Province of Chicago

Pope Leo XIII established the Province of Chicago in 1880.  The Province consists of the Archdiocese of Chicago and five dioceses in the State of Illinois.  The Province has 3.8 million Catholics, 29 percent of the total population.  It has the third largest population of Catholics of the 32 U.S. provinces.  In 2000, the Province had 3.7 million Catholics or 32 percent of the total population.  I have visited the cathedrals in Chicago and Rockford and have seen the Cathedrals in Belleville and Springfield.  I have not seen any of the three Chicago basilicas.

Map of the Province

Illinois

Catholic History of Illinois

The first Europeans to come to Illinois were Frenchmen led by the explorer Louis Joliet and the Jesuit priest, Jacques Marquette.  In 1673, they came down the Mississippi past present-day Illinois and returned to Canada by way of the Illinois River and the Great Lakes.  French missionaries established missions among the Native Americans throughout the rest of the 17^th Century.  The French eventually established forts and settlements along the Mississippi River, including at Cahokia in 1699—Holy Family Church was established the same year—and Kaskaskia in 1703—Immaculate Conception Church was established as a mission in 1675.  Illinois was included as part of the Northwest Territory in 1787 and eventually attracted settlers from Eastern states.  The Illinois Territory was established in 1809 and Illinois became the 21st State in 1818.

At the time of Statehood, there were only a few hundred Catholics, most of French or Irish ancestry and living near St. Louis.  Chicago had only about 150 Catholics out of a total population of 350 when it was incorporated in 1833.  Irish immigrants came to Illinois, especially Chicago, in the next two decades to build railroads and the Illinois and Michigan Canal.  Previously under the jurisdiction of bishops in Vincennes, Indiana, and St. Louis, Catholics in Illinois were organized into their own diocese in 1843 when Pope Gregory XVI established the Diocese of Chicago.  By 1850, Illinois’ population had increased to 851,000 and three years later, Pope Pius IX established the Diocese of Quincy (which became the Diocese of Alton in 1857 and the Diocese of Springfield in 1923) to serve Catholics in southern Illinois.

Immigrants from Europe, especially from Ireland and Germany, continued to come to Illinois during the last half of the 19^th Century.  A portion of the Chicago diocese became the Diocese of Peoria in 1877 and the southern part of the Diocese of Alton became the Diocese of Belleville in 1887.  Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIII created the Province of Chicago in 1880 raising the Diocese of Chicago to the status of an archdiocese.  In 1908, with a statewide Catholic population of about one and a half million, Pope Pius X separated a portion of the Archdiocese of Chicago to create the Diocese of Rockford.  The Diocese of Joliet was separated from the Archdiocese in 1948.

Archdiocese of Chicago

The Archdiocese of Chicago consists of two counties (Cook and Lake) in Illinois. The archdiocese has 2.4 million Catholics (39 percent of the total population) in 357 parishes.

Bishops of Chicago

William Quarter (1806-1848), first Bishop of Chicago (1844-1848). 

• Born in Ireland, came to the United States in 1822, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of New York in 1829.

Bishop Quarter found fewer than 20 priests in his new Diocese when he became Bishop, but was able to increase that number to three dozen four years later.  He built 30 churches and completed and paid off the debt of St. Mary’s in Chicago—the only Catholic church in Chicago at the time of his arrival.  He established what is now the University of St. Mary of the Lake in 1844 to train young men and brought in the Sisters of Mercy from Pittsburgh to establish St. Xavier’s Academy for young women in 1846.  He convened a diocesan synod and provided support to Chicago’s Irish immigrants.  He also convened what some consider the first theological conference in the United States in 1847.  He died in 1848.

James O. Van de Velde, S.J., (1795-1855), Bishop of Chicago (1848-1853). 

·         Born in Belgium and ordained a Jesuit priest in 1827.

·         Also served as Bishop of Natchez, Mississippi (1853-1855).

Bishop Van de Velde served as a Jesuit priest in Maryland and St. Louis prior to becoming the second Bishop of Chicago.  He spoke English, French, and German, which was of great benefit in the Diocese.  The new bishop found a Diocese—consisting of the State of Illinois—that had 56 churches served by 40 priests.  He established 70 new churches, a hospital, an orphanage, and 10 schools.  He angered some Irish because of his views on temperance and he disputed Bishop Quarters will with officials at St. Mary’s college.  He traveled throughout the Diocese, despite being in poor health.  He was granted permission by the Vatican in 1853 to become Bishop of Natchez, Mississippi, in an attempt to regain his health, but he died two years later in Natchez of yellow fever.

Anthony O’Regan (1809-1866), Bishop of Chicago (1854-1858). 

• Born in Ireland, ordained a priest in Ireland in 1834, and immigrated to St. Louis in 1849.

Bishop O’Regan had served as a university president in Ireland and a seminary rector in St. Louis prior to becoming Bishop of Chicago.  Bishop O’Regan never sought to be bishop and thought himself unworthy—an opinion shared by many of his priests, especially those who were not Irish.  He did bring the Jesuits and Redemptorists to the Diocese and established several parishes and Calvary Cemetery.  Disputes with a French-Canadian priest and with the faculty at St. Mary’s college (which resulted in its closure), led O’Regan, after being Bishop for only two and a half years, to travel to Rome to ask permission to resign.  The Vatican granted permission in 1858 and O’Regan moved to London, never returning to the United States. 

James Duggan (1825-1899), Bishop of Chicago (1859-1880). 

• Born in Ireland, came to the United States in 1842, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Louis in 1847.
• Also served as coadjutor archbishop of St. Louis (1857-1859).

Bishop Duggan became the fourth Bishop of Chicago in the Diocese’s first 15 years and brought needed stability to the Diocese.  He brought several religious orders into the Diocese to help with the educational and charitable needs of the people.  He also established the parochial school system for the Diocese.  Unfortunately, while attending the Second Plenary Council in Baltimore in 1866, he showed signs of mental illness.  He sought a cure in New Mexico, but it was to no avail and in 1869, he was committed to an asylum where he remained for the rest of his life.  He officially remained Bishop until 1880.

Thomas Foley was born in Baltimore in 1822 and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1846.  He was appointed apostolic administrator and coadjutor bishop of Chicago in 1869 due to Bishop Duggan’s illness.  He had barely arrived in Chicago when the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 devastated the city and destroyed several Catholic churches and many other Catholic buildings.  Bishop Foley was able to rebuild these buildings and build many more—he oversaw the construction of more than two dozen new churches in the Diocese.  Like Bishop Duggan, Foley brought in religious orders like the Franciscans to administer parishes, schools, and other institutions.  Bishop Foley was expected to become the fifth Bishop of Chicago, but died in 1879 before he could receive that honor.  Foley had a younger brother, John, who later served as Bishop of Detroit.

Archbishops of Chicago

Patrick A. Feehan (1829-1902), first Archbishop of Chicago (1880-1902). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1852.
• Also served as Bishop of Nashville (1865-1880).

Archbishop Feehan saw the Catholic population of the Archdiocese increase from 230,000 when he became archbishop to 800,000 at the time of his death.  To try to keep pace with this growth, Feehan increased the number of parishes from 194 to 298.  He was a strong advocate of Catholic education and chaired the schools committee at the Third Plenary Council (a meeting of all U.S. bishops) in 1884.  He also participated in religious activities associated with Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and was noted for his preaching abilities.  He convened the first Archdiocesan synod in 1887 and established an archdiocesan newspaper in 1892.  He did face some conflict.  Feehan and Polish Catholics at one parish clashed over the selection of a pastor resulting in a few thousand Poles leaving the Church and one priest being excommunicated.  Another priest was excommunicated when he refused to accept Feehan’s choice for an auxiliary bishop.  Feehan, along with other religious leaders, successfully fought to repeal a state law that gave local school boards some control over parochial schools.  He died in 1902 from a stroke.

James E. Quigley (1855-1915), Archbishop of Chicago (1903-1915). 

·         Born in Canada and ordained a priest in 1879 for the Diocese of Buffalo, New York.

·         Also served as Bishop of Buffalo (1897-1903).

Archbishop Quigley turned down admission to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to become a priest.  As Archbishop of Chicago, he responded to the needs of his Archdiocese, which continued to grow as European immigrants came in large numbers to Illinois—the number of parishes grew to 326 and the number of priests to 790.  Archbishop Quigley was noted for his administrative skills and he established rules for the governance of the Archdiocese and established a minor seminary.  He was also able to somewhat ease the conflicts that had erupted during Archbishop Feehan’s tenure.  He was a key advisor to and supportive of Father Francis Kelley who founded the Catholic Church Extension Society in 1905.  He died in 1915.

George Mundelein (1872-1939), Archbishop of Chicago (1915-1939). 

• Born in New York and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York, in 1895.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn (1909-1915).

Cardinal Mundelein was a strong administrator and fundraiser and had a good business sense.  He centralized many of the activities of the Archdiocese and took funds from wealthy parishes and gave them to poorer parishes.  He reestablished and built the Archdiocesan seminary (and college) the now bears his name and, in 1926, hosted the Eucharistic Congress—the first time the Congress was held in the United States and an event that brought positive media attention to the Church.  He was partially responsible for the founding of the Catholic Youth Organization in 1931 and he reorganized charitable activities under Catholic Charities in 1918.  Mundelein was a supporter of the rights of union members and was a friend and advisor to President Franklin Roosevelt.  He was named a Cardinal in 1924—the first in the Midwest.  He died in 1939 of a coronary thrombosis.

Samuel A. Stritch (1887-1958), Archbishop of Chicago (1939-1958). 

• Born in Nashville, Tennessee, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Nashville in 1910.
• Also served as Bishop of Toledo, Ohio (1921-1930), Archbishop of Milwaukee (1930-1939), and for three months in 1958 as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith at the Vatican.  He was named a Cardinal in 1946.

Cardinal Stritch led the Archdiocese through the post-World War II period when many Catholic families left the City of Chicago for homes in the suburbs.  Churches, schools, and other Catholic institutions were built to meet the needs of these suburban Catholics.  Meanwhile, Stritch had to deal with declining membership in Chicago parishes and with the movement of African Americans into previously white neighborhoods.  Cardinal Stritch believed in racial integration (unlike some Catholics at the time) and retained parishes in African-American neighborhoods, despite demographic shifts.  Stritch was a leader of the National Catholic Welfare Conference (predecessor to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops) during World War II and developed a plan for postwar peace.  He established organizations and ministries for many groups, including women, youth, working people, families, and for Hispanics.  He also established an archdiocesan office for radio and television.  He was appointed Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith at the Vatican in 1958, but died three months later of a stroke.  (He was the first American named to a high-level position at the Vatican.)

Albert Meyer (1903-1965), Archbishop of Chicago (1958-1965). 

• Born in Milwaukee and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1926.
• Also served as Bishop of Superior, Wisconsin (1946-1953) and Archbishop of Milwaukee (1953-1958).

Cardinal Meyer (named a Cardinal in 1959) served as Archbishop during two great events in the Twentieth Century—the Civil Rights Movement and the Second Vatican Council.  Meyer integrated Archdiocesan churches and schools in 1961 and privately confronted priests and school officials who were slow or reluctant to implement his orders.  Meyer was one of the most active American participants at the Second Vatican Council and was a strong advocate of religious liberty and ecumenism.  One of the most tragic events in Chicago history occurred in 1958 when a parochial school fire took the lives of 92 children and three religious sisters.  Meyer responded by upgrading fire-protection equipment in schools and emphasizing school safety.  He wrote several brilliant pastoral letters.  Meyer’s time as Archbishop was cut short by a brain tumor that took his life at the age of 62 in 1965. 

John P. Cody (1907-1982), Archbishop of Chicago (1965-1982). 

·         Born in St. Louis and ordained a priest in 1931 for the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1947-1954), coadjutor bishop of St. Joseph, Missouri (1954-1956), Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri (1956-1961), coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans (1961-1964), and Archbishop of New Orleans (1964-1965).

Cardinal Cody (named a Cardinal in 1967) came to Chicago after success in three other dioceses.  He continued the desegregation of Catholic facilities, upgraded minority parishes, and implemented the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, including the institution of a permanent deaconate program.  He raised money to renovate churches and schools, including the Holy Name Cathedral.  He also provided many benefits to priests and other archdiocesan employees including health insurance and a pension plan.  However, his autocratic style resulted in the formation of a union of the priests of the archdiocese.  In his later years, Cody was accused of sexual and financial irregularities, but the accusations were never proven.  He died of a heart attack in 1982.

Joseph L. Bernardin (1928-1996), Archbishop of Chicago (1982-1996). 

• Born in South Carolina and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1952.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Atlanta (1966-1972) and Archbishop of Cincinnati (1972-1982).

Cardinal Bernardin (named a Cardinal in 1983) established consultative bodies to assist him in governing the Archdiocese and he was a successful fundraiser.  He became well known for a view of the pro-life movement that covered all aspects of life, including assisted suicide and healthcare—a view later adopted by the U.S. Catholic Bishops.  U.S. bishops issued a pastoral letter on peace in 1983 that he wrote and for which he received the Albert Einstein International Peace Prize.  He was falsely accused of sexual abuse, but his loving, prayerful response to the allegations won him wide-spread admiration.  He was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1995.  His struggle and eventual death in 1996 from pancreatic cancer was viewed with sorrow both by Catholics and non-Catholics. 

Francis E. George, O.M.I. (1937-2015), Archbishop of Chicago (1997-2014). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1963.
• Also served as vicar general of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (1974-1986), Bishop of Yakima, Washington (1990-1996) and Archbishop of Portland, Oregon (1996-1997).  He was named a Cardinal in 1998.

Cardinal George was the first native Chicagoan to serve as Archbishop of Chicago.  George faced difficult financial times and had to close some schools and lay off staff.  He spoke out in favor of a zero tolerance policy for priests guilty of sexual abuse and pushed the Vatican to act quickly to laicize guilty priests.  He served one term as President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during which time he spoke out against the Affordable Care Act, not because of provision of health care (which he favored) but because of the Obama Administration’s insistence that it cover abortion and contraception.  George advocated strongly for religious liberty.  He wrote pastoral letters on evangelization and racism, wrote three books and a regular column in the Archdiocesan newspaper.  He worked to improve relationships with Mormons and Jews, suggesting that Jews not describe Jesus in the Talmud as a "bastard" in exchange for a softening of traditional Catholic prayers calling for Jewish conversion to Christianity.  George oversaw the new English translation of the Roman Missal.  Cardinal George walked with a limp due to childhood polio and spoke (in addition to English) French, Italian, Spanish, and German.  Cardinal George retired in 2014.

Current Bishop

Blasé Cupich was appointed Archbishop of Chicago by Pope Francis in 2014.  He was born in Nebraska in 1949 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1975.  He previously served as secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, D.C. (1981-1987), Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota (1998-2010), and Bishop of Spokane, Washington (2010-2014).  Pope Francis named him a Cardinal in 2016.

The Cathedral

Holy Name Cathedral  
730 N. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60611

From the early days of the Church, Catholics have shown reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  Jesus told us that “if you ask the Father anything in my name he will give it you." (John 16:23).  The Apostles cured the sick and raised the dead using the Holy Name of Jesus.  St. Paul tells us “that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil II, Chapter 10).  The monogram IHS stands for the Holy Name of Jesus and is the symbol of the Society of Jesus.

O sweet Name of Jesus, holy above all names in heaven and on earth, and to which every knee, both of men and of angels in heaven, on earth and in hell bends.  You are the way of the just, the glory of the saints, the hope of those in need, the balm of the sick, the love of the devout and the consolation of those that suffer. O, Jesus be to me a help and a protector so that your Name may be blessed for all times.  (By Thomas a Kempis)

When the Diocese of Chicago was founded by Pope Gregory XVI in 1843, he chose St. Mary’s Church, then located at the southwest corner of Madison and Wabash to be his Cathedral.  St. Mary’s was established in 1833 as the first Catholic church in Chicago.  (St. Mary’s is now located several blocks south on S. Michigan Avenue.)  Holy Name was established as a chapel for the University of St. Mary of the Lake—Chicago’s first college—in 1846.  A much larger Holy Name Church was dedicated in 1854.  This church was located on State Street between Huron and Superior (across the street from the current Cathedral) and because of its size hosted many of the liturgies normally associated with a cathedral, although St. Mary’s remained the official cathedral.  This all changed when both churches were destroyed during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.  After the fire, Bishop Foley erected a new Holy Name to be his cathedral.  Holy Name Cathedral was completed in 1875 and was designed by Patrick Charles Keely.

Both pictures are mine.

The white stone Cathedral has a single 210 foot tower.  The Cathedral’s heavy bronze doors open to a Gothic revival interior that can seat over 1500 people below a beautiful vaulted ceiling.  Along the walls are the Stations of the Cross designed by Goffredo Verginelli.  The Stations are cast in bronze and are framed in red Rocco Alicante marble.  The stained glass windows feature abstract designs are were made in Italy.  The main altar consists of a six-ton monolithic block of red-black Rosso Imperiale di Solberga granite from Argentina supported by a pedestal that features bronze relief carvings depicting scenes from the Old Testament.  The wooden resurrection crucifix above the main altar was made by Ivo Demetz.  At the rear of the sanctuary above the Archbishop’s cathedra are five bronze panels by Attilio Selva that represent the Holy Name of Jesus.  The Cathedral has two pipe organs.  The sanctuary organ is the smaller of the two and was built by Casavant Freres of Canada in 1981.  It is built in a 17^th Century French style and is comprised of 1,284 pipes in 19 stops distributed over 2 keyboards and a pedal.  The larger gallery organ was made in 1989 by Flentrop Orgelbouw of the Netherlands.  This organ has 5,558 pipes, 71 stops, and 4 keyboards and pedal.  The Cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Cathedral’s website, holynamecathedral.org has a picture gallery.  The Archdiocesan website is archchicago.org.  The Cathedral is located in downtown Chicago and has 8 weekend masses to serve 4,500 parish families.  St. Francis Xavier Warde elementary school has an enrollment of 710.  The upper grades meet at the Holy Name campus.

The first four pictures are from the Cathedral website, the next four are mine, and the last is from pinterest.

Also located within the Archdiocese are two Eastern rite cathedrals and three basilicas. 

St. Nicholas Cathedral in Chicago is the church of the Bishop of the Ukrainian-rite Diocese of St. Nicholas (in Chicago)—one of four Ukrainian-rite dioceses in the United States.  The diocese ministers to 11,000 Catholics in 38 parishes in the West and Midwest. 

Mar Thoma Shleeha Cathedral in Bellwood is the Mother Church for the Syro-Malabar-rite Diocese of St. Thomas (Chicago)—the only Syro-Malabar diocese in the United States.  The diocese ministers to 87,000 Catholics in 33 parishes and 30 missions in 25 states and the District of Columbia. 

Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica is located in Chicago (3121 W. Jackson Blvd.).  The parish was founded by the Servants of Mary in 1874 who replaced the small original church in 1902 with the current Italian Renaissance-style masterpiece.  Architecturally, the church borrows heavily from St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel in Rome.  A novena to Mary as the Sorrowful Mother began in 1937 and continues today.  For several years, the Novena was said at 38 different times every Friday at three locations within the church and recitation of the Novena spread around the nation.  Today, the Basilica is also home to the National Shrine of Saint Peregrine, patron saint of people suffering from cancer and AIDS.  Pope Pius XII designated the church as a minor basilica in 1956. 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 ols-chicago.org.

The first three pictures are from the basilica website.  The other three are from flickr, flickriver, and tripadvisor. 

Queen of All Saints Basilica is located in Chicago (6280 North Sauganash Avenue).  Queen of All Saints parish was established in 1929.  The original wooden frame church was replaced by the current Italian Renaissance building in 1960.  The exterior is made from grey limestone blocks and features beautiful carvings and statues.  The interior is dominated by a large painted glass image of Our Blessed Mother.  There are also eight shrines dedicated to Mary within the Basilica.  The Basilica is built on the site where the Treaty of Chicago was signed in 1833—a treaty in which the Potawatomi tribe gave up their land in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan.  Pope John XXIII designated the church as a minor basilica in 1962.  The Basilica’s website is qasparish.org.

The first three pictures are from the basilica website, the second two from flickr, and the last from Wikipedia.

St. Hyacinth Basilica is located in Chicago (3636 W. Wolfram St.).  St. Hyacinth’s serves part of Chicago’s Polish-American community.  Five of the Basilica’s nine weekend masses are said in Polish.  The red brick Basilica was completed in 1921 in the Renaissance style.  The interior domes feature painted murals.  There are also beautiful stained glass windows, ornate Stations of the Cross, and many sculptures.  Pope John Paul II designated the church as a minor basilica in 2003.  The Basilica’s website is sthyacinthbasilica.org.

The first two pictures are from the Basilica website, the second from tripadvisor, and the last from Wikipedia.

Diocese of Springfield, Illinois

The diocese consists of 28 counties in south central Illinois.  The diocese has 141,000 Catholics (12 percent of the total population) in 132 parishes.

Bishops of Alton

Henry D. Juncker (1809-1868), first Bishop of Alton (1857-1868). 

• Born in France and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cincinnati in 1834.

Bishop Juncker traveled to Europe and brought back seven priests and 12 seminarians to serve in his new Diocese—the number of priests increased from 28 to more than 80 while he served as Bishop.  He built new parishes, schools, hospitals, and other Catholic institutions to serve the large increase in the number of Catholics in the Diocese—numbering 85,000 at the time of his death.  He also invited the Recollect Franciscans from Germany who served at several parishes and established a monastery, seminary, and college.  Religious orders of women were invited to serve as teachers and nurses.  Bishop Juncker died in 1868.

Peter J. Baltes (1827-1886), Bishop of Alton (1870-1886). 

·         Born in Germany and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Chicago in 1852.

Bishop Baltes was the first Bishop consecrated in Illinois.  Bishop Baltes issued pastoral instructions that mandated parishes to build schools, to avoid large debt, and to build with bricks to prevent fires.  He even gave instructions on the use of church bells.  The Diocese continued to grow under Bishop Baltes and he responded to this growth with the construction of more churches, schools, and other institutions.  He brought in women religious to staff schools and hospitals.  At the time of his death in 1886, the Diocese had 177 priests and 420 nuns serving 220 churches and missions, 13 hospitals, and other institutions.

James Ryan (1848-1923), Bishop of Alton (1888-1923). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Louisville, Kentucky in 1871.

Bishop Ryan presided over a smaller Diocese of Alton after the Diocese of Belleville was created in 1887.  Nevertheless, the need for additional churches and schools continued to be a major concern of the bishop—he built 40 churches and 7 schools.  He also built new hospitals and an orphanage.  He convened the Diocese’s first synod in 1889 to bring the Diocese into compliance with the decrees of the three national Plenary Councils of Baltimore.  He also sought to better serve the large number of immigrants by giving them priests who spoke their language.  The Diocese had 87,000 Catholics at the time of his death in 1923. 

Bishops of Springfield

James A. Griffin (1883-1948), first Bishop of Springfield (1924-1948). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1909.
• Served as the first Bishop of Springfield (1924-1948).

Bishop Griffin was the first Bishop of Springfield.  He sought to improve educational opportunities by helping to establish Springfield College and other schools.  He also appointed the Diocese’s first comptroller and school superintendent.  He expanded the services provided in the Diocese by Catholic Charities—especially important during the Depression—and established several societies and organizations for the laity and youth.  He set up organizations to serve the special needs of the Diocese’s rural parishes.  Furthermore, he built the new Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield.  He died in 1948.

William A. O’Connor (1903-1983), Bishop of Springfield (1948-1975). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1927.

Bishop O’Connor called two synods to update diocesan regulations and to implement changes called for by the Second Vatican Council.  He also developed a fund for missionary work within the Diocese and established the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine within the Diocese.  He continued to build new churches and schools to keep up with the growth in the Catholic population.  He also founded four rural confraternity centers staffed by the Dominicans to provide religious education in rural areas.  He retired in 1975.

Joseph A. McNicholas (1923-1983), Bishop of Springfield (1975-1983). 

• Born in St. Louis and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1949.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1969-1975).

Bishop McNicholas was a strong advocate of civil rights and intuited a breakfast to honor the Dr. Martin Luther King.  He also made clear that Catholic schools would not discriminate on the basis of race nor become havens for those seeking to avoid public school integration.  In response to the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, McNicholas established pro-life coordinators in each parish to fight the evils of abortion.  He also instituted a “Come Home for Christmas” program to call inactive Catholics back to Church.  He died in 1983. 

Daniel L. Ryan (1930-2015), Bishop of Springfield (1983-1999). 

• Born in Minnesota and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Joliet in 1956.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Joliet (1981-1983).

Bishop Ryan established programs to allow greater involvement by the laity in parish activities such as the liturgy, pastoral care, and social justice.  He also sought greater participation by priests and laity in Diocesan decisions through the creation of a priests’ council and a diocesan finance committee.  He worked to improve campus ministries and established a program for non-priests to assume responsibility for some parishes.  Ryan took an early retirement in 1999 due to allegations that he had engaged in improper sexual conduct with, among others, young men and other priests. 

George J. Lucas (1949-    ), Bishop of Springfield (1999-2009).

• Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1975.
• Serves as Archbishop of Omaha (since 2009).

Bishop Lucas established a permanent diaconate program in the Diocese and ordained the first 18 deacons in 2007.  He also established an endowment program to improve Diocesan schools, support charitable activities, educate seminarians, and care for retired priests.  Bishop Lucas led the celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the Diocese, which was attended by 20,000 Catholics in 2003 at the State Fairgrounds.  Lucas also renovated the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception shortly before he was named Archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska, in 2009.

Current Bishop

Thomas J. Paprocki was appointed Bishop of Springfield by Benedict XVI in 2009.  He was born in Chicago in 1952 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1978.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Chicago (2003-2009).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
524 E. Lawrence Street

Springfield, Illinois  62703

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 Virgin made her a worthy habitation for Thy Son and did by his foreseen death preserve her from all stain of sin, grant, we beseech Thee, that through her intercession we may be cleansed from sin and come with pure hearts to Thee.

Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Quincy in 1853 to serve the Catholics in southern Illinois.  Land was purchased for a cathedral and the pope appointed a bishop, but the nominated priest refused the offer.  So the Diocese of Quincy was never fully established, instead it was administered first from St. Louis and then from Chicago.  Pope Pius moved the diocesan see to Alton in 1857.  The first Bishop of Alton, Henry Juncker, selected the newly-constructed SS. Peter and Paul Church on State Street to be his Cathedral.  Pope Pius XI selected Springfield to be the See city in 1923 due to its central location within the Diocese and its stature as the State Capital.

SS. Peter and Paul Church from the Diocesan website.

The first Catholic church in Springfield was built in 1849.  This 2400 square foot frame church, located on the south side of Adams Street, between Eighth and Ninth Streets, was dedicated to St. John the Baptist.  This church was soon rendered inadequate by its growing parish, and a new church, located at the northeast corner of Seventh and Monroe Streets, was completed in 1858.  This church was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and served a mostly Irish population.  St. John the Baptist became the German parish and no longer exists.  Immaculate Conception became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of Springfield in 1923.  The first Bishop of Springfield, James Griffin, called for the construction of a new Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and in 1928 the new Cathedral was dedicated.

The Greek Revival building was designed by Joseph McCarthy and is made of Mankato stone from Minnesota.  The portico has four Doric columns supporting a pediment.  The vestibule is lined with Vert Corail Claire marble and the Baptistery with Botticino marble.  The clerestory in the nave has rows of Siena columns in the Greek ionic style. Above the Rose Tavernelle wainscot are set the mosaic Stations of the Cross executed of minute pieces and imported from Venice.  The side altars are dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to St. Joseph.  The Cathedral’s old pipe organ was replaced in 2016 with a Reuter Organ Company four-manual, fifty-eight rank pipe organ.

From the Diocesan website.

Some additional information can be found on the Cathedral’s website at cathedral.dio.org and on the Diocesan website, dio.org.  The Cathedral is located on the southern end of downtown Springfield.  The parish serves 850 parish families and has four weekend masses.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of 236.

From pinterest and snipview.

Diocese of Peoria

The diocese consists of 26 counties in north central Illinois.  The diocese has 129,000 Catholics (9 percent of the total population) in 156 parishes.

Bishops of Peoria

John L. Spalding (1840-1916), first Bishop of Peoria (1877-1908). 

• Born in Kentucky and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Louisville in 1863.

John Spalding was only 37 when he became the first Bishop of Peoria in 1877.  As bishop for more than 30 years, he saw an increase in the number of parishes from 40 to 200 and the number of schools from 12 to 70.  He was a noted author and poet and an experienced horseman.  He was one of the U.S. bishops most responsible for the founding of the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.  He was offered, but declined, the position of the first rector of the University.  He also encouraged the founding of Trinity College in Washington to educate Catholic women.  He was one of several U.S. bishops who favored an “Americanist” view of the Church—separation of Church and State was good for the Church—a view not held by many Church leaders in Europe.  Spalding was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to mediate a miners’ strike and he was heavily involved in the writing of the Baltimore Catechism.  His uncle, Martin Spalding, served as the Archbishop of Baltimore.  He resigned in 1908 due to declining health and was given the personal title of Archbishop. 

Edmund M. Dunne (1864-1929), Bishop of Peoria (1909-1929). 

·         Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1887.

Dunne expanded the number of parishes and schools in the Diocese and also established Newman centers at the public colleges and universities in the Diocese.  In addition to English and Latin, Dunne spoke French, Italian, Polish, and Greek.  Dunne was independently wealthy and never took a salary as bishop.  He was generous with his money and gave much to charitable causes.  Dunne ordained Fulton Sheen to the priesthood.  Sheen would later become famous as a star of radio and television and is under consideration for canonization.  Bishop Dunne died in 1929.

Joseph H. Schlarman (1879-1951), Bishop of Peoria (1930-1951). 

• Born in Breese Township, Illinois, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Belleville in 1904.

Bishop Schlarman helped the people of the Diocese through the Great Depression.  After the Great Depression, he established a diocesan newspaper, renovated the Cathedral of St. Mary, achieved financial security for the Diocese, and attended to the needs of refugees who came to the Diocese after the Second World War.  He wrote two history books and other works, including papers on prisons, mixed marriages, and French exploration in North America.  He also served as president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and supported a seminary near Las Vegas to train Mexican seminarians.  Years before the Second Vatican Council, Schlarman promoted greater lay participation and the use of art and music in the Mass and he taught the scriptural origins of the Mass and Sacraments.   He suffered from poor health throughout his time as bishop—he had 15 surgeries and was administered the last rights six times.  He was given the personal title of Archbishop in 1951 and died of a heart attack the same year. 

William E. Cousins (1902-1988), Bishop of Peoria (1952-1958). 

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

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Chicago (1948-1952) and Archbishop of Milwaukee (1958-1977).

Bishop Cousins built several new parishes and schools during the boom years after the Second World War.  He encouraged vocations to the priesthood and religious life resulting in increases in the numbers of both.  Cousins advocated for lay organizations and established a diocesan Council of Catholic Men.  Bishop Cousins, known for his kindness, compassion, and great disposition, was named Archbishop of Milwaukee in 1958.

John B. Franz (1896-1992), Bishop of Peoria (1959-1971). 

• Born in Springfield and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Alton in 1920.
• Also served as the first Bishop of Dodge City, Kansas (1951-1959).

Bishop Franz built new parishes and schools—including two new high schools.  He attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented the sometimes controversial changes resulting from the Council.  Franz also chaired a diocesan synod that updated the regulations and governance of the Diocese.  He established a senate of priests, the first in Illinois.  Bishop Franz retired in 1971.

Edward W. O’Rourke (1917-1999), Bishop of Peoria (1971-1990). 

• Born in Downs, Illinois, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria in 1944.

O’Rourke was the first priest of the Diocese to be named its Bishop.   Bishop O’Rourke believed in helping the poor and disadvantaged.  He himself led a simple life—he sold the Bishop’s Mansion, moved to a small home, and gave the profits to the fund for retired priests.  As bishop, he emphasized lay participation in the Church, established a Diocesan pastoral advisory committee, a permanent diaconate program, an annual fundraising program, programs for teens and the widowed and divorced, and he updated Diocesan policies and procedures.  He wrote four books and several other publications.  O’Rourke also achieved a certain amount of fame when he was on an airplane hijacked to Paris in 1976.  He led the passengers in prayer and helped convince the hijackers to surrender.  Prior to becoming bishop, he found homes and jobs for refugees coming to the Diocese and served 11 years as executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference.  Bishop O’Rourke retired in 1990.

John J. Myers (1941-    ), Bishop of Peoria (1990-2001). 

• Born in Ottawa, Illinois, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria in 1966.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of Peoria (1987-1990) and served as Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey (2001-2016).

As coadjutor bishop, Myers became Bishop upon the retirement of Bishop O’Rourke.  As a priest, Myers started a program to attract men to the priesthood.  As bishop, he saw the results of this—80 new priests ordained for the Diocese in less than 12 years.  Myers also invited several religious orders to work in the Diocese.  He wrote several pastoral letters covering a variety of topics including abortion, family life, chastity, and fatherhood.  He also established a high school in Champaign, the Diocese’s first new Catholic high school in 35 years, and a diocesan catechetical institute.  Myers was named Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, in 2001.

Current Bishop

Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C., was appointed Bishop of Peoria by Pope John Paul II in 2002.  He was born in Chicago in 1947 and ordained a priest for the Congregation of the Holy Cross in 1974.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana (1997-2002).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
607 NE Madison Avenue

Peoria, Illinois 61603

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.

You are all fair, O Mary; the original stain is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel, the honor of our people, and the great advocate of sinners.  O Mary, Virgin most prudent, Mother most merciful, pray for us; intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The first Mass to be celebrated in what is now Peoria was at a French fort in 1680.  It would not be until 1846 that Peoria’s first parish—St. Mary’s—was established.  The first church was a 1,700 square-foot brick building built on a lot that cost $100.  It was quickly replaced with a new church building in 1851.  This St. Mary’s church was located on the corner of Bryan and Jefferson Streets and became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of Peoria in 1875.  Construction began on the current Cathedral in 1885 and it was dedicated in 1889.  Old St. Mary’s was razed in 1898.

From Wikipedia.

Casper Mehler, a Peoria architect, designed the Gothic cathedral, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The Cathedral is modeled on St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and is made of Anamosa white stone.  St. Mary’s has twin towers that are 230 feet high.

The vestibule ceiling depicts the constellation of the stars as they appeared on the eve of the establishment of the Diocese.  The main door leading to the nave is flanked by two murals depicting the Annunciation.

The sanctuary is set apart from the nave by a three-colored arch—red for the Blood of Christ, silver for the water from His side, and blue for Mary.  The main altar is made of cream-colored Mankato marble from Minnesota and has a mosaic of the Lamb of God.  Hanging above the altar is a replica of the original painting of the Crucifixion by the Spanish artist, Yzquierda, painted in 1873.  It originally hung in the old St. Mary’s Cathedral.  The original is now in the Saint Thomas More Chapel.  The sanctuary also has statues of Saints Peter and Paul.  Peter holds keys and Paul holds a sword.  The sanctuary window features Mary as Mother of God and is based on an ancient mosaic.  She is flanked by the Prophet Isaiah, who prophesized about the birth of Jesus by a virgin, and by St. Cyril of Alexandria, who defended Mary’s title of Mother of God at the Council of Ephesus of 431 A.D.  Above the sanctuary is dome with 14 medallions with Catholic symbols.  The floor of the sanctuary is made of Sienna Travertine marble tile.

From the Cathedral website.

The nave features medallions of 12 Old Testament prophets.  The ceiling is a starry sky, including the former planet Pluto, which was discovered by a man who grew up in the Diocese.  The marble nave floor has deep burgundy tile in the main aisle and green tile on the side aisles.  Side altars commemorate Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph.  Our Lady’s altar has a painting by Jesus Jauregui, a Mexican artist.  The 12 nave windows, most done by a Chicago artist, depict the spread of the Gospel throughout the world.  The Stations of the Cross are oil paintings on tin and were installed in 2007.  The nave also has statues of Christ the King and St. Francis of Assisi.

The Cathedral has two chapels.  The Lady Chapel was built in 1937 and only has images of women.  The most prominent is an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  Near Mary are statues or paintings of St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Anne, St. Therese of Lisieux, and the Madonna and Child.  The Chapel’s stained glass windows depict Eve, the Annunciation, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Joan of Arc, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and Ruth, Esther, and Judith from the Old Testament.

The St. Thomas More Chapel has windows dedicated to St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher, and St. Oliver Plunkett, all English martyrs.  The Chapel is used for daily Mass and serves as baptistery and reliquary.  Outside the Chapel are stained glass windows depicting North American martyrs.

The Cathedral’s gallery pipe organ is an Opus 1503 made by the Wicks Company of Illinois in 1936.  The organ has 3,329 pipes with 63 stops over 3 manuals and pedal.  The Cathedral also has a smaller Continuo organ made by the Schlicker Organ Company in 1975.

The Cathedral website, peoriacathedral.blogspot.com, has an online tour and a description of the art in the Cathedral.  Also see the Diocesan website at cdop.org. 

The Cathedral is located slightly north of downtown Peoria and has four weekend masses—including two in Spanish and one in Latin.

The first three pictures are from the Cathedral website and the last is from Wikipedia.

Diocese of Belleville

The diocese consists of 28 counties in southern Illinois.  The diocese has 92,000 Catholics (11 percent of the total population) in 119 parishes.

Bishops of Belleville

I do not have much information on the Belleville bishops and what little I have comes mostly from Wikipedia.

John Janssen (1835-1913), first Bishop of Belleville (1888-1913). 

·         Born in Germany and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Alton in 1858.

Midway through Janssen’s time as Bishop, the Diocese contained 104 churches, 94 priests, 64 schools, and 50,000 Catholics.  Bishop Janssen died in 1913.

Henry J. Althoff (1873-1947), Bishop of Belleville (1914-1947).

• Born in Aviston, Illinois, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Alton in 1902.

Bishop Althoff encouraged Catholics to support their churches by direct contribution rather than through parish parties and festivals, especially if they involved gambling.  Althoff died in 1947.

Albert R. Zuroweste (1901-1987), Bishop of Belleville (1948-1976). 

• Born in East St. Louis and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Belleville in 1924.

Bishop Zuroweste was the first priest of the Diocese to become its Bishop.  He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council.  Zuroweste also was elected president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1951.  He retired in 1976.

William M. Cosgrove (1916-1992), Bishop of Belleville (1976-1981). 

• Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland in 1943.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Cleveland (1968-1976).

Bishop Cosgrove resigned in 1981.

John N. Wurm (1927-1984), Bishop of Belleville (1981-1984). 

• Born in St. Louis and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1954.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1976-1981).

Bishop Wurm died of cancer in 1984.

James P. Keleher (1931-    ), Bishop of Belleville (1984-1993). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1958.
• Also served as Archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas (1993-2005).

Bishop Keleher was named Archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas, in 1993.

Wilton D. Gregory (1947-    ), Bishop of Belleville (1993-2004). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1973.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Chicago (1983-1993) and serves as Archbishop of Atlanta (since 2004).

Bishop Gregory served as President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2001 to 2004, the first African American ever to head an episcopal conference.  As president, he was at the forefront of the bishops’ response to the clergy sexual abuse scandal and led the bishops to issue the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People."  Gregory was named Archbishop of Atlanta in 2004.

Current Bishop

Edward K. Braxton was appointed Bishop of Belleville by Pope John Paul II in 2005.  He was born in Chicago in 1944 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1970.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1995-2000) and Bishop of Lake Charles, Louisiana (2000-2005).

The Cathedral

St. Peter Cathedral

200 W. Harrison Street

Belleville, Illinois  62220

St. Peter, originally known as Simon, was the first apostle chosen by Jesus.  Peter is frequently mentioned in the New Testament, and we know that he was a fisherman by trade, that he was married, that he was the leader of the apostles, and that he often tried the Lord’s patience.  After the Ascension of our Lord, Peter became the leader of the early church, eventually going to Rome to become the first Bishop of Rome, or Pope.  He was crucified there in approximately 64 A.D.  The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul is celebrated on June 29.

O blessed St Peter, head and chief of the Apostles, thou art the guardian of the keys of the heavenly kingdom, and against thee the powers of hell do not prevail; thou art the rock of the Church and the shepherd of Christ’s flock; thou art great in power, wonderful in thy heavenly bliss; thou hast the right of binding and loosing in heaven and on earth. The sea supported thy footsteps, the sick upon whom even thy shadow fell were cured of their ills. By the memory of that right hand which supported thee on the waves of the sea, lift me from the ocean of my sins, and by those tears which thou didst shed for thy Lord, break the bonds of my offences and free me from the hand of all my adversaries. Help even me, O good shepherd, that I may in this life serve Christ Jesus and thee, that with thy help, after the close of a good life, I may deserve to attain the reward of eternal happiness in heaven, where thou art unto endless ages the guardian of the gates and the shepherd of the flock.  Amen.

St. Peter’s parish was founded in 1842 by a group of German Catholics who in the following year built a small wooden church near the site of the current building.  This building was replaced by a red brick church dedicated to St. Peter in 1866 that became the first Cathedral for the Diocese of Belleville in 1887.  Fire destroyed all but the outer walls of the Cathedral in 1912 and another fire did extensive damage in 1937.  During the 1950s and 1960s, extensive changes were made to the Cathedral, including refacing the outer walls with Winona split face dolomite trimmed with Indiana limestone.

St. Peter’s is the largest cathedral in Illinois and is modeled in the English Gothic style after the Cathedral of Exeter in England.  The Cathedral’s bell tower is 222-feet high and the Cathedral can seat about 1,300.

The top picture is from flickr and the bottom from Wikipedia.

Raffo Figle, an Italian artist, designed the main marble altar and the Stations of the Cross.  The nave features marble and bronze statues and stained glass windows, two of which depict the history of Catholics in Illinois.  The Cathedral also has a Marian shrine.

The Cathedral’s website is cathedralbelle.org and the Diocesan website is diobelle.org. The Cathedral is located slightly south of downtown Belleville and has four weekend masses.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of 225.

The first picture is from the Cathedral website, the second from flickr and the last two from pinterest.

Diocese of Rockford

The diocese consists of 11 counties in northern Illinois.  The diocese has 457,000 Catholics (25 percent of the total population) in 104 parishes.

Bishops of Rockford

Peter J. Muldoon (1862-1927), first Bishop of Rockford (1908-1927). 

·         Born in California and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1886.

·         Also served as the auxiliary bishop of Chicago (1901-1908).

Bishop Muldoon was a leader in the creation of the National Catholic Welfare Council—predecessor to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops—and he chaired the Council’s Social Action Department.  He was a strong supporter of labor unions and social justice.  Pope Benedict XV appointed Muldoon as Bishop of Los Angeles in 1917, but his priests petitioned the Pope to allow him to stay in Rockford and Pope Benedict agreed.  He died in 1927 after a long illness.

Edward F. Hoban (1878-1966), Bishop of Rockford (1928-1942).

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1903.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Chicago (1921-1928), coadjutor bishop of Cleveland (1942-1945), and Bishop of Cleveland (1945-1966).  He was given the personal title of Archbishop in 1951.

[From Wikipedia]  Bishop Hoban built many elementary and high schools, modernized charitable institutions, and established a diocesan newspaper.  He was named coadjutor bishop of Cleveland in 1942 and became Bishop of Cleveland in 1945.

John J. Boylan (1889-1953), Bishop of Rockford (1943-1953). 

• Born in New York and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, in 1915.

As was true with most post-War bishops, Boylan built many new churches and schools to keep up with growth in the Diocese.  He also saw vocations to the priesthood and religious life increase, and Boylan expanded Catholic Charities and organizations for Catholic youth.  Bishop Boylan died unexpectedly on a family visit to Rhode Island in 1953.

Raymond P. Hillinger (1904-1971), Bishop of Rockford (1953-1956). 

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1932.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Chicago (1956-1971).

Bishop Hillinger had served as Bishop for only a short time when his health began to fail.  His poor health forced him to resign and he was named auxiliary bishop of Chicago in 1956.  After his resignation and despite his poor health, he served as a pastor of a Chicago parish until 1968.  He died three years later.

Donald M. Carroll was appointed Bishop of Rockford by Pope Pius XII in 1956, but illness prevented him from ever being consecrated as Bishop of Rockford.  Carroll later served as a pastor and hospital chaplain in the Archdiocese of Chicago.  He died in 2002 at the age of 92.

Loras T. Lane (1910-1968), Bishop of Rockford (1956-1968). 

• Born in Iowa and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque in 1937.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Dubuque, Iowa (1951-1956).

Bishop Lane attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965 and according to the Diocesan website, initiated a 12-year period of growth and renewed activity in the Diocese.  He died of a kidney ailment in 1968.

Arthur J. O’Neill (1917-2013), Bishop of Rockford (1968-1994).

• Born in East Dubuque, Illinois and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford in 1943.

Bishop O’Neill was the first priest from the Diocese to be named the Bishop of Rockford and he served longer than any other Rockford bishop to date.  According to the Diocesan website, Bishop O’Neill continued and expanded what all of his predecessors had done to strengthen and spread the Catholic faith, to deepen the spiritual and liturgical life of the Catholic faithful, to expand and refine the Church’s apostolate of Catholic education, to increase the means and methods of communicating with the people of the Diocese, to promote vocations, to foster Catholic social action and services to the poor, to assist the increasing numbers of new migrants and immigrants as they arrived in the Diocese, and to find a more creative means for clergy and laity alike to support their parishes and their Diocese with their time, talent and treasure.  Bishop O’Neill retired in 1994.

Thomas G. Doran (1936-    ), Bishop of Rockford (1994-2012). 

• Born in Rockford and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford in 1961.
• Also served as Prelate Auditor of the Roman Rota at the Vatican (1986-1994).

I have no information about Bishop Doran, except that he retired in 2012.

Current Bishop

David Malloy was appointed Bishop of Rockford by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.  He was born in Milwaukee in 1956 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1983.  He previously served in the Vatican Diplomatic Corps (1990-1994), as general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (2006-2011), and as a pastor for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee (2011-2012).

A complete history of the Diocese of Rockford was written and published in 2008 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the diocese. That commemorative history book includes photographs and histories from all parishes as well as agencies, organizations and closed parishes.  It can be ordered through the Diocesan website.

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Peter
1243 N. Church Street

Rockford, Illinois  61103

St. Peter, originally known as Simon, was the first apostle chosen by Jesus.  Peter is frequently mentioned in the New Testament, and we know that he was a fisherman by trade, that he was married, that he was the leader of the apostles, and that he often tried the Lord’s patience.  After the Ascension of our Lord, Peter became the leader of the early church, eventually going to Rome to become the first Bishop of Rome, or Pope.  He was crucified there in approximately 64 A.D.  The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul is celebrated on June 29.

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

St. James was established as the first Catholic parish in Rockford in 1853—14 years after Rockford incorporated.  The current church on N. Second Street was built during the Civil War and became the first Cathedral for the new Diocese of Rockford in 1908.  Holy Family parish was established in 1962 on Highcrest Road and was intended to be the new cathedral.  Bishop Lane planned for a 14-story high pyramid-like cathedral.  The cathedral parish met temporarily in the school gymnasium and planned to do so until construction of the new Cathedral was completed.  However, Bishop Lane died in 1968.  Bishop O’Neill decided not to proceed with the new Cathedral due to the high cost and he designated St. Peter’s as the Cathedral in 1970.  St. Peter’s parish was established in 1922 and met in a combination church and school building on Court Street.  Construction of the current church began in 1958 and was completed in 1960.  St. James and Holy Family continue as Diocesan parishes today.

From the St. James website

St. Peter’s is designed in an Italianate style and has one tower.  The Cathedral seats about 700 and has a 1978 Wicks Organ Company pipe organ, Opus 5706. The organ features 5 divisions, 45 stops, 55 ranks and 2,707 pipes.  The manual compass is 61 notes and the pedal compass is 32 notes.  A new altar and sanctuary were dedicated in 1998.

The first picture is from the cathedral website, the second from the Diocesan website, and the last from Wikipedia.

The Cathedral website, cathedralofstpeter.org, has pictures, but no description.  The Diocesan website is rockforddiocese.org.  The Cathedral is located less than two miles northeast of downtown Rockford and has five weekend masses to serve 1,000 parish families.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of 120.

The first two pictures are from the Cathedral website, the third from the Diocesan website, and the last from Wikipedia.

Diocese of Joliet

The diocese consists of 7 counties in northeastern Illinois.  The diocese has 659,000 Catholics (34 percent of the total population) in 120 parishes.

Bishops of Joliet

Martin D. McNamara (1898-1966), first Bishop of Joliet (1949-1966).

• Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1922.

Bishop McNamara went to the Vatican Council in Rome, but became ill upon arrival.  He returned home and died during heart surgery and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in 1966.

Romeo Blanchette (1913-1982), Bishop of Joliet (1966-1979). 

• Born in St. George, Illinois, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1937.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Joliet (1965-1966).

Bishop Blanchette implemented the directives of the Second Vatican Council, specifically related to liturgy changes, greater involvement by the laity, and ecumenical outreach.  He resigned as Bishop in 1979 because he had Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS).

Joseph L. Imesch (1931-2015), Bishop of Joliet (1979-2006). 

• Born in Michigan and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1956.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Detroit (1973-1979).

Bishop Imesch worked with community leaders to create a housing foundation and he established a homeless shelter, where he frequently went to serve the needy.  He created a Diocesan development program and a foundation to help fund Catholic schools.  Imesch also began the Diocesan Peace and Justice Office and started a relationship with the Archdiocese of Sucre, Bolivia, by building and staffing a hospital there.  Bishop Imesch retired in 2006.

J. Peter Sartain (1952-    ), Bishop of Joliet (2006-2010). 

·         Born in Memphis and ordained a priest for Diocese of Memphis in 1978.

·         Also served as Bishop of Little Rock, Arkansas (2000-2006) and serves as Archbishop of Seattle (since 2010).

Bishop Sartain worked to put the Diocese on solid financial footing and instituted a thorough study of all parochial schools, which resulted in the formation of a strategic plan to guide the development of Catholic education in the years to come.  He brought the Catholics Come Home evangelization program to the diocese to invite non-practicing members of the Church to return to the practice of faith.  Bishop Sartain was appointed Archbishop of Seattle in 2010.

Current Bishop

Robert D. Conlon was appointed Bishop of Joliet in 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI.  He was born in Cincinnati in 1948 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1977.  He previously served as Bishop of Steubenville, Ohio (2002-2011).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus
604 N. Raynor Avenue
Joliet, Illinois  60435

This is the only cathedral in the United States dedicated to St. Raymond Nonnatus (1204-1240).  Raymond was born in Spain and his name derives from the fact that he was born by caesarean delivery shortly after his mother died.  He is therefore the patron saint of expectant mothers and midwives.  As an adult, Raymond joined a group that ransomed the Christian captives of Algerian Muslims.  Raymond eventually gave himself up as a captive in exchange for the freedom of others.  Because of his success at converting Muslims, he was tortured and sentenced to death before he himself was ransomed.  He returned to Spain where he lived a simple life.  He was named a Cardinal in 1239.  His feast day is celebrated on August 31.

Glorious St. Raymond, filled with compassion for those who invoke thee and with love for those who suffer heavily leaden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at thy feet and humbly beg of thee to take the present affair which I recommend to thee under thy special protection. Vouchsafe to recommend it to the Blessed Virgin Mary and lay it before the Throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to Face, and with thee and Mary and the saints praising and blessing to all eternity. Amen. Good St. Raymond, pray for us and obtain our request.

St. Raymond Nonnatus parish was established in 1917 to serve Joliet Catholics who lived west of the Des Plaines River.  Construction of the first St. Raymond Church began later that year and was completed in 1918.  The parish was selected to be the Cathedral parish for the new Diocese of Joliet in 1948.  Construction began on the current Cathedral in 1952 and was completed in 1955 at a cost of $2.4 million.

Old Cathedral from Wikipedia

The brick Classical Revival cathedral has a single 190-foot spire.  The Cathedral’s stained glass windows were made in Chicago, although they are not technically “stained” glass.  Rather, they are translucent mosaics made up of small pieces of imported antique glass. Each piece was integrally colored and embedded in lead to produce the individual design, and graded in color to develop highlights and shadows.  The Cathedral is painted in gold and cream colors.

The Cathedral’s website is straymond.net and the Diocesan website is dioceseofjoliet.org.  The Cathedral is located one mile northwest of downtown Joliet and has five weekend masses to serve 2,100 parish families.  The parish elementary school has an enrollment of 535.

The first two pictures are from the Cathedral website, the second two are from flickr, and the last from Wikipedia.

U.S. Cardinal/Archbishops

Archbishops of some archdioceses traditionally become Cardinals while serving as archbishop.  (Some bishops were appointed to Vatican positions and then became cardinals, but this is not about them.)  The first American Cardinal was John McCloskey, who served as Archbishop of New York from 1864 to 1885.  Pope Pius IX named McCloskey a cardinal in 1875.  James Gibbons served as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1877 to 1921 and was made the second American cardinal in 1886.

Seven archdioceses have traditionally been led by cardinal-archbishops.

In New York, Cardinal McCloskey’s immediate successor, Michael Corrigan, was not made a cardinal.  But Corrigan’s successor, John Farley, who became Archbishop of New York in 1902, was named a Cardinal in 1911.  All six of his successors, down to Archbishop Timothy Dolan today, have been named Cardinals.

William O’Connell was the Archbishop of Boston from 1907 to 1944 and became a Cardinal in 1911.  All four of his successors, including the incumbent, Seán O'Malley, were named cardinals.

George Mundelein served as Archbishop of Chicago from 1915 to 1939 and was named a Cardinal in 1924.  All six of his successors have become Cardinals as well, including the incumbent Archbishop, Blasé Cupich.

Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle of Washington, was named a Cardinal in 1967, as have all of four of his successors, including the incumbent, Donald Wuerl.

Dennis Dougherty served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1918 to 1951 and was named a Cardinal in 1921.  The next four Archbishops were also named cardinals.  The current Archbishop, Charles Chaput has served since 2011 and has not yet been named a Cardinal.

James McIntyre was appointed Archbishop of Los Angeles in 1948 and was named the first Cardinal from a western state in 1953.  His two successors were cardinals as well.  Jose Gomez became Archbishop in 2011 and is not yet a cardinal.

Archbishop Edward Mooney of Detroit was named a Cardinal in 1946 and three successors through Archbishop Adam Maida (named in 1994) were all Cardinals.  The current Archbishop, Allen Vigneron has served since 2009 and has not yet been made a Cardinal.

Two archdioceses have sometimes had cardinal-archbishops.

After Cardinal Gibbons served as Archbishop of Baltimore, only two of his seven successors have been named cardinals.  St. Louis Archbishop John Glennon was named a Cardinal in 1946, although he died on his way home from Rome.  His two immediate successors were also named Cardinals, but none since Cardinal Carberry retired in 1979. 

Other archdioceses have had only one cardinal-archbishop.  Cardinal William Tobin was serving as Archbishop of Indianapolis when Pope Francis named him a cardinal in 2016 and then almost immediately transferred Tobin to Newark, New Jersey.  Pope Benedict appointed Daniel DiNardo a cardinal in 2007.  DiNardo was and remains the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston. 

Perhaps the most interesting appointment was by Pope John XXIII of Aloisius Muench as Cardinal in 1959.  Muench retired that year as Bishop of Fargo, North Dakota, but was appointed cardinal as a reward for his long service in the Vatican diplomatic corps while serving as Bishop of Fargo.