Native Americans living on reservations.  He also strongly supported the temperance movement and social reforms, and began a diocesan newspaper.  He died in his sleep in 1909.

James O’Reilly (1855-1934), Bishop of Fargo (1910-1934). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in Ireland in 1880.  He eventually became a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.

Bishop O’Reilly, despite the Great Depression toward the end of his tenure, was able to establish 34 new parishes and build 24 schools and four hospitals.  He discontinued the Diocesan newspaper in favor of the newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul, which started to publish news from North Dakota.  Bishop O’Reilly died in 1934.

Aloysius J. Muench (1889-1962), Bishop of Fargo (1935-1959). 

• Born in Wisconsin and ordained a priest for Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1913.
• Also served as papal nuncio to West Germany (1951- 1959). 

As Bishop, Muench established the Priests Mutual Aid Fund to provide for the needs of the clergy and the widely copied Catholic Church Expansion Fund to help impoverished parishes and for the future development of the Diocese.  He also set up a monthly diocesan newspaper, a seminarian scholarship fund, and began the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in the Diocese.  Muench served as President of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and, reflecting those concerns, asked the Sisters of Service to teach the Faith to rural children through correspondence courses.  While continuing to serve as Bishop, Muench represented the Pope in West Germany from 1946 to 1951 under various titles and he served as papal nuncio to West Germany from 1951 to 1959.  In 1959, he became the first American Cardinal to hold a Curia office in the Vatican.  Muench was given the personal title of Archbishop in 1950 and named a cardinal in 1959, the same year that he retired as Bishop.

Leo F. Dworschak (1900-1976), Bishop of Fargo (1960-1970). 

• Born in Wisconsin and ordained a priest in 1926 for the Diocese of Fargo.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Rapid City (1946-1947) and auxiliary bishop of Fargo (1947-1960).

Bishop Dworschak built many new churches, schools, and hospitals, and began development funds to support the needs of the Diocese.  He also attended the Second Vatican Council and established a Diocesan pastoral council and made other changes resulting from the Council.  Dworschak built Shanley High School in Fargo and opened a seminary and a retreat house.  He also was partially responsible for the establishment of a health insurance program in North Dakota.  Bishop Dworschak retired in 1970.

Justin A. Driscoll (1920-1984), Bishop of Fargo (1970-1984). 

• Born in Iowa, and ordained a priest for Archdiocese of Dubuque in 1945.

Bishop Driscoll continued implementing the changes from Vatican II including the institution of a priest senate and a permanent deaconate.  He also sought to improve the diocesan newspaper and the spiritual lives of priests.  He spoke out on moral issues including the right-to-life.  He opened Newman Centers on college campuses and provided educational and health care needs to migrant workers.   Driscoll died unexpectedly in 1984.

James S. Sullivan (1929-2006), Bishop of Fargo (1985-2002). 

• Born in Michigan and ordained a priest in 1955 for the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan.

Bishop Sullivan served as episcopal liaison for the Cursillo Movement in the United States and as president of the World Apostolate of Fatima.  He also established a Catholic schools network, an evangelization program, a campaign to fund priest’s pensions, and began the Annual Walk with Christ for Life—a pro-life program.  He created a policy manual for the Diocese and was successful at promoting vocations to the priesthood.  He started a program that brought parish leaders to every home in the Diocese.  Demographic changes led to consolidation of some parish schools and the closing of 9 of the Diocese’s 17 hospitals.  Sullivan retired in 2002.

Samuel J. Aquilla (1950-    ), Bishop of Fargo (2002-2012). 

• Born in California and ordained a priest in 1976 for the Archdiocese of Denver.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Fargo (2001-2002) and serves as Archbishop of Denver (since 2012).

As coadjutor bishop, Aquilla became Bishop upon the retirement of Bishop Sullivan.  Reacting to the demographic shift of population from rural areas to urban areas, Aquilla realigned parishes—merging some and closing others.  He also closed the Cardinal Muench Seminary due to declining enrollment.  Aquilla changed the order of sacraments for children so that they now receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in second grade and the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist in third grade.  He built the Lady of Guadalupe Adoration Chapel in the Cathedral and he was a strong pro-life advocate.  He was appointed Archbishop of Denver in 2012.

Current Bishop

John Folda was appointed Bishop of Fargo by Pope Francis in 2013.  He was born in Nebraska in 1961 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lincoln in 1989.  He previously served in several positions for the Diocese of Lincoln including pastor and seminary rector.

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Mary

619 7^th Street North

Fargo, North Dakota 58102

The Cathedral is named for Mary, the Mother of God.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Our life, our sweetness and our hope.  To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

St. James’ parish in Jamestown was the first Cathedral parish for Diocese.  Bishop John Shanley selected St. Mary’s to be his Cathedral some years before the Diocesan see was officially changed to Fargo in 1897.  St. Mary’s parish was founded in 1880 as the first Catholic parish in Fargo.  Construction on the current church building began in 1891, but was delayed due to a fire that destroyed much of downtown Fargo.  The cathedral was completed in 1899.

The first is mine and the second is from flickr (taken on a nicer day).

The Cathedral was designed by architect Edward Bassford of Minnesota in a Romanesque Revival style.  It is made of brick and has two towers, the largest of which rises 172 feet above the street and contains a church bell.  The smaller tower has a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Cathedral features stained glass windows, carved Stations of the Cross, and a tapestry of Mary.  Some additional information can be found on the Cathedral’s website at cathedralofstmary.com and the Diocesan website at fargodiocese.org.

All pictures were taken by me.

The Cathedral is located in downtown Fargo and has five weekend masses, including one Tridentine mass.

Also located in the Diocese is the Basilica of St. James in Jamestown, North Dakota.  The first St. James Church was built in 1883, two years after the parish was established.  Pope Leo XXIII created the Diocese of Jamestown in 1889 and St. James was chosen to be the Cathedral for the new diocese.  The first bishop, John Shanley, moved the see of the Diocese to Fargo in 1897.  The current church was completed in 1914.  The American Gothic Basilica is built with pressed Hebron brick and Bedford stone trimmings and has twin steeples.  The Basilica seats about 750 people and features beautiful stained glass windows.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Pope John Paul II designated St. James a minor basilica in 1988.  Basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  The basilica’s website is stjamesbasilica.org.

The first is from the basilica website and the second from flickr.

Diocese of Bismarck

The diocese consists of 23 counties in western North Dakota.  The diocese has 59,000 Catholics (19 percent of the total population) in 48 parishes.

Bishops of Bismarck

Vincent Wehrle, O.S.B. (1855-1941), first Bishop of Bismarck (1910-1939). 

• Born in Switzerland and ordained a Benedictine priest in 1882.

Vincent Wehrle came to the Dakotas in 1887 and carried the Faith throughout North Dakota traveling by train, horseback, or on foot.  He established St. Gall’s Monastery at Devils Lake and Assumption Abbey at Richardton and he and his fellow Benedictines established several parishes near the monasteries.  He was appointed by Pope Pius X to be the first Bishop of Bismarck in 1910.  As abbot or bishop, Wehrle established 55 churches and 115 parishes and missions to serve a Catholic population that increased from 25,000 to 55,000 between 1910 and 1939.  He built four hospitals and preached throughout the Diocese strengthening the Faith of his people.  He fought socialism, which had strong support in North Dakota.  He planned the construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, but was unable to start construction due to the Great Depression.  He retired in 1939 due to failing health.

Vincent J. Ryan (1884-1951), Bishop of Bismarck (1940-1951).

• Born in Wisconsin and ordained a priest in 1912 for the Diocese of Fargo.

Bishop Ryan built dozens of churches (including the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit), schools, and hospitals.  He established a diocesan newspaper and an annual fundraising appeal and he helped establish the Home on the Range school for homeless boys at Sentinel Butte.  Bishop Ryan unsuccessfully fought a 1948 State initiative to prohibit nuns from wearing religious garments while teaching in public schools.  [Nuns had taught in North Dakota public schools since 1918, due to teacher shortages.  Some North Dakotans became concerned about possible Catholic domination of public education which led to the passage of the law in 1948.  Nuns continued to teach in public schools until the early 1960s.]  Ryan gave away almost all of his possessions prior to his death in 1951.

Lambert A. Hoch (1903-1990), Bishop of Bismarck (1952-1956). 

• Born in South Dakota, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sioux Falls in 1928.
• Also served as Bishop of Sioux Falls (1956-1978).

Hoch was the first native South Dakotan to become a Catholic bishop.  Bishop Hoch emphasized religious vocations.  He encouraged people to pray for vocations and sponsored contests for school children to make posters and write essays and plays promoting vocations.  This led to the ordination of 29 Diocesan priests and 13 priests for Assumption Abbey between 1952 and 1960.  Hoch was appointed Bishop of Sioux Falls in 1956.

Hilary B. Hacker (1913-1990), Bishop of Bismarck (1956-1982). 

• Born in Minnesota and ordained a priest in 1938 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.

Bishop Hacker attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented the directives of the Council in the Diocese, especially those involving greater lay participation in Church matters.  He established Bishop Ryan High School in Minot and Trinity High School in Dickinson and also started catechetical programs for Catholic children not attending Catholic schools.  He instituted an annual collection appeal known as “God’s Share” that asked for 1 percent of net income.  He retired in 1982.

John F. Kinney (1937-    ), Bishop of Bismarck (1982-1995). 

• Born in Iowa, grew up in Minnesota, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1963.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1977-1982) and served as Bishop of St. Cloud (1995-2013).

Bishop Kinney undertook the renovation of several of the Diocese’s aging church buildings and brought them into conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council.  He also began the Renew program in the Diocese and established a Diocesan mission in Kenya.  He chaired the National Conference of Catholic Bishop’s committee to deal with sexual abuse of children by priests and wrote pastoral letters on several subjects, including AIDS and Catholic education.  He also built a retirement home for priests.  He was named Bishop of St. Cloud in 1995.

Paul A. Zipfel (1935-    ), Bishop of Bismarck (1996-2011).

• Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1961.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1989-1996).

Bishop Zipfel hosted a Eucharistic Congress in 2000 drawing 8,000, or about 15 percent of the Diocese’s Catholics, to Bismarck.  He also told Catholics that they should avoid attending Mass at a church run by the traditional—and schematic—Society of St. Pius X.  Bishop Zipfel retired in 2011.

Current Bishop

David D. Kagan was appointed Bishop of Bismarck by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.  He was born in Illinois in 1949 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford in 1975.  He previously served as vicar general of the Diocese of Rockford. 

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Holy Spirit

519 Raymond Street

Bismarck, North Dakota 58501

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.  God the Holy Spirit was the inspiration of prophets and evangelists and came to the apostles at Pentecost.  The Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church today.  Surprisingly, this is the only U.S. cathedral dedicated to the Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

When Bishop Wehrle became the first Bishop, he selected St. Mary’s church in Bismarck as his Cathedral.  St. Mary’s was established in 1877 and is the oldest parish in Bismarck.  He quickly made plans, however, for a new cathedral.  He bought land on Bismarck’s west side in 1917 for the new cathedral and had an architect, Anton Dohman of Milwaukee, draw up plans.  The Great Depression stopped further work.  William Kurke, the architect of the North Dakota State Capitol, revised Dohman’s design and construction began in 1941.  The new Cathedral of the Holy Spirit was completed in  1945 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Picture of St. Mary's from its website.

Picture of Holy Spirit Cathedral taken by me.

The building is made of monolithic concrete in an Art Deco-style.  A $1.7 million renovation was completed in 1993.  The renovation included adding a Rodgers 955 console and six new ranks of pipes were added to 19 ranks of the existing Wicks organ.  The Cathedral’s chimes can be heard throughout its neighborhood.

The first picture is from flickr and the other two are mine.

The Cathedral website is cathedralparish.com and the Diocesan website is bismarckdiocese.com.  The Cathedral is located just west of downtown Bismarck and has four weekend masses.  The parish elementary school has 260 students.

South Dakota

Catholic History of South Dakota

French explorers and fur traders, such as Joseph La Frambois and Charles Pierre Le Sueur, came to present day South Dakota throughout the 1700s and early 1800s.  Father Augustine Ravoux came from St. Paul in 1841 to minister to the Dakota tribe and to Catholics at Fort Pierre and returned to minister to Catholics in Vermillion in 1845.  Father Pierre DeSmet worked as a missionary among the Native Americans in the region from 1839 to 1870.  In 1850, Pope Pius IX made the Dakotas east of the Missouri River part of the Diocese of St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Dakotas west of the River part of the vast Vicariate Apostolic of the Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains.  The Bishop of St. Paul, Thomas Grace, sent Father Pierre Boucher to the town of Jefferson and he established, in 1867, the Church of St. Peter, the first Catholic parish in South Dakota.

The Dakota Territory (consisting of what is now South Dakota and North Dakota) was established in 1861, but settlement was slow in the southern half of the Territory until the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in the mid-1870s.  Within about five years, much of the land east of the Missouri River had been settled.  Pope Leo XIII named Abbot Martin Marty, OSB, of St. Meinrad's Abbey in Indiana to be Vicar Apostolic of the Dakota Territory in 1879.  Within the next decade, the population of the Territory nearly doubled.

Two significant events took place in 1889:  South Dakota became a State and Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Sioux Falls.  At the time, the Diocese and the State were coterminous.  Pope Leo XIII created a second diocese, the Diocese of Lead, in 1902.  The Diocese of Lead consisted of that part of South Dakota west of the Missouri River.  Lead was the second largest town in South Dakota at the time the diocese was created.  With a population of 6,000, it was smaller only than Sioux Falls with its population of about 10,000.  Bishop John Lawler moved his see from Lead to Rapid City in 1930, because Lead had not increased in size, while Rapid City’s population of about 10,000 made it the third largest town in the State, behind Sioux Falls and Mitchell.

Diocese of Sioux Falls

The diocese consists of the 44 South Dakota counties east of the Missouri River.  The diocese has 116,000 Catholics (20 percent of the total population) in 119 parishes.

Bishops of Sioux Falls

Martin Marty, O.S.B. (1834-1896), Vicar Apostolic of the Dakota Territory (1879-1889), first Bishop of Sioux Falls (1889-1894). 

·         Born in Switzerland and ordained a Benedictine priest in 1856.

·         Also served as Bishop of St. Cloud, Minnesota (1894-1896).

Martin Marty first came to the Dakota Territory in 1876 and served as a missionary to the Dakota Indians—they called him the Black Robe Lean Chief—and he often traveled long distances in harsh conditions.  Pope Leo XIII appointed him Vicar Apostolic of the Dakota Territory in 1879 and he became the first Bishop of Sioux Falls in 1889.  He continued to work closely with the Native Americans, notably the Sioux, within the diocese and translated hymns and prayers into their languages.  He invited religious orders to staff schools, hospitals, and Native American missions.  He was named Bishop of St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 1894. 

Thomas O’Gorman (1843-1921), Bishop of Sioux Falls (1896-1921). 

·         Born in Boston, moved to St. Paul as a child, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Paul in 1865.

Bishop O’Gorman had an academic background—he was the first president of what is now St. Thomas University in St. Paul and later became a professor of church history at The Catholic University in Washington, DC.  Appointed Bishop of Sioux Falls in 1896, he built many schools and churches, including St. Joseph Cathedral.  He also built six hospitals and established Columbus College.  He was a noted preacher.  During his 26 years as Bishop, the number of Catholics increase from 30,000 to 70,000; the number of parishes from 50 to 114; and the number of priests from 65 to 140.  Bishop O’Gorman died in 1921.

Bernard J. Mahoney (1875-1939), Bishop of Sioux Falls (1922-1939). 

·         Born in New York and ordained a priest in 1904 for the Diocese of Albany, New York.

[I have no information on Bishop Mahoney.]  He died in 1939.

William O. Brady (1899-1961), Bishop of Sioux Falls (1939-1956). 

·         Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest in 1923 for the Diocese of Fall River, but soon thereafter became a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul.

·         Also served as coadjutor archbishop of St. Paul (1956), and Archbishop of St. Paul (1956-1961).

[I have no information on Bishop Brady.]  Brady became the Archbishop of St. Paul in 1956.

Lambert A. Hoch (1903-1990), Bishop of Sioux Falls (1956-1978). 

·         Born in Elkton, South Dakota, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sioux Falls in 1928.

·         Also served as Bishop of Bismarck, North Dakota (1952-1956).

Bishop Hoch was the first native South Dakotan to become a bishop.  According to Wikipedia, Hoch attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council and dedicated much of his administration to implementing the Council's reforms.  He fostered ecumenical relations with other faiths and helped establish the South Dakota Association of Christian Churches.  In 1963 he baptized and confirmed the Fischer quintuplets, who were the first known surviving set of American quintuplets.  He retired in 1978.

Paul V. Dudley (1926-2006), Bishop of Sioux Falls (1978-1995). 

·         Born in Minnesota and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul in 1951.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1977-1978).

According to Wikipedia, Bishop Dudley developed several ecumenical ministries serving the poor, and fostered many retreat and spiritual renewal programs.  He was active in such pro-life organizations as Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, Total Life Care, and Prolife Across America.  He also served as episcopal moderator for Worldwide Marriage Encounter and for Teens Encounter Christ.  He became a beloved figure among Catholics in the diocese, and was described as "a holy man" and "a true shepherd."  Bishop Dudley retired in 1995.  After he retired, Dudley was accused of sexual improprieties allegedly committed as a young priest, but investigations by both civil and church authorities never found evidence of misconduct.

Robert J. Carlson (1944-    ), Bishop of Sioux Falls (1995-2004). 

·         Born in Minneapolis and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1970.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis (1984-1994), coadjutor Bishop of Sioux Falls (1994-1995), Bishop of Saginaw, Michigan (2004-2009), and serves as Archbishop of St. Louis (since 2009).

Carlson became Bishop of Sioux Falls upon the retirement of Bishop Dudley.  According to Wikipedia, Bishop Carlson granted South Dakota's attorney general access to the Diocese's personnel files as part of his effort to demonstrate his open approach to sexual abuse on the part of priests. He required diocesan employees and priests transferring into his diocese to undergo thorough background checks.  He was named Bishop of Saginaw, Michigan, in 2004.   

Current Bishop

Paul J. Swain was appointed Bishop of Sioux Falls by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.  He was born in New York in 1943, converted to Catholicism in 1983, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, in 1988.  He previously served as vicar general for the Diocese of Madison.  Swain, a convert to Catholicism, had worked as an Air Force intelligence officer in Vietnam (earning a bronze star), an attorney, and assistant to the governor of Wisconsin, prior to being ordained a priest. 

The Cathedral

St. Joseph Cathedral

521 North Duluth Ave.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104

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 Blessed Joseph, you gave your last breath in the loving embrace of Jesus and Mary. When the seal of death shall close my life, come with Jesus and Mary to aid me. Obtain for me this solace for that hour, to die with their holy arms around me. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I commend my soul, living and dying, into your sacred arms. Amen.

Bishop Martin Marty first settled in Yankton (the territorial capital) after being named Vicar Apostolic of the Dakota Territory in 1879 and he selected Sacred Heart Church as his cathedral.  Marty moved to Sioux Falls in 1889 and selected St. Michael’s Church to be his cathedral.  St. Michael’s had been established in 1880 as Sioux Falls’ first Catholic parish.  An original wood church had burned after only a year of service and was replaced by a brick church—located at 5^th and Duluth streets—which became the Cathedral of the Diocese in 1889.  Marty’s successor, Bishop Thomas O’Gorman, decided to replace the brick church with the current Cathedral building after attending the dedication of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Minnesota.  The old brick Cathedral was torn down in 1915 and the new Cathedral, now dedicated to St. Joseph, was completed in 1919 at a cost of $390,000.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The first picture is from flickr and the other two were taken by me.

The Cathedral was designed by Emmanuel Masqueray (architect of the Cathedral of St. Paul) in a Romanesque and French Renaissance style.  The exterior is made of white Bedford limestone and the building has two towers.

St. Joseph’s has a marble main altar and a Kilgen pipe organ.  A 1942 fire caused extensive damage.  Restoration included the installation of the French stained glass windows shortly after the Second World War.  The north transept window features St. Joseph and depicts activities associated with men and the south transept window features Our Blessed Mother and depicts activities associated with women.  A Chapel of the Sacred Heart was built in 2004.  Some additional information can be found on the Cathedral website at stjosephcathedral.net and on the Diocesan website at diocese-of-sioux-falls.org.

Pictures in order are flickr, me, pinterest, and snipview.com.

The Cathedral is located just north of downtown Sioux Falls and has five weekend masses, including one for the Sudanese community.  The parish elementary school has 160 students.

Diocese of Rapid City

The diocese consists of the 22 South Dakota counties west of the Missouri River.  The diocese has 24,000 Catholics (10 percent of the total population) in 84 parishes.

Bishops of Lead

John Stariha (1845-1916), first Bishop of Lead (1902-1909). 

• Born in Austria and ordained a priest in 1869 for the Diocese of Sault Sainte-Marie--Marquette, Michigan.

Bishop Stariha served only seven years before ill health forced him to resign.  Nevertheless, he was able to increase the number of priests by 50 percent and double the number of parishes and missions.  He also built an orphanage and two hospitals. 

Joseph F. Busch (1866-1953), Bishop of Lead (1910-1915). 

• Born in Minnesota and ordained a priest for Archdiocese of St. Paul in 1889.
• Also served as Bishop of St. Cloud, Minnesota (1915-1953).

He increased the number of parishes to 27 and the number of missions to 63 and established an organization to help settlers find suitable land.  He was an advocate for miners in Lead promoting safe working conditions and no work on Sundays.  His positions irritated mine owners and Bishop Busch was forced to move his residence to Rapid City.  He was appointed Bishop of St. Cloud in 1915.

Bishops of Rapid City

John J. Lawler (1862-1948), Bishop of Lead (1916-1930) and first Bishop of Rapid City (1930-1948).

• Born in Minnesota, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Paul in 1885.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Paul (1910-1916).

Bishop Lawler was a strong advocate of the rights of miners and increased the number of parishes, schools, and hospitals.  He moved the diocesan headquarters to Rapid City in 1930 and thus became the first Bishop of Rapid City.  He died in 1948.

William T. McCarty, C.SS.R (1889-1972), Bishop of Rapid City (1948-1969). 

• Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a Redemptorist priest in 1915.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Rapid City (1947-1948).

As coadjutor bishop, McCarty became Bishop upon the death of Bishop Lawler.  He built Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral and was known for his work with the Lakota population.  He opened the Mother Butler Center in 1950 to serve the spiritual, physical, and health needs of Native Americans living in Rapid City.  McCarty called the first diocesan synod in 1952 and attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council.  He retired in 1969.

Harold J. Dimmerling (1914-1987), Bishop of Rapid City (1969-1987). 

• Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a priest in 1940 for the Diocese of St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Bishop Dimmerling ordained the first Native American to the permanent deaconate in 1975 and established many diocesan offices and programs, such as those for rural areas, social concerns, young adults, and separated, divorced and widowed Catholics.     Dimmerling also established a catechetical program and the diocesan newspaper, the West River Catholic.  He died in 1987.

Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (1944-    ), Bishop of Rapid City (1988-1997).

• Born in Kansas and ordained a Capuchin priest in 1970.
• Also served as Archbishop of Denver (1997-2011) and serves as Archbishop of Philadelphia (since 2011).

Bishop Chaput was the second Native American to become a bishop, and the first to lead a Diocese.  Bishop Chaput established a fund to help the poor, expanded the ministry to separated, divorced and widowed Catholics, and formed a diocesan financial advisory board, building commission, Pro-Life Commission, and Office of Native Concerns. He established development foundation in 1992 and dedicated St. Thomas More High School in Rapid City in 1995.  He was appointed Archbishop of Denver in 1997.

Blasé Cupich (1949-    ), Bishop of Rapid City (1998-2010). 

• Born in Nebraska and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1975.
• Also served as secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, D.C., Bishop of Spokane, Washington (2010-2014), and serves as Archbishop of Chicago (since 2014).  Pope Francis named him a Cardinal in 2016.

Bishop Cupich established a youth ministry, began the Renew program in the Diocese, called a Diocesan synod, and established a home for retired priests.  He also purchased a former monastery and converted it to a retreat center.  Cupich also sought to incorporate Lakota rituals into the liturgy.  After the election of President Obama in 2008, he urged U.S. bishops to find ways to work with the incoming administration, despite its views on abortion.  He was appointed Bishop of Spokane, Washington, in 2010.

Current Bishop

Robert D. Gruss was appointed Bishop of Rapid City by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.  He was born in Arkansas in 1955 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, in 1994.  He previously served in various capacities with the Diocese of Davenport including diocesan chancellor and cathedral rector. 

The Cathedral

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral

520 Cathedral Drive

Rapid City, SD  57701

The Cathedral is dedicated to Mary, as Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  This devotion originated with a painting of Mary, holding the Child Jesus, in the company of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.  The origins of the picture are obscure, but veneration began in Rome about 500 years ago.  We are reminded that Our Lady loves us and constantly prays to her Son, Jesus, for our needs.  The Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is on June 27.

O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let your name be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on you, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on you, ever repeating your name, Mary, Mary.

Bishop John Stariha, the first Bishop of Lead, selected St. Patrick’s Church in Lead to be the Cathedral for the Diocese in 1902.  St. Patrick’s, established in 1878, retained this status until Bishop Lawler moved his see to Rapid City in 1930.  Bishop Lawler chose St. Mary's Immaculate Conception Church on Fifth Street in Rapid City as his new cathedral.  Immaculate Conception parish was established in 1890 and the current church was built in 1911.  Under the direction of Bishop McCarty, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral was completed in 1962.

The top picture is of the old Immaculate Conception Cathedral and is from pinterest.  The other two are pictures of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral and were taken by me.

The modern style Cathedral is made from brick.  There are murals depicting Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Patrick.  The circular baptistery has scriptural references in stained glass.  St. Joseph’s altar features a life-size statue of the saint.  The Sacred Heart Chapel contains the tabernacle and has windows depicting the Litany of the Sacred Heart.

The first three pictures are by me and the last is from pinterest.

Some additional details, and several pictures, can be found on the Cathedral’s website, cathedralolph.org.  The Diocesan website is rapidcitydiocese.org.  The Cathedral is located two miles south of downtown Rapid City and has four weekend masses.  The Cathedral also supports Immaculate Conception Chapel, the former Cathedral (one weekend Mass in Latin), and St. Michael’s mission in Hermosa (one weekend mass).