Province of Miami

Pope Paul VI created the Province of Miami in 1968.  The Province consists of the Archdiocese of Miami and six dioceses in Florida.  The Province has 2.0 million Catholics, 10 percent of the total population.  In 2000, the Province had 2.1 million Catholics or 14 percent of the total population.

I have seen four of Florida’s eight cathedrals and have visited three of the five non-cathedral basilicas.  St. Augustine Cathedral-Basilica is worth seeing not only for its beauty, but also its historical significance—it is the oldest parish in the United States.

Map of the Province

Catholic History of Florida

The Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon, was the first European to come to Florida in 1513 and he named the land in honor of a Spanish Easter festival, Pascua Florida.  Other explorers followed until the Spanish established St. Augustine in 1565, making it the oldest European settlement in the United States.  The first Mass was celebrated there on September 8.  [Pensacola was established in 1559, but abandoned two years later—it was not permanently established until 1693.]  Franciscan missionaries, some of whom lost their lives in the effort, were able to bring the Faith to the Native American people with some success, especially among the Timucua and Calusa tribes.  [A catechism and grammar were written in the Timucua language in the early 1600s—the first books of any kind written in a Native American language.]  By the mid-17^th Century, the Franciscans served close to 30,000 converts at almost 40 missions.

Spanish settlements came under frequent attacks by Native Americans, the French, and especially the English.  An English raid on the missions in 1702 resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Native American Catholics and the enslavement of hundreds more.  Spain was forced to cede Florida to England in 1763 and most Florida Catholics left, including the few hundred remaining Native American Catholics.  England divided the colony in two, East Florida being modern-day Florida as far west as the Apalachicola River, and West Florida extending along the Gulf Coast to the Mississippi River (including parts of modern day Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana).  Spain regained control of both Floridas in 1783.  West Florida became part of the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, although there was legal confusion about this until 1810.  Spain, England, and the United States fought over East Florida during and after the War of 1812 until Spain ceded Florida to the United States in 1819.  The Territory of Florida was created in 1822 and Florida became the 27^th State in 1845.

Cuban bishops originally were in charge of the Spanish churches in Florida and in 1606, Bishop Cabeza de Altamirano of Santiago, Cuba, visited St. Augustine—the first Catholic bishop to visit what is now the United States.  Three auxiliary bishops from the Diocese of Santiago resided for periods of time in the 18^th Century in St. Augustine—the first resident bishops in what is now the United States.  By the time Florida became a Territory, there were only about 600 Catholics living there.  Florida came under the jurisdiction of several U.S. bishops until 1857, when most of Florida became the Vicariate Apostolic of Florida—a missionary diocese.  The 10 westernmost counties of Florida were part of the Diocese of Mobile, Alabama.  In 1857 there were six churches in Vicariate Apostolic—two in St. Augustine, and one each in Tallahassee, Key West, Jacksonville, and Palatka.  There were also churches in Pensacola and Apalachicola under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Mobile.

Pope Pius IX raised the Vicariate of Florida to the status of a diocese when he created the Diocese of St. Augustine in 1870.  St. Augustine had fewer than 2,000 people at the time—Jacksonville’s 6,000 people made it the largest municipality in Florida—but it had served as the capital of Spanish Florida and of English East Florida and had long been a center for Florida Catholicism.  Two months before he died in 1958, Pope Pius XII established southern Florida as the Diocese of Miami, which was then the largest city in Florida.  Florida’s population increased from 2.8 million in 1950 to 6.8 million in 1970.  In recognition of this growth, Pope Paul VI, in 1968, created the Province of Miami (making Miami an archdiocese), created the Dioceses of St. Petersburg and Orlando, and made Florida’s western counties part of the Diocese of St. Augustine.  Paul established the Diocese of Pensacola and Tallahassee in 1975 to served Catholics in the Panhandle.  Finally, Pope John Paul II created the southern Florida Dioceses of Palm Beach and Venice in 1984.

Archdiocese of Miami

The Archdiocese of Miami consists of three counties in southern Florida. The archdiocese has 531,000 Catholics (12 percent of the total population) in 102 parishes.

Archbishops of Miami

Coleman F. Carroll (1905-1977), first Bishop of Miami (1958-1968) and first Archbishop of Miami (1968-1977).  

·         Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1930.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh (1953-1958).  His older brother, Howard, served as Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Carroll was appointed the first Bishop of Miami in 1958 and became the first Archbishop of Miami in 1968.  In 1958, his new Diocese had 200,000 Catholics in 16 counties in South Florida.  At the time of his death, there were 700,000 Catholics in 8 counties, so he built dozens of parishes and schools.  As bishop for a new diocese, he built two seminaries, established a diocesan newspaper, and created a vast network of social services.  He led the Archdiocese through the 1960s—a turbulent time for the nation—and through the changes brought about by the Second Vatican Council—a time of change for the Church.  For South Florida specifically, he took charge of the Church’s efforts to minister to the large population growth from elsewhere in the United States as well as large numbers of Cuban exiles fleeing the Communist regime in their native land.  He also began the racial integration of the Archdiocese’s parishes and schools.  He died in 1977.

Edward A. McCarthy (1918-2005), Archbishop of Miami (1977-1994).  

• Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1943.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Cincinnati (1965-1969), first Bishop of Phoenix, Arizona (1969-1976), and coadjutor archbishop of Miami (1976-1977).

As coadjutor archbishop, Edward McCarthy immediately succeeded Bishop Carroll.  Archbishop McCarthy welcomed more Cuban exiles and also ministered to about 2,000 Haitians, who were detained by Federal authorities when they came to Florida.  He fought for their rights and established the Pierre Toussaint Haitian Catholic Center and other missions to minister to their needs.  He sought the views of the laity at the first Archdiocesan synod (1985-1988) and broadened the role of the laity within the Church.  In 1984, there were about one million Catholics in the Archdiocese and Pope John Paul II created two new dioceses—Palm Beach and Venice—which reduced the Archdiocese to its current three counties.  Three years later, Archbishop McCarthy welcomed Pope John Paul II during his visit to Miami.  McCarthy retired in 1994.

John C. Favalora (1935-    ), Archbishop of Miami (1994-2010).  

• Born in New Orleans and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1961.
• Also served as Bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana (1986-1989) and Bishop of St. Petersburg (1989-1994). 

Favalora became Archbishop at a time when south Florida was seeing a great influx of refugees from Cuba and Haiti.  The Archbishop visited refugee camps at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and established a ministry at several parishes in the Archdiocese to teach English to children released from the camps and to prepare families for life in the United States.  Archbishop Favalora led a group of about 180 pilgrims to attend Pope John Paul II’s 1998 Mass in Havana, Cuba.  He retired in 2010.

Current Archbishop

Thomas G. Wenski was appointed Archbishop of Miami by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.  He was born in West Palm Beach in 1950 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Miami in 1976.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Miami (1997-2003), coadjutor bishop of Orlando (2003-2004) and Bishop of Orlando (2004-2010).  Wenski is the first priest from the Archdiocese of Miami to be named its Archbishop.  Wenski speaks English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish fluently, and speaks some Polish.  

The Cathedral

St. Mary’s Cathedral
7525 NW 2^nd Avenue

Miami, Florida  33150

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 Blessed Virgin Mary, glory of the Christian people, joy of the universal Church and Mother of Our Lord, speak for us to the Heart of Jesus, who is your Son and our brother. O Mary, who by your holy Immaculate Conception did enter the world free from stain, in your mercy obtain for us from Jesus the special favor which we now so earnestly seek... (State your intention here...) O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will. Amen.

St. Mary’s became Miami’s third parish in 1930 when a small wooden church was built near the site of the current Cathedral to serve the Catholics living north of downtown Miami.  The wooden church was moved to the current location in 1936 and was enlarged so as to have a capacity of 600 people.  Construction of the current church building began in 1955 and the church was dedicated in 1957.  St. Mary’s became the Cathedral of the Diocese of Miami in 1958 and the Archdiocese of Miami in 1968.  Pope John Paul II visited the Cathedral in 1987.

The Cathedral employs several design styles and is made of concrete block stucco with a multi-colored Spanish tile roof.  A concrete dome covered with gold and blue aluminum rises 76 feet above the main altar.  The bell tower rises 120 feet above the street and holds a two-ton bronze bell.

The top picture is from the Cathedral website and the bottom from the Diocesan website.

The Cathedral’s 30-foot high doors are made of mahogany with brass fittings and the nave measures 140 feet long, 82 feet wide, and 5 stories high.  Over the choir stalls is a continuous glass mosaic depicting the life of the Blessed Mother and crafted by French artist, Gabriel Loire.  Loire also created a stained glass window in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament showing the Annunciation and the Birth of Christ.  Also in the Chapel are ceramic portraits of the Mystical Marriage of Mary and Joseph by the Italian artist, Biancini.  Biancini also crafted the Cathedral’s Stations of the Cross.  The tabernacle is made of semi-precious stones and enamel cartouches and shows scenes from the life of Christ.  Behind the tabernacle is a tapestry made in Belgium depicting the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  The Cathedral’s pipe organ was made by the Moeller Company of Maryland.  Additional information can be found on the Cathedral’s website at thecathedralofstmary.org and the Archdiocesan website at miamiarch.org.

The Cathedral is located about four miles north of downtown Miami and has four weekend masses—including one in Spanish and one in Creole.  St. Mary Cathedral School has 325 students in grades K-8.

The pictures are from panaramio, pinterest, and Wikipedia.

Also located in the Archdiocese is the Basilica of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, in Key West.  St. Mary’s parish was established in 1846 and the current church was completed in 1905.  The Basilica is a combination of American Victorian, Renaissance Revival, Romanesque, and Gothic architecture.  The exterior walls are concrete made from oolitic limestone and beach sand dug from the Basilica grounds.  A large stained glass window in the rear of the sanctuary was designed and fabricated in Germany.  Arched stained glass windows let in light as do several doors on each side of the church that also cool the church in tropical Key West.  The Basilica grounds feature a Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes and a Stations of the Cross Garden.  Pope Benedict XVI designated the church as a minor basilica in 2012. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Basilica is an honorary title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity, dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship.  The Basilica’s website is stmarykeywest.com.

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

Diocese of St. Augustine

The diocese consists of 17 counties in northeastern Florida.  The diocese has 170,000 Catholics (8 percent of the total population) in 52 parishes.  St. Augustine is one of a dozen diocesan sees that has a population of fewer than 20,000.

Bishops of St. Augustine

Augustin Verot, S.S. (1805-1876), Vicar Apostolic of Florida (1856-1870) and first Bishop of St. Augustine (1870-1876).  

• Born in France and ordained a Sulpician priest in 1828.
• Also served as Bishop of Savannah, Georgia (1861-1870).

When first appointed Vicar Apostolic, Verot was responsible for ministering to about 3,000 Catholics, about half of whom lived in St. Augustine.  There were six churches and three priests.  During the 1870 First Vatican Council, Verot was noted for his strong positions on several issues, including reconciliation with Protestants, greater recognition of scientific research, and recognition of the equality of people of African descent.  Many of his positions were not accepted until many years later.  He invited religious orders to open schools for white children, as well as African-American children.  In 1870, when he became the first Bishop of St. Augustine, Florida had 8,000 Catholics served by eight priests.  Verot, no longer young, made annual visits, often on horseback, to each church and school in the Diocese, which included most of Florida.  He was an early booster of Florida and its temperate climate.  He died in 1876.

John Moore (1835-1901), Bishop of St. Augustine (1877-1901).  

·         Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1860.

Bishop Moore recruited priests and nuns from his native Ireland to help him minister to Florida’s Catholics.  He also invited the Benedictines to administer three parishes near the Gulf Coast.  The Benedictines soon established St. Leo’s Abbey and University—the first Catholic college in Florida.  The Jesuits were invited to minister to Catholics in South Florida and they eventually administered six parishes and dozens of missions.  He continued Bishop Verot’s ministry to African-Americans and required annual reports from each parish.  He died in 1901.

William J. Kenny (1853-1913), Bishop of St. Augustine (1902-1913). 

·         Born in New York and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Augustine in 1879.

Kenny recruited many Irish priests and nuns to serve Florida’s Catholics and to evangelize in small towns.  He built the first parish for African-Americans in Florida—St. Benedict the Moor in St. Augustine—and invited St. Katharine Drexel’s nuns to establish schools for African-American children.  He also improved Diocesan fund-raising efforts.  He died in 1913.

Michael J. Curley (1879-1947), Bishop of St. Augustine (1914-1921).  

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida, in 1904.
• Also served as Archbishop of Baltimore (1921-1939), and Archbishop of Baltimore and Washington (1939-1947).

Curley fought the Ku Klux Klan and the Florida legislature in their attempts to prevent Catholic nuns from educating African-American children.  He also established a ministry for Florida Catholics who were going off to fight World War I and he expanded the Jesuits’ ministry in South Florida.  He traveled frequently within the Diocese and built 40 new churches.  He also recruited priests from Ireland to serve the almost 50,000 Florida Catholics.  He became Archbishop of Baltimore in 1921. 

Patrick J. Barry (1868-1940), Bishop of St. Augustine (1922-1940). 

• Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Augustine in 1895.

Bishop Barry led the Diocese through the good times of the 1920s when many parishes built new buildings and through the Great Depression when the Diocese had to assume the debts of some of those parishes.  Barry led the Diocese well and provided for the growing numbers of Florida Catholics by doubling the number of parishes—the Catholic population of Florida increased from 66,000 in 1940 to 753,000 in 1968.  He invited religious orders, including the Dominicans, to open schools.  A Dominican nun who was also Barry’s sister, Mother Gerald Barry, opened what is now Barry University in 1940.  The Franciscans opened hospitals in Miami Beach and St. Petersburg.  He also instituted an annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St. Augustine.  He died in 1940.

Joseph P. Hurley (1894-1967), Bishop of St. Augustine (1940-1967).  

·         Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland in 1919.

·         Also served as the Vatican’s ambassador to Yugoslavia (1945-1949).

Hurley saw Florida’s Catholic population triple between 1940 and 1958 and he built a hospital and dozens of parishes and schools to keep up with the growth.  He had the foresight to purchase land throughout the state for future parishes—sometimes flying over an area to ascertain need.  He doubled the number of priests to serve the growing number of Catholics and started missions for Hispanic farm workers.  Hurley’s Diocese was made smaller through the creation of the Diocese of Miami in 1958 and the Dioceses of St. Petersburg and Orlando in 1968.  Hurley was an outspoken foe of Nazism before and during World War II and of Communism after World War II.  He was also the first U.S. bishop to condemn Nazi attempts to exterminate Jews.  He served as the Vatican’s ambassador to Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1949, where he stood firm for the Church’s interests against Yugoslavia’s Communist regime.  During his time as ambassador, Hurley’s auxiliary bishop, Thomas McDonough, later Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky, administered the Diocese.  Hurley was given the personal title of Archbishop in 1950 and he died in 1967.

Paul F. Tanner (1905-1994), Bishop of St. Augustine (1968-1979).  

• Born in Wisconsin and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1931.
• Also served as assistant general secretary (1945-1958) and general secretary (1958-1968) of what is now the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and given the personal title of bishop in 1965.

Bishop Tanner was a leading foe of the Supreme Court’s Roe versus Wade decision that legalized abortion and of Florida’s heavy use of the death penalty.  He implemented the decrees of the Second Vatican Council through the establishment of parish councils and a Diocesan liturgical commission.  He also opened a Diocesan Office for Pro-Life Activities and supported ministries that aided immigrants and the poor.  He retired in 1979.

John J. Snyder (1925-    ), Bishop of St. Augustine (1979-2000).  

• Born in New York and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1951.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn (1972-1979).

[I have no information on Bishop Snyder.]  Bishop Snyder retired in 2000.

Victor B. Galeone (1935-    ), Bishop of St. Augustine (2001-2011). 

• Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1960.
• Previously served as a missionary in Peru for 11 years.

According to Wikipedia, Bishop Galeone was one of the most outspoken orthodox bishops in the country.  Bishop Galeone retired in 2011.

Current Bishop

Felipe de Jesus Estevez was appointed Bishop of St. Augustine by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.  He was born in Cuba in 1946 and ordained a priest for the Canadian Society of Foreign Missions in 1970 and became a priest for the Archdiocese of Miami in 1979.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Miami (2003-2011).

The Cathedral

Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
38 Cathedral Place
St. Augustine, Florida 32084

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

We humbly supplicate and beseech you, O thrice-blessed Augustine, that you would be mindful of us poor sinners this day, daily, and at the hour of our death, that by your merits and prayers we may be delivered from all evils, of soul as well as body, and daily increase in virtue and good works; obtain for us that we may know our God and know ourselves, that in His mercy He may cause us to love Him above all things in life and death; impart to us, we beseech you, some share of that love with which you so ardently glow, that our hearts being all inflamed with this divine love, happily departing out of this mortal pilgrimage, we may deserve to praise with you the loving heart of Jesus for a never-ending eternity.

St. Augustine parish is the oldest parish in the United States, established in 1565.  The Spanish explorer, Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, came to what is now St. Augustine in 1565 and priests accompanying the party shortly thereafter founded Mission Nombre de Dios (Name of God).  [The mission is near the current Cathedral.]  A small church was built using pine wood and palm fronds, but this church was destroyed during a raid led by Sir Francis Drake in 1586.  A second church was destroyed during another English raid in 1702.  The parish occupied an existing church in 1784 and construction of the current building started in 1793 and was completed in 1797.  This Moorish or Spanish mission style church became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of St. Augustine in 1870, but suffered serious damage in an 1887 fire.  Reconstruction began immediately under the direction James Renwick, architect for St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, and the Cathedral reopened the following year.  Pope Paul VI designated St. Augustine Cathedral a minor basilica in 1976.  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 Cathedral-Basilica is also a National Historic Landmark. 

The church has walls made of local coquina and a red-tiled roof.  Renwick added the Spanish Renaissance bell tower during 1887 reconstruction.  One of the four bells in the tower is possibly the oldest bell in the United States.

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

The Cathedral Basilica has Spanish floor tiles, murals depicting the life of St. Augustine, and oil-painted Stations of the Cross copied from the Vatican’s Pauline Chapel. The church features marble altars, Victorian stained glass windows, murals depicting the Catholic history of Florida made by Hugo Ohlms, and a tabernacle made by Irish artisans.  The church has two pipe organs.  The first is a Casavant Frères Opus 3821with 56 ranks of pipes and played from a three manual console.  It was installed in 2003.  The second organ was installed in 2015 and is an Olby-Walker 70-rank digital organ.  The Cathedral Basilica has a Blessed Sacrament Chapel and Blessed Virgin Mary Shrine.  The parish website, thefirstparish.org, has a virtual tour and more detail on the architecture and history of St. Augustine Cathedral Basilica.  Also see the Diocesan website at dosafl.com.

The Cathedral is located in downtown St. Augustine.  It serves a parish of 1,300 families with five weekend masses.  The Cathedral Parish School enrolls almost 400 elementary school students.  The Cathedral staff also administer St. Benedict the Moor Mission.

The first picture is from pinterest and the last two are from Wikipedia.

The Diocese has a second basilica, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, in Jacksonville.  Immaculate Conception parish was established in 1854—the first in Jacksonville.  The third and current church was completed in 1910.  The exterior of the basilica is made from Kentucky limestone capped with a red-tiled roof.  Two steeples rise above the front of the building.  Inside the church are stained glass windows made by the Mayer Stained Glass Company of Munich, Germany.  The pipe organ is an electro-pneumatic Pipe III-30 Hutchins 1908 Cabinet Work by Ernest Skinner.  Pope Francis designated the church as a minor basilica in 2013.  It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The parish website has pictorial tours of the Basilica, icjax.org.

The top picture is from the Diocesan website, the next three are from the basilica website, and the rest are mine.

Diocese of St. Petersburg

The diocese consists of five counties in west central Florida.  The diocese has 445,000 Catholics (15 percent of the total population) in 74 parishes.

Bishops of St. Petersburg

Charles B. McLaughlin (1913-1978), first Bishop of St. Petersburg (1968-1978).  

• Born in New York and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1941.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina (1964-1968).

Bishop McLaughlin spent much of his time organizing the new Diocese, which included priests that had come from the Diocese of St. Augustine and the Diocese of Miami, and implementing the decrees of the Second Vatican Council.  Bishop McLaughlin often flew himself to events around the Diocese, which then consisted of 11 counties.  Like all Florida bishops, he also dealt with the large population increase and he encouraged the vocations of young Floridians.  He died suddenly in 1978.

W. Thomas Larkin (1923-2006), Bishop of St. Petersburg (1979-1988).  

·         Born in New York and ordained a priest in 1947 for the Diocese of St. Augustine.

Larkin was ordained a bishop by his former classmate, Pope John Paul II.  Like his predecessor, Bishop Larkin dealt with population growth through the creation of 15 new parishes and three new schools.  He also established a Diocesan radio station and expanded the Diocese’s social ministries.  The Diocese was also reduced to the current five counties while Larkin was Bishop.  Poor health forced Bishop Larkin into an early retirement in 1988.

John C. Favalora (1935-    ), Bishop of St. Petersburg (1989-1994).  

·         Born in New Orleans and ordained a priest in 1961 for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

·         Also served as served as Bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana (1986-1989) and as Archbishop of Miami (1994-2010). 

Bishop Favalora created a second Diocesan radio station to reach the Diocese’s northern counties.  He was a strong advocate of Catholic education and initiated planning for the construction of new schools.  He also reorganized the Diocese’s social programs into a Diocesan Catholic Charities and he consolidated some Diocesan administrative functions.   He was appointed Archbishop of Miami in 1994.

Robert N. Lynch (1941-    ), Bishop of St. Petersburg (1995-2016).  

·         Born in West Virginia and ordained a priest in 1978 for the Archdiocese of Miami.

·         Also served as associate general secretary (1984-1989) and general secretary (1989-1995) of the United States Catholic Conference and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bishop Lynch continued his predecessors’ efforts in management of the Diocese and in Catholic education.  He has established a fund-raising effort for the Diocese and an endowment fund for Catholic Charities.  He built Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, the Bethany Retreat House, and a new pastoral center.  He has also tried to strengthen the spirituality of the people of the Diocese through the Renew program, the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute, and communal celebrations of the Sacrament of Penance.  Bishop Lynch retired in 2016.

Current Bishop

Gregory Parkes was appointed Bishop of St. Petersburg by Pope Francis in 2016.  He was born in New York in 1964 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Orlando in 1999.  He previously served as Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (2012-2016).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle
5815 5th Avenue North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33710

St. Jude, or Thaddeus, was one of the twelve Apostles.  He apparently brought the Faith to Asia Minor.  It is thought that he died after being shot by arrows in what is now Iran.  He is the patron saint of hopeless causes.  His feast day is observed on October 28 with that of the Apostle Simon.

St. Jude, glorious apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the man who betrayed our Savior has caused you to be forgotten by many.  The Church, however, invokes you as the patron of things despaired of; pray for me that I may receive the consolations and the help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly [  ] and that I may bless God with the elect throughout  eternity.  Amen. 

St. Jude’s parish was established in 1953 and Mass was celebrated in temporary spaces until the completion of the current church in 1963.  St. Jude became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of St. Petersburg in 1968.

The Cathedral is designed in the Byzantine style with a golden dome topped with a 25-foot finial and cross.  The dome rises 62 feet above the circular sanctuary, which is partially lit by stained glass windows in the dome.  The Cathedral’s pipe organ was built by Rodgers/Ruffatti.  The Cathedral seats 1,500 people.  The Cathedral’s website is cathedralalive.org and the Diocese’s website is dosp.org.

The first picture is from Wikipedia and the second is from the Cathedral website.

The Cathedral of St. Jude is located about three miles west of downtown St. Petersburg and has six weekend masses, including one Latin mass to serve 2,300 parish families.  Once a month there is a Mass celebrated in Italian.  St. Jude Cathedral School has over 300 elementary school students.

From the Cathedral website.

Diocese of Orlando

The diocese consists of nine counties in east central Florida.  The diocese has 369,000 Catholics (8 percent of the total population) in 79 parishes.

Bishops of Orlando

William D. Borders (1913-2010), first Bishop of Orlando (1968-1974).  

• Born in Indiana and ordained a priest in 1940 for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
• Also served as Archbishop of Baltimore (1974-1989).

Borders was appointed the first Bishop of Orlando in 1968.  Bishop Borders, who had earned a Bronze Star for Valor for his work as a chaplain during World War II, spent much of his six years as Bishop in organizing the new Diocese, especially in light of the recently completed Second Vatican Council.  He established a council to support women religious, established ministries to help migrant workers and college students, and gave the laity greater responsibility through membership on parish councils and boards of education and through participation as extraordinary ministers.  He also integrated all Diocesan facilities and encouraged faith renewal movements.  He was named Archbishop of Baltimore in 1974.

Thomas J. Grady (1914-2002), Bishop of Orlando (1974-1989).  

·         Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1938.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Chicago (1967-1974).

Bishop Grady dealt with population growth in the Diocese through the establishment of 18 parishes.  He dealt with the huge influx of Catholic tourists through the establishment of a tourism ministry—the crowning achievement of which was the construction of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe.  He also built the San Pedro Spiritual Development Center and homes for the elderly.  He began a cooperative relationship with a diocese in the Dominican Republic to aid the poor in that nation and started a scholarship program for African-American students.  He expanded programs for those in need and encouraged greater roles for women in the Diocese.  He retired in 1989.

Norbert M. Dorsey, C.P. (1929-2013), Bishop of Orlando (1990-2004).  

·         Born in Massachusetts and ordained a Passionist priest in 1956.

·         Also served as Assistant General of the Passionists (1976-1986) and auxiliary bishop of Miami (1986-1990).

Bishop Dorsey built new churches and schools to meet the increase in the Catholic population from 230,000 to 400,000 in his 14 years as Bishop.  In wake of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in other dioceses, he established a program to fingerprint and conduct criminal background checks on all Diocesan employees and volunteers and he established a policy of zero tolerance for child sexual abuse.  Dorsey also started a Spanish radio station and health clinics to serve migrant workers and he built the Bishop Grady Villas residential community to serve the intellectually and developmentally disabled.  Bishop Dorsey, who spoke several languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Creole, retired in 2004.

Thomas G. Wenski (1950-    ), Bishop of Orlando (2004-2010).  

·         Born in West Palm Beach and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Miami in 1976.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Miami (1997-2003), coadjutor bishop of Orlando (2003-2004), and serves as Archbishop of Miami (since 2010).

Bishop Dorsey was immediately succeeded by his coadjutor bishop, Thomas Wenski.  Bishop Wenski speaks English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish fluently, and speaks some Polish.  He convened a diocesan synod in 2005 to better ascertain the needs of the Diocese.  He established six parishes and two missions and a Spanish newspaper and radio station.  He began a development program and began a renovation of St. James Cathedral.  He successfully advocated for increased vocations to the priesthood and religious life and emphasized evangelization.  He also served on the board of a charity aimed at helping specialty crop producers.  Wenski was appointed Archbishop of Miami in 2010.

Current Bishop

John Noonon was appointed Bishop of Orlando by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.   He was born in Ireland in 1951 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Miami in 1983.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Miami (2005-2010).

The Cathedral

St. James Cathedral

215 North Orange Avenue
Orlando, Florida 32801 

St. James the Greater was one of the twelve Apostles and the brother of the Apostle John.  He was the first Apostle martyred for the Faith.  He was beheaded by order of King Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem around 43 A.D.  He is the patron saint of Spain and several nations in Latin America, pilgrims, and arthritis sufferers.  His feast day is July 25.

O Gentle Jesus, Saint James was one of Your first apostles, but he started out as an impulsive, self-centered man. He dared to ask You for a place of honor in Your kingdom, and he wanted You to destroy the villages that had rejected You, but eventually he developed a true understanding of holiness.  I ask him to pray that my humility grows stronger than my pride, that I submit my will to Your will, and that when I speak, my words reveal Your gentleness and love. Restrain me when I want to rush ahead, and give me a broader perspective when I'm seeing things through a narrow, limited view.  Saint James, pray for me. Amen.

St. James’ parish dates to 1881 at a time when the population of Orlando was a few hundred people.  Construction of the first church began in 1887 and was completed in 1891.  This wooden American Gothic building contained 2800 square feet and could seat 240 parishioners.  This church served the parish until the current building was completed in 1952.  However, when the Diocese was created in 1968, St. Charles Borromeo Church on Edgewater Drive was selected to be the Cathedral.  St. Charles’ was Orlando’s second oldest parish—founded in 1954.  St. Charles Cathedral burned in 1976 and St. James became the Cathedral of the Diocese in 1977. 

St. James Cathedral is designed in a modified Romanesque design and is 182 feet long and 88 feet wide.  The Cathedral is made out of stone and has a bell tower 83 feet tall.  The Cathedral seats 1,200.

The top picture is from the Cathedral website and the bottom from panaramio.

The main altar, baptismal font, tabernacle, and Bishop’s chair are made from Italian Carrera marble.  A large mural with a Pentecost theme, designed by Renate Rohn, adorns the dome above the main altar.  There are also five smaller murals behind the altar.  Recent restorations revealed a rose window and a crucifix covered by prior renovations.  The Cathedral’s main pipe organ is a Wickes Opus 6028—another smaller organ is in the Cathedral chapel.  The Cathedral’s website is stjamesorlando.org and the Diocese’s website is orlandodiocese.org.

The Cathedral is located in downtown Orlando and has six weekend masses, including one said in Spanish.  St. James Cathedral School enrolls over 500 elementary students.

From the Cathedral website.

There are two basilicas in the Diocese.  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. Paul is in Daytona Beach.  The parish of St. Paul was established in 1881 and a small wooden church was built in 1898.  The current church, designed by Gerald Barry, opened in 1927.  The Spanish Mission style church seats 1,150 people and the cross on top of the dome rises 123 feet above street level.  The church has 50 stained-glass windows, a rosewood and cherry altar, and a mosaic of Our Lady of Fatima.  A statue of St. Paul stands above the main doors.  Pope Benedict XVI designated the church as a minor basilica in 2006.  The Basilica’s website, basilicaofsaintpaul.com has a tour of the Basilica.

The first picture is mine and the rest are from the basilica website.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe, is located in Orlando.  Bishop Thomas Grady of Orlando established a special ministry in 1979 to serve the needs of Catholic tourists to the Orlando area.  After a few years of using space in hotel rooms for the celebration of Mass, a permanent facility was planned.  After eight years of construction, the Shrine opened in January 1993.  The main church, which seats 2,000 people, has several stained-glass windows and a sculpture of Mary as Queen of the Universe.  The Outdoor Chapel has an 80-foot bell tower.  Both chapels feature sculptures by Jerzy Kenar.  Pope Benedict XVI designated the church as a minor basilica in 2009.  The Basilica’s website is maryqueenoftheuniverse.org.

The first picture is from pinterest and the rest are from the basilica website.

Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee

The diocese consists of 18 counties in the Florida Panhandle.  The diocese has 64,000 Catholics (4 percent of the total population) in 49 parishes.

Bishops of Pensacola-Tallahassee

I have almost no information on the Bishops of Pensacola-Tallahassee, except that all of them are still alive.

Rene H. Gracida (1923-    ), first Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (1975-1983). 

• Born in New Orleans and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Miami in 1959.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Miami (1971-1975) and Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas (1983-1997).

Bishop Gracida was appointed Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1983.

J. Keith Symons (1932-    ), Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (1983-1990).  

• Born in Michigan and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Augustine in 1958.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Augustine (1981-1983) and Bishop of Palm Beach (1990-1998).

Simons was named Bishop of Palm Beach in 1990.

John M. Smith (1935-    ), Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (1991-1995). 

• Born in New Jersey and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark in 1961.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Newark (1987-1991), coadjutor bishop of Trenton, New Jersey (1995-1997), and served as Bishop of Trenton (1997-2010).

Bishop Smith was named coadjutor bishop of Trenton, New Jersey, in 1995.

John H. Ricard (1940-    ), Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (1997-2011).  

• Born in Louisiana and ordained a Josephite priest in 1968.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore (1984-1997).

Bishop Ricard resigned due to poor health in 2011.

Gregory Parkes (1964-    ), Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (2012-2016). 

• Born in New York and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Orlando in 1999.
• Now serves as Bishop of St. Petersburg (since 2016).

Parkes was named Bishop of St. Petersburg in 2016. 

Current Bishop

William A. Wack, C.S.C., was appointed Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee by Pope Francis in 2017.  He was born in Indiana in 1967 and ordained a priest for the Congregation of the Holy Cross in 1994.  He most recently served as pastor of a parish in Austin, Texas.

The Cathedrals

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
1212 E. Moreno Street
Pensacola, Florida  32513

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

O most holy heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you, and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, Good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.

Sacred Heart parish was established in 1905.  Its first church was still being constructed when its roof was blown away by a hurricane, but construction resumed and the Gothic Revival church was completed in 1907.  The current building was dedicated in 1967 and became the Cathedral of the new Diocese in 1975. 

The brick Cathedral is a modern version of the Romanesque style.  There is not a lot of additional information, or even pictures, of the Cathedral on the internet.  The Cathedral website is shc.ptdiocese.org and the Diocese’s website is ptdiocese.org.  The Cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Cathedral is located in the East Hill neighborhood about a mile northeast of downtown Pensacola.  Sacred Heart serves the parish with four weekend masses.  The Cathedral supports an elementary school—Sacred Heart Cathedral School.

The first picture is from the Cathedral website, the next two are from the Diocesan website, and the last from Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral of Saint Thomas More
900 West Tennessee St.
Tallahassee, Florida 32316

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

Holy martyr for the Church, you used your talents to bring God’s love and mercy to earth.  Yet you realized that human fame and glory were momentary and fleeting.  In your practice of law you understood and were loyal first to God’s eternal law spoken through the successors of the Apostles.  While a servant of the king, you were a servant to the Church first.  Help me to see that loyalty to God’s laws must be the first part of my ties and responsibilities with others.  Strengthen me to seek out what the Church teaches.  Give me the wisdom to make the right choice, and the fortitude to carry it out.  This I ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.  Saint Thomas More, pray for me.

St. Thomas More was built as the chapel for the Catholic student center of Florida State University in 1967.  The following year, St. Thomas More was raised to the status of a parish—the second in Tallahassee.  There were over 2,500 Catholic students in 1970.  St. Thomas became the co-Cathedral for the Diocese in 1975.

The Co-Cathedral is made of block and stucco construction in a modified Spanish style.  It was designed by George Stickle and Associates and has a red-tiled roof.  The building seats 900 and has a 96-foot bell tower to commemorate the planting of the Cross of Christ in Florida in 1513.  The Co-Cathedral’s stained glass windows were crafted by Jean Barillet of Paris.  Addition information can be found on the parish website at cocathedral.com.

The top picture is from the Cathedral website and the bottom from Wikipedia.

The Co-Cathedral of Saint Thomas More is located near the Florida State University campus about a mile northwest of downtown Tallahassee.  The Co-Cathedral has five weekend masses.

From the Cathedral website.

Also located in the Diocese is the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Pensacola.  St. Michael the Archangel parish was established in 1781 in a wooden warehouse near the current intersection of Jefferson and Zaragossa streets.  The current church was dedicated in 1886.  The exterior of the church is red brick covered with stucco.  The interior woodwork is made from Florida pine.  The Basilica features large Stations of the Cross painted in full color.  The stained glass windows were designed by Emil Frei.  Pope Benedict XVI designated the church as a minor basilica in 2012.  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 website is stmichael.ptdiocese.org.

The first three pictures are from the basilica website.  The fourth is from flickr and the last from snipview.

Diocese of Palm Beach

The diocese consists of five counties in southeastern Florida.  The diocese has 193,000 Catholics (10 percent of the total population) in 50 parishes.  The Diocese is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, which is one of only 7 diocesan sees in which the Cathedral parish is the only parish.

Bishops of Palm Beach

Thomas V. Daily (1927-2017), first Bishop of Palm Beach (1984-1990).  

·         Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston in 1952.

·         Served as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus (1987-2005).

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Boston (1975-1984) and Bishop of Brooklyn, New York (1990-2003).

Bishop Daily saw the Catholic population of his Diocese almost double from 103,000 in 1984 to 200,000 in 1990.  He built eight new parishes to meet this growth.  He was an active pro-life advocate and served for six years as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.  He was appointed Bishop of Brooklyn, New York, in 1990.

J. Keith Symons (1932-    ), Bishop of Palm Beach (1990-1998). 

• Born in Michigan and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Augustine in 1958.
• Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Augustine (1981-1983) and Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (1983-1990).

Bishop Symons resigned as Bishop in 1998 after admitting to having sexual relations with five boys before he became a bishop.

Anthony J. O’Connell (1938-2012), Bishop of Palm Beach (1998-2002).  

·         Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1963.

·         Also served as the first Bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee (1988-1898).

Bishop O’Connell resigned in 2002 after admitting that he had improper relationships with at least one seminarian while serving as a seminary director.  

Seán P. O'Malley, OFM Cap (1944-    ), Bishop of Palm Beach (2002-2003).  

• Born in Ohio and ordained a Capuchin priest in 1970.
• Also served as coadjutor bishop of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands (1984-1985), Bishop of St. Thomas (1985-1992), Bishop of Fall River, Massachusetts (1992-2002), and serves as Archbishop of Boston (since 2003).  Pope Benedict XVI named him a Cardinal in 2006. 

O’Malley had successfully dealt with sexual abuse issues in his previous diocese—Fall River in Massachusetts—and he was able to do the same in Palm Beach.  He was called to an even larger task, Archbishop of Boston, in 2003.

Current Bishop

Gerald M. Barbarito was appointed Bishop of Palm Beach by Pope John Paul II in 2003.  He was born in New York in 1950 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York, in 1976.  He previously served as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn (1994-1999) and Bishop of Ogdensburg, New York (1999-2003).

The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola
9999 N. Military Trail
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida  33410

Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) was the youngest of 11 children of a wealthy Basque family.  As a young man, he lived a very sinful life and eventually became a soldier.  He was severely wounded in battle and during a lengthy recovery promised God that he would change his life if allowed to live.  Ignatius is best known for writing the Spiritual Exercises, one of the greatest books on Christian spirituality, and for founding the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, in 1540.  He is the patron saint of spiritual exercises and retreats and his feast day is celebrated on July 31.

Father, you gave St. Ignatius of Loyola to your Church to bring greater glory to your name.  May we follow his example on earth and share the crown of life in heaven.

The first church of St. Ignatius Loyola was a multipurpose building that became Palm Beach Gardens’ first Catholic church in 1970—11 years after Palm Beach Gardens was incorporated.  The need for a permanent church quickly became obvious, and the current building was completed in 1984 and in that same year became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of Palm Beach.  It was selected as the Cathedral because of its central location and size.  [I do not know why the Cathedral for the Diocese of Palm Beach is actually located in Palm Beach Gardens.]

The Cathedral is built in a modern and open style which utilizes natural light.  Its walls are made from native coral rock and it has a sloping terracotta tile roof.  The Cathedral can hold 1,400 people for liturgies.  The Cathedral has several stained glass windows and a chapel dedicated to Our Lady as Queen of the Apostles.  The Cathedral has a Rodgers Digital pipe organ.

From the Cathedral website.

Recent renovations improved the look of the wood reredos and the Italian marble main altar in the sanctuary.  A statue of the Risen Christ was placed outside so as to visible all passing by. 

Some additional information can be found on the Cathedral website, cathedralpb.com and the Diocesan website diocesepb.org.  The Cathedral is located in Palm Beach Gardens.  The Cathedral has six weekend masses, including one in Spanish, to serve almost 3,000 parish families.

The top picture is from the Cathedral website and the bottom picture is from Wikimedia.

Diocese of Venice

The diocese consists of 10 counties in southwestern Florida.  The diocese has 236,000 Catholics (11 percent of the total population) in 60 parishes.

Bishops of Venice

John J. Nevins (1932-2014), first Bishop of Venice (1984-2007).  

·         Born in New York and ordained a priest in 1959 for the Diocese of Miami.

·         Also served as auxiliary bishop of Miami (1979-1984).

At the time of Bishop Nevins appointment, there were 115,000 Catholics in the Diocese.  By the time he retired in 2007, there were 200,000 Catholics.  Nevins built 15 new parishes to keep up with the population growth and ordained 50 priests.  He built a school for adult faith formation and two retreat centers.  He also established several Diocesan ministries to attend to the needs of the poor and disadvantaged, including migrant farm workers, unwed mothers, refugees, and people with HIV/AIDS.

Bottom of Form

Current Bishop

Frank J. Dewane was appointed coadjutor bishop of Venice Bishop of Venice by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 and he became Bishop in 2007.  He was born in Wisconsin in 1950 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1988.  He previously served in several positions at the Vatican starting in 1991, ultimately becoming Under Secretary of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in 2001.  Prior to becoming a priest, Dewane worked for the National Broadcasting Corporation and Pepsi Cola.

The Cathedral

Epiphany Cathedral
350 Tampa Avenue West
Venice, Florida  34285

The Epiphany commemorates the visit of the Wise Men to pay homage to the Christ Child.  Traditionally celebrated on January 6, U.S. Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany on the first Sunday after New Year’s Day.

O God, Who on this day through the guidance of a star manifested Thine Only-Begotten Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant that we who know Thee now by faith, may one day be brought to the contemplation of the beauty of Thy majesty. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Epiphany began as a mission church in 1935 for St. Martha’s parish in Sarasota.  Mass was celebrated at a movie theater until 1947 when a former military chapel was relocated to Tampa Avenue and Nassau Street to serve as the first Epiphany Church (which was razed in 1980 for the current Cathedral).  Epiphany became a parish in 1955 and a second Epiphany church was completed in 1960.  [It now serves as the parish hall.]  Population growth brought about the need for the current church building, which was completed in 1980.  Pope John Paul II created the Diocese of Venice in 1984 and Epiphany was chosen to become the Cathedral church for the new Diocese.

The Cathedral is shaped like a fan and seats 1,300 in the main church.  It has a red tile roof and a white cross on top.  Inside and above the main doors is a green decorative cross that was a gift from the Archdiocese of Mexico City in honoring the Diocese of Venice for its ministry to Hispanics.

From the Cathedral website.

The main altar is made of San Vicente gray marble from Spain and has a sculpted relief on the front depicting Christ breaking bread with the disciples at Emmaus.  Mosaics of the four evangelists are on both sides of the altar—Luke and John on the right and Matthew and Mark on the left.  The mosaics are the work of Spanish artist, Raventos.  A reliquary behind the main altar holds relics of St. Mark, a gift of the Patriarch of Venice, Italy, to the Diocese of Venice, Florida.  St. Mark is the patron of both dioceses.  A terra cotta mosaic above the altar, also by Raventos, depicts the Epiphany of Our Lord and shows the baby Jesus, Our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and the three Wise Men, as well as an angel and shepherds.

Raventos also made the carved mahogany Stations of the Cross.  The stained glass windows were created by Father Domingo Iturgaiz, a Spanish Dominican priest.  The 14 windows in the nave represent scenes from the Old and New Testaments.  Seven windows in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel depict the Seven Sacraments.  The Chapel seats 300.  The Tabernacle was made in Spain.  The Cathedral’s pipe organ is a 36-rank Klug and Schumacher Pipe Organ.

Additional information can be found on the Cathedral website at epiphanycathedral.org and at the Diocesan website dioceseofvenice.org.  The Cathedral is located in downtown Venice and serves a parish of over 4,400 families with seven weekend masses (eight in the winter), including one Mass said in Polish and one in Spanish.  The parish elementary school has 250 students.

All are from the Cathedral website.