Province
of philadelphia
Pope Pius IX established the Province of Philadelphia in 1875. The Province consists of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
and seven dioceses in the State of Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh, Erie, Harrisburg, Scranton, Altoona-Johnstown, Greensburg,
and Allentown. The Province has 3.3
million Catholics, 26 percent of the total population. In 2000, there were 3.6 million Catholics or
30 percent of the total.
I have seen all of the cathedrals in Pennsylvania, and
visited most, and visited all but one of the basilicas. I regularly attended St. Paul’s Cathedral in
Pittsburgh for a year. It’s a
magnificent building and was the inspiration for the musical “Godspell.”
Map of the Province
Catholic History of Pennsylvania
French and Dutch explorers came to
what is now Pennsylvania as early as 1615 and
the first Catholic priest to visit Pennsylvania
is thought to be Father John Pierron who came from Canada
Freedom of worship was a right not
enjoyed by the few Catholics in the other English Colonies—Maryland Catholics
having lost their right to public worship in 1689. The freedom enjoyed in Pennsylvania
allowed Jesuit priests to travel to Pennsylvania
from Bohemia Manor, in northeastern Maryland St. Joseph ’s Church in Philadelphia
Catholics, mostly Germans, settled
in other eastern Pennsylvania Lancaster
(1741), Bally (1741), Elizabethtown (1752),
Reading (1752), and York Pennsylvania , western Maryland
The French built Fort Duquesne
(site of current day Pittsburgh) in 1754 and built a chapel dedicated to the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This was likely the first Catholic church in Western
Pennsylvania . The English
destroyed Fort Duquesne and the chapel in 1758 and replaced it with Fort
Pitt. But Catholicism gradually returned
to Western Pennsylvania . Priests started to visit scattered Catholic
communities in 1785, a Catholic school was established on the site of present
day St. Vincent’s Archabbey in 1787, and a congregation formed in Greensburg Pittsburgh
(St. Patrick’s) was established in 1811 and St. Paul
Since 1789, all of (what was then)
the United States had been part of the Diocese of Baltimore. Pope Pius VII established four new dioceses
in 1808, including the Diocese of Philadelphia, which included all of Pennsylvania , Delaware ,
and parts of New Jersey Philadelphia Pittsburgh was the largest city in western Pennsylvania Scranton Province of Philadelphia
in 1875 and raised the see of Philadelphia Pittsburgh
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia consists of the City of
Philadelphia and 4 neighboring counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. The
archdiocese has 1.4 million Catholics (36 percent of the total population) in 219
parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Philadelphia
Michael F. Egan, O.F.M. (1761-1814)
- Born in Ireland and ordained a Franciscan priest in 1785.
- First Bishop of Philadelphia (1808-1814).
Michael Egan was appointed the first Bishop of Philadelphia
in 1808, but was not consecrated until 1810.
His Diocese had about 30,000 Catholics and a dozen priests. Bishop Egan was noted for his preaching
abilities and his ability to speak German.
Egan had a long-going dispute with the trustees of St. Mary’s
Cathedral. Several early Catholic
churches were built by the parishioners and in the spirit of the new republic,
the parishioners elected trustees to administer the parish. Although not the usual Catholic model for
parish administration, it often worked with few problems. The trustees of St. Mary’s, however,
encouraged by a renegade priest, wanted to control the appointment and salary
of priests and Bishop Egan could not agree to this. It was unresolved at the time of his death in
1814.
Henry Conwell (1748-1842)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest there in
1776.
·
Bishop of
Philadelphia (1820-1842).
Conwell was the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Armagh,
Ireland, and was offered one of two bishoprics by the Pope—Philadelphia and
Madras, India. He chose Philadelphia
Francis P. Kenrick (1797-1863)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest there in
1821.
·
Also served as coadjutor bishop of Philadelphia
(1830-1842) and Archbishop of Baltimore (1851-1863).
·
Bishop of
Philadelphia (1842-1851).
Bishop Kenrick had immigrated to the United States to serve
the Diocese of Bardstown, Kentucky (now the Archdiocese of Louisville), before
becoming coadjutor bishop of Philadelphia in 1830. Kenrick administered the Diocese beginning in
1830, but did not become Bishop until 1842.
He resolved the problems related to the trustee system (by temporarily
closing St. Mary’s Cathedral) and took action to prevent further problems. Bishop Kenrick established St. Charles
Borromeo Seminary, a diocesan newspaper, St. Joseph’s Hospital (Pennsylvania’s
first Catholic hospital); and initiated construction of the Cathedral of St.
Peter and Paul. He also established
schools at most parishes and encouraged the founding of Villanova and St.
Joseph colleges. He led clergy and nuns
in ministering to victims of a cholera outbreak in 1832. Kenrick was forced to leave Philadelphia for
a time in 1844 due to anti-Catholic riots that resulted in the burning of two
Catholic churches. (The population of
the Diocese grew from 35,000 in 1830 to 170,000 in 1850 due primarily to
immigration from Europe—which the anti-Catholic Know Nothing party
opposed.) His Diocese initially
consisted of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and half of New Jersey. During his time as Bishop, he increased the
number of parishes from 22 to 92. He was
a noted theologian and author, and had a younger brother, Peter, who served as
the first Archbishop of St. Louis. Kenrick
was appointed Archbishop of Baltimore in 1851.
St. John N. Neumann, C.SS.R. (1811-1860)
- Born in what is now the Czech Republic and ordained a priest for the Diocese of New York in 1836 and for the Redemptorist Order in 1840. (He was the first Redemptorist priest ordained in the United States.)
- Bishop of Philadelphia (1852-1860).
- Canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1977.
Bishop Neumann’s appointment was favored by Archbishop
Kenrick who thought that German-speaking Catholics should have a bishop who
spoke German—Neumann spoke at least 6 languages. Most other U.S. bishops opposed his
appointment because they believed he was not qualified. Neumann was noted for his piety and
humility. He was the first U.S. bishop
to organize a diocesan school system and to institute Forty Hours Devotions in
his diocese. Neumann built more than 80
churches (including one for Italians) and made yearly visits to each parish and
mission. He invited religious orders to
administer churches and schools, and to assist the poor and needy. Bishop Neumann died in 1860 and was canonized
by Pope Paul VI in 1977—the only U.S. bishop so honored. (His feast day is January 5.)
Archbishops of Philadelphia
James F. Wood (1813-1883)
·
Born in Philadelphia, converted to Catholicism
in 1836, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cincinnati in 1844.
·
Also served as coadjutor bishop of Philadelphia
(1857-1860).
·
Bishop of
Philadelphia (1860-1875), and first Archbishop of Philadelphia (1875-1883).
James Wood was named coadjutor bishop of Philadelphia in
1857 and became Bishop upon the death of Bishop Neumann in 1860. He was named the first Archbishop of
Philadelphia in 1875. Wood was noted for his knowledge of financial matters—he
had been a banker prior to becoming a priest.
He moved St. Charles Borromeo Seminary to new facilities in Overbrook
and served as treasurer of Rome’s North American College. Archbishop Wood consecrated the Archdiocese
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was estimated to have administered the
Sacrament of Confirmation to over 100,000 people. He invited religious orders to work in the
Archdiocese and he attended the First Vatican Council in 1870. Archbishop Wood died in 1883.
Patrick J. Ryan (1831-1911)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for Archdiocese
of St. Louis in 1853.
·
Also served as coadjutor Archbishop of St. Louis
(1872-1884).
·
Archbishop
of Philadelphia (1884-1911).
Archbishop Ryan established 150 new churches and 82 new
schools, including Roman Catholic and Hallahan High Schools in Philadelphia. He expanded hospitals and other institutions
for the needy, and started over 80 parishes for new ethnic groups. His concern for Native Americans and African
Americans led him to facilitate the founding of St. Katharine Drexel’s Sisters
of the Blessed Sacrament. Ryan promoted
Catholic journalism and made the Archdiocesan newspaper one of the nation’s
best. He was known as one of the best
preachers of his time and his ability to explain the Faith greatly improved
relations with non-Catholics. Archbishop
Ryan spoke at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia in 1900, and
was the principal speaker at President William McKinley’s memorial service in
Philadelphia. Ryan died in 1911.
Edmond F. Prendergast (1843-1918)
- Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1865 for the Diocese of Philadelphia.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia (1897-1911).
- Archbishop of Philadelphia (1911-1918).
Prendergast served as pastor of St. Malachy parish in
Philadelphia for 37 years prior to becoming Archbishop. As archbishop, he established what became the
first Newman Club (at the University of Pennsylvania) and spread the concept to
other colleges and universities. He
opened 30 new parishes and built many new schools and institutions for the poor
and disadvantaged. He built hospitals,
enlarged the seminary, and invited 13 religious communities to work in the
Archdiocese. Archbishop Prendergast died
in 1918.
Dennis Dougherty (1865-1951)
·
Born in Ashland, Pennsylvania, and ordained a
priest in 1890 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
·
Also served as Bishop of Nueva Segovia,
Philippines (1903-1908), Bishop of Jaro, Philippines (1908-1915), and Bishop of
Buffalo, New York (1915-1918).
·
Archbishop
of Philadelphia (1918-1951).
Archbishop Dougherty was named a Cardinal in 1921, the fifth
American and the first Archbishop of Philadelphia to be so honored. Cardinal Dougherty was noted for his
institution-building—he established and built 125 new parishes, 145 parish
schools, 53 high schools, 4 colleges, 12 hospitals, and 11 homes for the
aged. He also established a system of
free Catholic high schools and ordained more than 2,000 priests. He supported Catholic missions to Native
Americans and African Americans (including the work of St. Katharine Drexel),
persuaded Pope Pius XI to change canon law so that women religious could
practice obstetrics, and promoted the canonization of Therese of Lisieux. Cardinal Dougherty died in 1951 at which time
the Archdiocese had 1.1 million Catholics served by 1,900 priests and 401
parishes.
John O’Hara, C.S.C. (1888-1960)
·
Born in Michigan, raised in Indiana, and
ordained a Holy Cross priest in 1916.
·
Also served as president of Notre Dame
University (1934-1940), auxiliary bishop of the Military Ordinariate
(1940-1945), and Bishop of Buffalo, New York (1945-1951).
· Archbishop
of Philadelphia (1951-1960).
Archbishop O’Hara was named a Cardinal in 1958. He supported Catholic outreach to Native
Americans, African Americans, and Hispanics.
He also established the first Annual Catholic Charities Appeal in the
Archdiocese and participated in the Second Vatican Council. O’Hara emphasized education and frequent
reception of the Sacraments. He built
more than 50 new parishes and 60 new schools, including some for those with
special needs, and three colleges for women.
He also renovated the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. Cardinal O’Hara died in 1960.
John J. Krol (1910-1996)
·
Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Cleveland in 1937.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Cleveland
(1953-1961).
·
Archbishop
of Philadelphia (1961-1988).
Archbishop Krol was the first Polish American to become an
archbishop and he was named a Cardinal in 1967—he spoke 11 languages. He worked as undersecretary at the Second
Vatican Council and as Archbishop sought to implement the directives of the
Council, although he never allowed Saturday anticipatory Masses. Krol worked to improve racial harmony and
ecumenism in the Archdiocese and created a foundation to support Catholic
schools. He opened 39 parishes, mostly in the suburbs, and closed or
consolidated 16 parishes, mostly in Philadelphia. Cardinal Krol supported nuclear disarmament
and the canonization of Katharine Drexel.
He was one of the strongest supporters among American bishops of Pope
John Paul II and spend one term as president of what is now the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops. Krol was instrumental in the establishment of the
Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown in 1966. Cardinal Krol retired in 1988.
Anthony J. Bevilacqua (1923-2012),
·
Born in Brooklyn and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Brooklyn in 1949.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn
(1980-1983) and Bishop of Pittsburgh (1983-1987).
·
Archbishop
of Philadelphia (1987-2003).
Archbishop Bevilacqua was named a Cardinal in 1991. Concerned about spiritual renewal among the
laity, he hosted a live radio show and convened an Archdiocesan synod. He also sought to improve parish life through
pastoral visits and improved planning processes. Through restructuring and fund-raising, he
was able to retain and make affordable most of the Archdiocese’s high schools,
although some were closed. He started an
outreach program for Catholics who had left the Church. He also obtained a law degree and was
admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1989. Cardinal Bevilacqua retired in 2003. After his retirement, Bevilacqua testified
many times before grand juries dealing with sexual abuse allegations against
priests of the Archdiocese and was accused of protecting the priests and not
the children. One of his aides was convicted
of child endangerment for failure to deal adequately with priests accused of
abuse.
Justin F. Rigali (born 1935)
·
Born in Los Angeles and ordained a priest for
the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1961.
·
Also served as a Vatican official (1964-1994) becoming
a titular archbishop in 1985 and Archbishop of St. Louis (1994-2003).
·
Archbishop
of Philadelphia (2003-2011).
Archbishop Rigali was named a Cardinal in 2003 shortly after
he became Archbishop. I could not find
much on Cardinal Rigali’s time in Philadelphia other than that he failed to end
the clergy sexual abuse scandal there.
Having announced that there were no active Archdiocesan priests who had
an “admitted or established allegation” against them, he later had to announce
that there were 37 such priests. Cardinal
Rigali retired in 2011.
Current Archbishop
Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., was appointed Archbishop of
Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.
He was born in Kansas in 1944 and ordained a Capuchin priest in 1970. He previously served as Bishop of Rapid City,
South Dakota (1988-1997) and Archbishop of Denver (1997-2011).
The Cathedral
Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul
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 St.
Paul Roman Empire ,
becoming the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Many of his letters to early Christian communities have been retained in
the New Testament. He was beheaded in Rome
Father in heaven, the
light of your revelation brought Peter and Paul the gift of faith in Jesus your
Son. Through their prayers may we always give thanks for your life given us in
Christ Jesus, and for having been enriched by him in all knowledge and love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
When Michael Egan became the first Bishop of Philadelphia in
1810, he selected St. Mary’s Church (now known as Old St. Mary’s on S. Fourth
St.) to be his Cathedral. St. Mary’s was
founded in 1763 and is the second oldest parish in Philadelphia Evangelist Church
The Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul (the “Cathedral
Basilica”) was designed by Napoleon Lebrun in a Roman-Corinthian architectural
style and is modeled after a church in Rome.
The Cathedral Basilica is made from brownstone and measures 250 feet by
136 feet. The cross at the top of the
dome is 209 feet above the street.
Because the Cathedral Basilica was built during a time when Catholics
were sometimes violently attacked, it is built like a fortress with stained
glass windows high up on each wall. The Cathedral
Basilica is the largest Catholic Church in Pennsylvania.
The main altar is made from Botticino marble with Mandorlato
rose marble trim. Above the altar is a
baldachin made from red Antique Italian marble.
There are two sanctuary side altars dedicated to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus and the Blessed Mother—both of which feature Venetian glass mosaics. There are 8 other side altars honoring Mary,
various saints, and two archbishops—some of which feature murals. The dome features five paintings by
Constantino Brumidi, who also decorated portions of the U.S. Capitol. The Cathedral Basilica organ was built by the
Austin Organ Company and has been upgraded twice. It features over 4,000 pipes in 75 ranks and has
four manuals. The organ screen was
designed by Otto Eggers who also designed the Jefferson Memorial and National
Gallery of Art in Washington
St. Katharine Drexel, founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and African
Americans, was recently entombed in the Cathedral Basilia. The Cathedral Basilica’s website is cathedralphila.org
and the Archdiocesan website is archphila.org.
The Cathedral Basilica normally seats 1,240 people (although
it can accommodate 2,000) and has six weekend masses—including one in
Spanish—and serves parish 1,000 families.
The Cathedral Basilica is in downtown Philadelphia. Pope Paul VI designated the Cathedral of SS.
Peter and Paul as 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 listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Also located in the Archdiocese
The Cathedral of Immaculate
Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in Philadelphia. This is the cathedral church for the
Ukrainian-rite Archdiocese of Philadelphia—one of four Ukrainian-rite dioceses
in the United States. The Metropolitan
Archdiocese of Philadelphia has 16,000 Ukrainian Catholics in 66 parishes in
Eastern Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the states of Delaware,
Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia.
Diocese of Pittsburgh
The diocese consists of 6 counties in southwestern
Pennsylvania. The diocese has 633,000
Catholics (33 percent of the total population) in 199 parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Pittsburgh
Michael J. O’Connor (1810-1872)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in Ireland
in 1833 before becoming a priest for the Diocese of Philadelphia in 1838.
·
First
Bishop of Pittsburgh (1843-1860), except for 5 months in 1853 when he served as
the first Bishop of Erie.
Bishop O’Connor brought several orders of religious priests
and nuns to serve in Western Pennsylvania to better serve the growing number of
Catholics—the number of Catholics increased from about 25,000 to 50,000 during
his time as bishop. Among these orders
were the Benedictines who established St. Vincent’s Abbey. He also established a seminary and the
“Pittsburgh Catholic” diocesan newspaper—the oldest continuously published
Catholic newspaper in the United States.
He built many new churches and provided a chapel to
African-Americans. O’Connor spoke six
languages and could read three others.
He resigned as Bishop of Pittsburgh in 1853 to become Bishop of Erie,
but returned as Bishop of Pittsburgh five months later. Bishop O’Connor resigned again in 1860 due to
poor health and later that year became a Jesuit priest.
Michael Domenec, C.M. (1816-1878)
·
Born in Spain and ordained a Vincentian priest
in 1839.
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1860-1876) and first and only Bishop of Allegheny City (1876-1877).
The Spanish-born Bishop was a strong advocate of the Union
during the Civil War and went to Spain on a mission for the U.S. Government. Domenec was also noted for his eloquent
preaching. The number of Catholics in
the Diocese increased from 50,000 to 200,000 during his time as Bishop and he
responded by building 60 new churches and many other buildings and by inviting
religious orders to serve in the Diocese.
Bishop Domenec was appointed the first and only Bishop of Allegheny City
in 1876. [Allegheny City is now part of the City of Pittsburgh. The Diocese of Allegheny City existed from 1877
until 1889 and St. Peter’s Church was the Cathedral for the Diocese. The decision to create the new Diocese from
the Diocese of Pittsburgh, requested by Domenec and approved by the Vatican,
was not universally popular in Western Pennsylvania, among either clergy or
laity. Compounding the problem were
financial issues, which Bishop Domenec had hoped the division would resolve.] Bishop Domenec resigned as Bishop of
Allegheny City in 1877 and died the following year in Spain.
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1850
for the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1876-1889) and Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Allegheny
City (1877-1889).
Bishop Tuigg was the first priest of the Diocese of
Pittsburgh to be named its Bishop. He
simultaneously served as Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Allegheny
City from 1877-1889. He dealt ably with
the division of the two dioceses and with their financial problems. Bishop Tuigg suffered a stroke in 1882 and
moved to Altoona where he died in 1889.
Richard Phelan (1828-1904)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1854
for the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
·
Also served as coadjutor bishop of Pittsburgh
(1885-1889).
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1889-1904).
Bishop Phelan, as coadjutor bishop administered both the
Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Diocese of Allegheny City until he became Bishop
of Pittsburgh in 1889, the same year that the Diocese of Allegheny was
suppressed by the Pope. Bishop Phelan
was an able administrator and had strong financial skills. He built churches and provided pastors for
the large number of immigrants who came to Western Pennsylvania to work in the
coal, iron, and steel industries.
Priests often became involved in labor disputes because they could speak
both English and the language of the immigrant workers. Bishop Phelan died in 1904.
J.F. Regis Canevin (1853-1927)
·
Born in Beatty, Pennsylvania, and ordained a
priest in 1879 for the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
·
Also served as coadjutor bishop of Pittsburgh
(1903-1904).
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1904-1921).
Canevin was the coadjutor Bishop and became Bishop of
Pittsburgh upon the death of Phelan in 1904.
He was bishop to nearly half a million people who spoke at least 14
different languages. The Diocese’s
population tripled during his time as Bishop and he built churches, schools,
and other buildings to serve the growing numbers of Catholics. Canevin also started a lay retreat movement
and began the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in the Diocese. Bishop Canevin resigned in 1921 due to poor
health and was made an honorary Archbishop.
Hugh C. Boyle (1873-1950)
·
Born in Johnstown and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1898.
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1921-1950).
Bishop Boyle was a noted educator and greatly expanded the
number of parish schools and helped establish Central Catholic High School in
Pittsburgh. He also was a strong
supporter of social justice and built many charitable institutions, including a
Catholic workers school. Boyle was the
first Bishop of Pittsburgh to broadcast on the radio—doing so to raise money to
rebuild a home for the aged that was destroyed by fire. Bishop Boyle died in 1950.
John F. Dearden (1907-1988)
·
Born in Rhode Island and ordained a priest in
1932 for the Diocese of Cleveland.
·
Also served as coadjutor bishop of Pittsburgh
(1948-1950)
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1950-1958).
·
Later served as Archbishop of Detroit
(1958-1980).
Dearden became Bishop upon the death of Bishop Boyle. Bishop Deardon served at a time when people
from the city were moving to the suburbs and responded by building many new suburban
churches and schools. Part of the
Diocese became the new Diocese of Greensburg in 1951. Dearden was named Archbishop of Detroit in 1958. He was elected president of the National
Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1966 and named a Cardinal in 1969.
John J. Wright (1909-1979)
·
Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest for
the Archdiocese of Boston in 1935.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Boston
(1947-1950) and first Bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts (1950-1959).
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1959-1969).
·
Later served as prefect of the Vatican’s
Congregation of the Clergy (1969-1979).
Bishop Wright was known for his ability to preach and teach
and for his concern for racial and social justice, peace, and for the needy. He advocated for greater involvement by the
laity in Church matters and for better relations with non-Catholic
churches. He was influential in having
these areas promoted by the Second Vatican Council, which he attended. Bishop Wright was named prefect of the
Vatican’s Congregation of the Clergy and named a Cardinal in 1969—the first
American to lead a Vatican Congregation with worldwide duties.
Vincent M. Leonard (1908-1994)
·
Born in Pittsburgh and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1935.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh
(1964-1969).
·
Bishop of
Pittsburgh (1969-1983).
Bishop Leonard was the first native of Pittsburgh to become
Bishop of Pittsburgh. Bishop Leonard was
an able administrator who served as Bishop during a time when the steel
industry mostly left the Pittsburgh area leading to the departure of 200,000
people who sought jobs elsewhere.
Leonard was a leader in publicizing Diocesan financial reports and in
establishing a process to allow appeal of Diocesan administrative
decisions. He also led the Diocese through
the implementation of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council. Bishop Leonard retired in 1983.
Anthony J. Bevilacqua (1923-2012)
- Born in Brooklyn and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1949.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn (1980-1983)
- Bishop of Pittsburgh (1983-1987).
- Later served as Archbishop of Philadelphia (1987-2003).
Bishop Bevilacqua closed some parishes to bring the
Diocese’s finances under control and better organized administration of the
Diocese. Bishop Bevilacqua served only four
years before he was named Archbishop of Philadelphia in 1987 and was named a Cardinal
in 1991.
Donald W. Wuerl (born 1940)
- Born in Pittsburgh and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1966.
- Also served from 1969 to 1979 as secretary to the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome (1969-1979) and auxiliary bishop of Seattle (1985-1988).
- Bishop of Pittsburgh (1988-2006).
- Serves as Archbishop of Washington (since 2006).
Bishop Wuerl, due to demographic changes in the Diocese,
consolidated dozens of parishes, especially ethnic parishes. His plan became a model for other
dioceses. Wuerl also reformed Diocesan
schools and gained their accreditation while also providing financial support
to poor students. He consolidated two
girls’ high schools in Pittsburgh. Wuerl
started a television program based on his book, The Teaching of Christ, and he wrote regular columns for the news
magazine of the Knights of Columbus.
Bishop Wuerl also took decisive action against priests guilty of sexual
abuse of minors and was a leader in creating policies and procedures for
dealing with such abuse. Wuerl was
appointed Archbishop of Washington in 2006 and was named a Cardinal in 2010.
Current Bishop
David A. Zubik was appointed Bishop of Pittsburgh by Pope Benedict
XVI in 2006. He was born in Sewickley in
1949 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1975. He previously served as auxiliary bishop of
Pittsburgh (1997-2003) and Bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin (2003-2006).
The Cathedral
O
glorious St. Paul, who from a persecutor of Christianity, did become a most
ardent Apostle of zeal; and who to make known the Savior Jesus Christ unto the
ends of the world did suffer with joy imprisonment, scourging, stoning,
shipwrecks and persecutions of every kind, and in the end did shed your blood
to the last drop, obtain for us the grace to receive, as favors of the Divine
mercy, infirmities, tribulations, and misfortunes of the present life, so that
the vicissitudes of this our exile will not render us cold in the service of
God, but will render us always more faithful and more fervent. Pray for us,
Saint Paul the Apostle, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Amen. Let us pray. O God, Who has taught the multitude of the Gentiles by the
preaching of blessed Paul the Apostle: grant unto us, we beseech Thee, that we
who keep his memory sacred, may feel the might of his intercession before Thee.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The French established Fort Duquesne in 1754 and built a
chapel within the fortification dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This was the first Catholic church in what is
now Pittsburgh, but it lasted only until 1758 when the French abandoned the
fort to the English. The first parish in
Pittsburgh, St. Patrick’s, was established in 1808 on Liberty Avenue and Grant
Street. Construction work began on a
second parish in 1829 at the northwest corner of Grant Street and Fifth Avenue
and was completed in 1834. This new
church, dedicated to St. Paul, was an imposing brick structure. This church became the Cathedral for the new
Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1843, but burned in 1851. It was replaced by a new building in the same
location. The Diocese struggled to repay
the debt on this new Cathedral, but downtown real estate prices were
rising. So the Diocese sold the
Cathedral to Henry Clay Frick for over $1.3 million. [The Union Trust Building is now at this
location.] The old Cathedral closed in
1903 and work began on the current Cathedral of St. Paul, which was completed
in 1906 and cost over one million dollars.
Some of the proceeds of the sale went to build Epiphany Church, which
served as the Cathedral from 1903 to 1906.
An interesting note about Epiphany. In the early 1900s, Catholic employees of
Pittsburgh’s seven newspapers asked the pastor if Epiphany could offer a Mass
at 2:30 a.m., after their shifts—this was well before the Saturday anticipatory
Mass. The pastor (and the Vatican)
agreed and this Mass was held every Sunday from 1905 to 1991 and was attended
not only by printers, but also by policemen, firemen, college students, and
others.
St. Paul Cathedral was designed by Egan and Prindeville of
Chicago in the Scholastic Gothic style.
It is built from Indiana limestone and the twin towers rise 247 feet
above the ground. The west tower has
bells dedicated to the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. There are 17 statues on the exterior made by
Joseph Sibbel and represent the Apostles, Evangelists, and other saints. Inside the Cathedral, the high altar is 38
feet high and made of Italian Carrara marble.
The 186 windows were made by companies from Pennsylvania, England, and
Germany, and depict Biblical events. The
Cathedral’s 5,000-pipe organ was made in Germany. The Cathedral has stone carvings of plants
and animals common in Western Pennsylvania, including grapes, acorns, and
squirrels.
Additional information can be found on the Cathedral’s
website at stpaulpgh.org, and on the Diocesan website, diopitt.org. The Cathedral, which seats over 1,800, is
located about three miles east of downtown Pittsburgh in the city’s Oakland
neighborhood and has six weekend masses to serve 3,000 parish families.
The top picture is from flickr, the next four are mine, and the last two are from Wikipedia.
Also located in the Diocese
Also located in the Diocese is St. John the Baptist
Cathedral in Munhall. The Cathedral is
home to the archbishop of the Ruthenian-rite Archdiocese of Pittsburgh—one of
four Ruthenian-rite dioceses in the United States. The archdiocese serves 58,000 Catholics in 78
parishes in seven states—Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,
Texas, and West Virginia.
Diocese of Erie
The diocese consists of 13 counties in northeastern
Pennsylvania. The diocese has 184,000
Catholics (21 percent of the total population) in 116 parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Erie
Michael O’Connor, S.J. (1810-1872)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in Ireland
in 1833 before becoming a priest for the Diocese of Philadelphia in 1838.
·
First
Bishop of Erie (1853-1854).
·
Also served as the first Bishop of Pittsburgh
(1843-1853) and again as Bishop of Pittsburgh (1854-1860).
Michael O’Connor was appointed the first Bishop of Erie in
1853, but served only a few months before returning to his position as Bishop
of Pittsburgh. The new Erie diocese had
28 churches and 14 priests. Bishop
O’Connor later became a member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and had a
younger brother who served as the first Bishop of Omaha, Nebraska.
Josue M. Young (1808-1866)
·
Born in Maine, converted to Catholicism in 1828,
and ordained a priest in 1838 for the Diocese of Cincinnati.
·
Bishop of
Erie (1854-1866).
Bishop Young was a convert to Catholicism who spoke fluent
German which helped him minister to German immigrants in the Diocese. He brought in nuns to establish schools,
orphanages, and a hospital and built new churches to accommodate settlers who
came to the area due to the discovery of oil in 1859. He traveled frequently around his Diocese at
a time when travel was difficult. He was
a strong supporter of the abolitionist cause before the Civil War and of the
Union during the Civil War. He died in
1866, probably from a heart attack.
Tobias Mullen (1818-1900)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1844 for
the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
·
Bishop of
Erie (1868-1899).
The Catholic population of the Diocese quadrupled during
Mullen’s time as Bishop because of new immigrants. Bishop Mullen was able to expand diocesan
institutions, including parishes, schools, and hospitals, despite the poverty
of the people. Mullen ordained many
priests, established a weekly Catholic newspaper, and began construction of St.
Peter Cathedral in Erie in 1873. He suffered
a stroke in 1898 while celebrating Mass.
Bishop Mullen retired in 1899 and died in 1900.
Here
is an interesting historical note. As
Bishop Mullen lay dying, Bishop Fitzmaurice, then the coadjutor bishop,
summoned a young neighborhood man to serve as altar boy. The server was so nervous he accidentally
washed Bishop Mullen’s hands with wine instead of water. He also knocked the
bishop’s biretta (a hat) off his desk and then stepped on it. This klutzy young man was named John Gannon,
who would become Bishop of Erie 20 years later.
John E. Fitzmaurice (1837-1920)
- Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1862 for the Diocese of Philadelphia.
- Also served as coadjutor bishop of Erie (1898-1899).
- Bishop of Erie (1899-1920).
Fitzmaurice became Bishop upon the retirement of Bishop
Mullen. Bishop Fitzmaurice completed
construction of St. Peter Cathedral in 1911 and built new parishes for
immigrants from southern and eastern Europe.
He also established several diocesan institutions, including Harborcreek
Training School for Boys and a hospital in DuBois and also appointed the first
diocesan superintendent of schools. Bishop
Fitzmaurice was a noted homilist.
Fitzmaurice had poor vision all his life and was blind the last few
years before his death in 1920.
John M. Gannon (1877-1968)
- Born in Erie and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Erie in 1901.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Erie (1918-1920).
- Bishop of Erie (1920-1966).
Gannon served as Bishop of Erie for 46 years—the third
longest tenure of any U.S. bishop of a single diocese. Bishop Gannon built and established numerous churches
and schools, including several regional high schools. He also built hospitals, and other diocesan
institutions, including Cathedral College (now Gannon University), St. Joseph’s
Home for Children, Cathedral Preparatory School, and Villa Maria and Mercyhurst
Colleges. He sought to improve the Faith
of Catholics in the Diocese through religious education centers and lay
societies and organizations. He worked
with the U.S. Bishops to open a seminary in New Mexico to train priests for
Mexico during the Mexican revolution, served as head of the U.S. Bishops’
information bureau to better combat anti-Catholicism, and served as chairman of
the U.S. Bishops’ Commission for the Canonization of the Martyrs of the United
States. He attended the Second Vatican
Council and began to implement its decrees.
Gannon sent Diocesan art teachers to study in Europe so they could
improve school campuses. He also went to
Spain during the Spanish civil war to investigate the persecution of the
Church. Archbishop Gannon was given the
personal title of Archbishop in 1953 and he retired in 1966 at the age of 89.
John F. Whealon (1921-1991)
- Born in Ohio and ordained a priest in 1945 for the Diocese of Cleveland.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Cleveland (1961-1966)
- Bishop of Erie (1966-1968).
- Later served as Archbishop of Hartford, Connecticut (1968-1991).
Bishop Whealon served two years in Erie before being named
Archbishop of Hartford, Connecticut. He
never lived in the Bishop’s residence because he did not want to displace the
elderly Archbishop Gannon. Bishop
Whealon lived at St. Mark Seminary where he built a greenhouse to pursue his
love of gardening.
Alfred M. Watson (1907-1990)
- Born in Erie and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Erie in 1934.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Erie (1965-1969).
- Bishop of Erie (1969-1982).
Bishop Watson ordained 88 new priests for the Diocese and
emphasized the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine to offset decreased
enrollment in Catholic schools. He also
established a relationship with the Diocese of Merida, Mexico, in 1975, to
provide various types of assistance. Watson
implemented of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council in the Diocese. Bishop Watson retired in 1982 after breaking his
hip.
Michael J. Murphy (1915-2007)
- Born in Cleveland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland in 1942.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Cleveland (1976-1978) and coadjutor bishop of Erie (1978-1982).
- Bishop of Erie (1982-1990).
Murphy became Bishop upon the retirement of Bishop
Watson. Bishop Murphy implemented the
reforms of the Second Vatican Council, including those that encouraged greater
involvement in diocesan administration by women religious and the laity. He also was recognized for his knowledge of
issues related to American Catholic seminaries and established renewal programs
for diocesan priests so that they could better serve God and the Church. He started the RENEW program for the
laity. Murphy frequently visited
parishes and directed term limits for pastors, mandatory retirement for all
priests, and the establishment of parish finance councils. He started a fund-raising campaign for the
Diocese, opposed abortion and the death penalty, convened a committee on human
sexuality, and merged several parishes.
Bishop Murphy retired in 1990.
Donald W. Trautman (born 1936)
- Born in Buffalo, New York, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Buffalo in 1962.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Buffalo (1985-1990).
- Bishop of Erie (1990-2012).
Bishop Trautman emphasized youth programs in part to
encourage vocations. He also
reestablished the permanent diaconate program and built a retirement home for
priests. He is considered an expert on
liturgy and Scripture and was appointed chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Liturgy
Committee and thus played a prominent role in translation issues relative to
the Lectionary and New Roman Missal. Trautman renovated St. Peter’s
Cathedral, built several new churches, placed the Diocese in a sound financial
position, but was forced to close the Diocesan newspaper. Bishop Trautman retired in 2012.
Current Bishop
Lawrence Persico was appointed Bishop of Erie by Pope Benedict
XVI in 2012. He was born in Monessen,
Pennsylvania, in 1950 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Greensburg in
1977. He previously served as vicar
general and chancellor for the Diocese of Greensburg.
The Cathedral
230 W. 10th
St
You are the Shepherd
of the sheep, the Prince of the Apostles, and you were given the keys of the
kingdom of heaven. You are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church.
Let us pray. Raise us up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the apostolic assistance
of blessed Peter, Thine Apostle; so that the weaker we are, the more mightily
we may be helped by the power of his intercession; and that being perpetually
defended by the same holy apostle, we may neither yield to any iniquity, nor be
overcome by any adversity. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
When Michael O’Connor became the first Bishop of Erie in
1853, he selected St. Patrick’s Church—the oldest in Erie
The Cathedral’s central bell tower is 265-feet tall
(including the cross). The bell tower
has a chime of twelve bells cast in 1903 by the Meneeley Bell Foundry and has a
Howard clock. The side Norman-style
towers are 150-feet tall. Much of the
foundation stone comes from dismantled locks of the Erie Extension Canal. The red sandstone comes from New York and the
white sandstone trim from Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Cathedral measures 220 feet long, 128
feet wide, and 96 feet from floor to ceiling.
The baptistery is located just inside the entrance to the
nave. The font has a dark green marble
exterior and a blue pearl granite interior with inlaid gold mosaics. The center aisle is made of Spanish and
Italian marble.
The main altar has a mensa with oak and cherry inlays
forming a Jerusalem cross. The mensa is
supported by 52 white marble columns.
Beneath the altar is a carved oak and cherry reliquary holding 84 relics
of saints and martyrs. The reredos
behind the altar is made of white carrara marble and has statues of Saints
Peter and Saint Paul, and bas-reliefs depicting the sacrifices of Isaac and
Melchizedek. Beneath the old high altar
is a sculpture of the Christ’s burial. The
tabernacle is made of polished bronze and carved oak and has a center spire
accented with small carvings and inlaid cut crystal engraved with the symbols
of Christ. The sides are adorned with images of Christ. The Tabernacle rests on an oak and cherry throne
with a dark green marble top and is accented with marble columns. An oak baldachin was brass legs is over the
tabernacle.
The sanctuary also has a wood, glass, and granite ambry for
the holy oils; a cathedra made from oak, cherry, Italian Calcutta marble, and
Spanish rosa duquesa marble; and an 18-foot tall oak and cherry cross.
The Cathedral’s Stations of the
Cross are paintings made in Europe with gold-leafed oak frames. The twelfth
station is a bronze sculpture of Christ crucified. The Cathedral’s stained glass windows come
from four sources: Royal Bavarian glass from
1890, Franz Meyer of Munich portrait stained glass from 1908, Franz Meyer
stencil stained-stained glass from 1908, and Hunt’s stained-glass above the
organ loft from 1950. The windows were
extensively renovated in 1992-3. The
windows depict events from the Life of Christ and of the saints.
The Cathedral also has a pieta,
marble shrines to Mary and Joseph, and a marble shrine dedicated to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus. The Cathedral’s pipe
organ was made by Casavant Freres of Montreal.
It was installed in 1977 and has 4,400 pipes. The cabinet and bench are made of carved
oak. Below the main level of the Cathedral
is a crypt containing the earthly remains of six Erie bishops.
Additional information can be found
on the Cathedral’s website at stpetercathedral.com and on the Diocese’s website
at eriercd.org. The Cathedral is located
in downtown Erie and has four weekend masses to serve 1,100 parish
families. The parish elementary school
has an enrollment of 350.
Diocese of Harrisburg
The diocese consists of 15 counties in central Pennsylvania. The diocese has 246,000 Catholics (11 percent
of the total population) in 89 parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Harrisburg
Jeremiah F. Shanahan (1834-1886)
·
Born in Silver Lake, Pennsylvania and ordained a
priest in 1859 for the Diocese of Philadelphia.
·
First
Bishop of Harrisburg (1868-1886).
Bishop Shanahan’s Diocese covered 10,000 square miles and
had about 25,000 Catholics in 40 churches served by two dozen priests. Bishop Shanahan established a seminary to
train new priests and opened several new parish schools to educate immigrant
children and to teach them the Catholic Faith.
He did this by inviting several orders of religious sisters to run the
schools. He also convinced wealthier
parishes in Philadelphia to help the churches in the Harrisburg diocese reduce
their debts. He also built new
churches. Shanahan attended the first
Vatican Council in Rome and the Third Plenary Council in Baltimore. He died in 1886.
Thomas McGovern (1832-1898)
·
Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1861
for the Diocese of Philadelphia.
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (1888-1898).
Bishop McGovern established several “national” parishes to
meet the liturgical needs of various immigrant groups. He died in 1898.
John W. Shanahan (1846-1916)
·
Born in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, and
ordained a priest in 1869 for the Diocese of Philadelphia.
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (1899-1916).
Bishop John Shanahan, the younger brother of the first
Bishop of Harrisburg, built the current St. Patrick’s Cathedral and established
27 new parishes, including some for specific immigrant ethnic groups. He also established homes for orphaned and
needy children—immigrant workers in the coal, steel, and railroad industries
often died young and left destitute families behind. He established the Sisters of Saint Casimir so
that the nuns could open the first Lithuanian Catholic school in the United
States. Bishop Shanahan died in 1916.
Philip R. McDevitt (1858-1935)
·
Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest in
1885 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (1916-1935).
Bishop McDevitt promoted Catholic secondary education and
opened two Catholic high schools—in Harrisburg and Lancaster—and appointed the
first superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese. He also dealt with the financial needs of the
Diocese during the Great Depression and opened an office for the propagation of
the Faith. McDevitt served several years
as president of the American Catholic Historical Society. At the time of his death in 1935, the Diocese
had 90,000 Catholics in 81 parishes served by 160 priests.
George L. Leech (1890-1985)
·
Born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, and ordained a
priest in 1920 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Harrisburg
(1935).
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (1935-1971).
Bishop Leech oversaw the postwar growth in the Diocese
during which the Catholic population doubled.
He met the changing needs of the Diocese through the establishment of
several groups, such as the Liturgical Commission and the Apostolate for
Migrant Workers. He attended the Second
Vatican Council and implemented its decrees by creating several organizations
including an Ecumenical Commission and a Priests’ Advisory Commission. He also established the Catholic Witness
newspaper and four high schools. He
retired in 1971.
Joseph T. Daley (1915-1983)
·
Born in Connerton, Pennsylvania, and ordained a
priest in 1941 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Harrisburg
(1964-1967) and coadjutor bishop of Harrisburg (1967-1971).
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (1971-1983).
Daley became Bishop upon the retirement of Bishop
Leech. Bishop Daley sought to improve
diocesan finances through an annual appeal and a development office. He also formalized the Diocesan planning
process and established programs to strengthen the Faith of priests, religious,
and laity. He established diocesan and
parish councils to encourage greater involvement in Diocesan decisions by
clergy, religious, and the laity. Daley
called for a moratorium on building nuclear power plants after the disaster at
nearby Three Mile Island in 1979. Bishop
Daley died of cancer in 1983.
William H. Keeler (1931-2017)
- Born in Texas, raised in Pennsylvania, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Harrisburg in 1955.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Harrisburg (1979-1983)
- Bishop of Harrisburg (1983-1989).
- Later served as Archbishop of Baltimore (1989-2007).
Keeler was the first priest of the Diocese of Harrisburg to
be named its Bishop. Bishop Keeler created
a Secretariat for Youth and a lay ministry program for lectors and special
ministers. Keeler was appointed
Archbishop of Baltimore in 1989 and named a Cardinal in 1994.
Nicholas C. Dattilo (1932-2004)
·
Born in Mahoningtown, Pennsylvania and ordained
a priest in 1958 for the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (1990-2004).
Bishop Dattilo built a retirement home for priests and a
diocesan conference center and reorganized and closed parishes and missions to
reflect demographic changes in the Diocese.
He also established the Ecclesial Lay Ministry Program to train lay
leaders for the Church. Dattilo
instituted policies mandating zero tolerance of the abuse of children. Bishop Dattilo died in 2004.
Kevin C. Rhoades (born 1957)
·
Born in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, and ordained
a priest in 1983 for the Diocese of Harrisburg.
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (2004-2009).
·
Serves as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend,
Indiana (since 2009).
I have little information on Bishop Rhoades, except that he chaired
the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth for the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops. Rhodes was named
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, in 2009.
Joseph P. McFadden (1947-2013)
·
Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest in
1981 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia
(2004-2010).
·
Bishop of
Harrisburg (2010-2013).
Bishop McFadden emphasized education and
evangelization. He was also noted for
being a caring and personable individual. Bishop McFadden died of a heart attack in
2013.
Current Bishop
Ronald W. Gainer was
appointed Bishop of Harrisburg by Pope Francis in 2014. He was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania in 1947
and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Allentown in 1973. He previously served as Bishop of Lexington,
Kentucky (2003-2014).
The
Cathedral
Saint Patrick Cathedral
St. Patrick (5th Century) was from a privileged
family in Britain Ireland Ireland
Most glorious Saint
Patrick, Bishop and Confessor, chosen by the Almighty to be the Apostle of
Ireland, we, the children of those to whom you preached the Faith of Christ,
never to be renounced, hail you as the wonderful instrument of God’s mercy for
the obtaining of our eternal salvation. Most glorious Apostle and Patron of our
island, submit to the Almighty our every temporal and spiritual want, that
through your intercession, we may be relieved, in all our necessities through
life, and when called from this world to the glory of God, we may, to your
honor, be found worthy of the faith that is within us, and of eternal
salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Located in the narthex are panels from the original main
altar depicting Old Testament sacrifices and the Eucharistic Sacrifice. There is also a depiction of the Holy Family
and statues of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and Saint John Neumann.
The marble main altar is in front of a large marble altar which
contains the tabernacle and has statues of angels. The altar has a carving of the
Resurrection. The sanctuary arches
feature trompe l’oeil style paintings of the Four Evangelists looking up to
Heaven. Side altars are dedicated to
Mary and Joseph. Mary is surrounded by
angels and St. Joseph’s altar has scenes from his life painted trompe l’oeil
style.
The inner dome has windows portraying the Apostles. Paintings of four Doctors of
Church—Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, and Gregory the Great—are on the supporting
arches of the dome. The transept windows
feature the Marriage Feast at Cana and St. Patrick bring the Faith to Ireland.
The nave is supported by granite columns and has 50 stained
glass windows made in Munich, Germany, and depicting Gospel stories and
Catholic symbols. The pipe organ was
originally installed by the Austin Organ Company of Connecticut in 1906. It has been upgraded several times since then
and has 2,600 pipes. The Peterson ICS
4000 Organ console was installed by R.J. Brunner and Company of Pennsylvania in
2005. The Stations of the Cross are
recessed in the walls and executed in simulated bronze and highlighted in gold.
A shrine at the right front of the Cathedral houses various
pieces of art, depending on the season.
A rear shrine features a bronze crucifix made by Samuel Murray of
Philadelphia, who also made the statue of Commodore Barry in Independence
Square in Philadelphia and designed the Pennsylvania memorial at Gettysburg. A
second shrine in the rear of the Cathedral depicts Christ teaching the
children. A shrine to St. Katherine Drexel is located in the
cathedral portico.
The Cathedral’s website, stpatrickcathedral.com has an
online tour. The Diocesan website is
hbgdiocese.org. The Cathedral is located
half a block from the State Capitol in downtown Harrisburg and has four weekend
masses.
Also located in the Diocese
There are two minor basilicas in the Diocese of Harrisburg.
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart
is in Conewago. Father Joseph Greaton
founded this church in 1730 and it was used as a base by the Jesuits
ministering to the few Catholics in what was then the western part of the
country. The current red sandstone church
was built in 1787 and enlarged in 1851.
It was the first church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the United States
The first picture is from pinterest, the last is from flickr, and the rest are mine.
The Basilica of Sts. Cyril and
Methodius is in Danville. The basilica
was built as the chapel for the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Saints Cyril and
Methodius in 1939. The chapel features a
marble altar and baldachin, travertine marble walls, mosaics of the patron
saints, terrazzo floors, and beautiful stained glass windows. The chapel was designated a minor basilica by
Pope John Paul II in 1989. The Sisters
of Sts. Cyril and Methodius have a website at sscm.org.
Diocese of Scranton
The diocese consists of 11 counties in northeastern
Pennsylvania. The diocese has 279,000
Catholics (25 percent of the total population) in 120 parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Scranton
William O’Hara (1816-1899)
- Born in Ireland and ordained a priest in 1842 in Europe and later became a priest for the Diocese of Philadelphia.
- First Bishop of Scranton (1868-1899).
During his over 30 years as Bishop, O’Hara quadrupled the
number of parishes from 24 to 100 and the number of priests from 24 to
152. He built many schools, an
orphanage, a hospital, and he helped establish the University of Scranton in
1888. He died in 1899.
Michael J. Hoban (1853-1926)
·
Born in New Jersey and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Scranton in 1880.
·
Also served as coadjutor bishop of Scranton
(1896-1899).
·
Bishop of
Scranton (1899-1926).
Hoban became Bishop upon the death of Bishop O’Hara. Bishop Hoban dealt fairly and judiciously
with the National Polish Catholic Church schism in 1897. (He was coadjutor bishop at the time, but was
in charge of the Diocese due to Bishop O’Hara’s failing health.) He also sought to meet the needs of the large
numbers of immigrants in the Diocese by doubling the number of parishes and
parish schools and by building hospitals, orphanages, homes for the elderly,
and three colleges. He arbitrated labor
disputes involving mining companies and miners in the anthracite coal mines of
the area and hosted a meeting between President Theodore Roosevelt and John
Mitchell, the leader of the United Mine Workers. He died in 1926.
Thomas C. O’Reilly (1873-1938)
·
Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Cleveland in 1898.
·
Bishop of
Scranton (1928-1938).
Bishop O’Reilly was noted for his administrative abilities,
which were put to the test during the Great Depression. Nevertheless, he was able to open 7 parishes
and 14 schools. He died in 1938.
William J. Hafey (1888-1954)
·
Born in Massachusetts and ordained a priest for
the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1914.
·
Also served as the first Bishop of Raleigh,
North Carolina (1925-1937) and coadjutor bishop of Scranton (1937-1938).
·
Bishop of
Scranton (1938-1954).
Hafey became Bishop upon the death of Bishop O’Reilly. Bishop Hafey established the successful
“House of Charity” fund-raising campaign to pay for health care, education, and
youth programs. He also established and
upgraded many churches, schools, and other Diocesan institutions during the
economic boom following the Second World War and he helped establish Kings
College in 1946. He died in 1954.
Jerome D. Hannan (1896-1965)
- Born in Pittsburgh and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1921.
- Bishop of Scranton (1954-1965).
The former canon law professor established St. Pius X
Seminary in Dalton. Hannan also met frequently
with the people of the Diocese in large and small groups. He died in 1965 while attending the Second
Vatican Council in Rome.
J. Carroll McCormick (1907-1996)
·
Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest for
the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1932.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia
(1947-1960) and Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown (1960-1966).
·
Bishop of
Scranton (1966-1983).
Bishop McCormick led the Diocese through the changes
mandated by the Second Vatican Council.
He also oversaw a fund-raising campaign that resulted in two new high
schools, a nursing home, and a home for retired clergy. He built several new churches and established
17 parishes and improved morale of priests and nuns through better pay and
benefits and broadened the role of the laity in church matters. He retired as bishop in 1983.
John J. O’Connor (1920-2000)
·
Born in Philadelphia ordained a priest for the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1945.
·
Also served as a Navy chaplain, attaining the
rank of rear admiral (1952-1979), and auxiliary bishop to the Military Vicar
(1979-1983)
·
Bishop of
Scranton (1983-1984).
·
Later served as Archbishop of New York
(1984-2000).
Bishop O’Connor served only briefly before becoming Archbishop
of New York in 1984 (and a Cardinal in 1985).
As Bishop of Scranton he convoked the Second Diocesan Synod and was
noted for his communication skills and his ability to spread the good news of
the Catholic Faith.
James C. Timlin (born 1927)
·
Born in Scranton and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Scranton in 1951.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Scranton
(1976-1984).
·
Bishop of
Scranton (1984-2003).
Bishop Timlin was the first Scranton native to become its
bishop. He presided over the Second
Diocesan Synod called by his predecessor, which established a plan for the
Diocese for future years and which Timlin carried out during his tenure. He also merged several parishes due to the
clergy shortage, restructured the parish school system (to allow for better
fund-raising and for more equitable sharing of costs), and established the
“Bishop’s Annual Appeal” (which allowed for the care of retired priests, the
education of seminarians, programs for the needy, and improved parish
schools). He retired as bishop in 2003.
Joseph F. Martino (born 1946)
·
Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest for
the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1970.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia
(1996-2003).
·
Bishop of
Scranton (2003-2009).
Prior to becoming a bishop, Martino obtained a doctorate
degree in 1977 in Ecclesiastical History and did research that lead to the
canonization of Mother Katharine Drexel.
Martino was a strong advocate issues involving life and traditional
marriage. Bishop Martino, faced with
fewer priests and declining financial resources, closed over two dozen schools
and closed or consolidated almost half of the parishes. He retired in 2009 due to declining health.
Current Bishop
Joseph C. Bambera was appointed Bishop of Scranton by Pope Benedict
XVI in 2010. He was born in Carbondale,
Pennsylvania, in 1956 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Scranton in 1983. He previously served in various capacities
with the Diocese.
The Cathedral
St. Peter’s Cathedral
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
O glorious Apostle,
who received the power of loosing and binding, pray for us, that, being free from
all sin, we may live and die in the grace of God. Obtain then for us a perfect
faith, firm hope, and ardent charity, that as we draw nearer to the close of
life, we may daily grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. Guide us, O
blessed Apostle, through all the dangers of this exile, till fear and grief be
over. O humble martyr of Christ! You who now behold Him, not as on Tabor, but
in the full splendor of His glory, pray for us now and at the hour of death. O
then come, blessed Apostle, and take us to Jesus, that we too may love
eternally. Amen.
A small Catholic church was built in 1853—three years before
the Borough of Scranton was incorporated—to serve mine and iron workers who
were settling there. This church,
dedicated to St. Vincent de Paul, was located at Franklin and Spruce
Streets. In 1867, the parish moved to
the current location and the following year this church became the Cathedral
for the new Diocese of Scranton. Bishop O’Hara
undertook a major renovation of the Cathedral in 1884 and renamed if in honor
of St. Peter.
The red-brick Cathedral features twin towers and has
extensive art work done by the Italian artist, Gonippo Raggi. Wall paintings, including those that depict the
Wedding Feast at Cana, the Transfiguration, the Assumption of Mary, and the
death of St. Joseph, were completed in 1934.
Ceiling panels depicting the symbols of the Seven Sacraments were
completed the same year. Mosaic Stations
of the Cross were completed in 1957. The
Cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A renovation is underway that will update the lighting and
sound systems and that will restore the architectural style of the sanctuary to
the 1884 original style. The Cathedral
website is stpeterscathedral.org and the Diocesan website is
dioceseofscranton.org. The Cathedral is located
in downtown Scranton and has five weekend masses.
Also located in the Diocese
The Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Ann is in
Scranton. The Passionist Fathers
established a monastery and parish in 1902 dedicated to the mother of the
Blessed Virgin Mary. The current church
was built in 1929 and the Passionists broadcast a Mass every day nationwide
from the Shrine. The Shrine also has
perpetual novenas to St. Ann (which started in
1905), St. Paul of the Cross, and St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin. The Shrine was
designated a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997. The Basilica website is stannsmonasterybasilica.org.
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
The diocese consists of 8 counties in central Pennsylvania. The diocese has 84,000 Catholics (13 percent
of the total population) in 87 parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Altoona
Eugene A. Garvey (1845-1920)
·
Born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, and ordained a
priest for the Diocese of Scranton in 1869.
·
First
Bishop of Altoona (1901-1920).
Bishop Garvey opened Mercy Hospital in Johnstown and two
orphanages. He also established a
seminary at Loretto. He died in 1920.
John J. McCort (1860-1936)
·
Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest in
1883 for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia
(1912-1920).
·
Bishop of
Altoona (1920-1936).
Bishop McCort began construction of the Cathedral of the
Blessed Sacrament in 1924. He also invited the Discalced Carmelite nuns to
establish a monastery in Loretto and established a Diocesan newspaper. McCort began a program in 1930 to help
victims of the Great Depression. He died
in 1936.
Richard T. Guilfoyle (1892-1957)
·
Born near Punxsutawney and ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Erie in 1917.
·
Bishop of
Altoona (1936-1957).
Guilfoyle ordained 108 priests in his first 10 years as
Bishop. He also invited the Sisters of
Mercy to establish Mount Aloysius Junior College and he dedicated the Shrine of
Our Lady of the Alleghenies. He died in
1957.
Bishops of Altoona-Johnstown
Howard J. Carroll (1902-1960)
·
Born in Pittsburgh and ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1927.
·
First
Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown (1958-1960).
Bishop Carroll had a younger brother, Coleman, who became
the first Bishop and later the first Archbishop of Miami, Florida. Bishop Howard Carroll served only briefly as
Bishop, but built many new buildings for the Diocese and completed the
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona.
He also helped establish a Franciscan seminary in Loretto. Fire destroyed the library at St. Francis
College in 1958. Bishop Carroll died in
1960.
J. Carroll McCormick (1907-1996)
·
Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest for
the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1932.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia
(1947-1960)
·
Bishop of
Altoona-Johnstown (1960-1966).
·
Later served as Bishop of Scranton (1966-1983).
Bishop McCormick attended the Second Vatican Council and was
appointed Bishop of Scranton in 1966.
James J. Hogan (1911-2005)
·
Born in Philadelphia and ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey, in 1937.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Trenton
(1960-1966).
·
Bishop of
Altoona-Johnstown (1966-1986).
While Hogan was Bishop, the Carmelite Community of the Word
was established, but St. Francis Seminary in Loretto closed. Hogan retired in 1986. In 1994, a jury found Bishop Hogan liable for
failing to stop a Diocesan priest from abusing children. He and the Diocese paid over $1,000,000 in
damages.
Joseph V. Adamec (born 1935)
·
Born in Michigan and ordained a priest for a
diocese in Slovakia in 1960 before becoming a priest for the Diocese of
Saginaw, Michigan.
·
Bishop of
Altoona-Johnstown (1987-2011).
Bishop Adamec established a diocesan finance council, a
diocesan office for youth ministry, and an office for lay ministry
formation. He also established a
foundation for funding Diocesan activities and took steps to restructure
parishes. He frequently visited high
schools and colleges within the Diocese, as well as the seven correctional
institutions within the Diocese. He
participated in annual ecumenical services with Orthodox and Lutheran Bishops.
Bishop Adamec speaks English, Slovak, and Italian. He served as National President of the Slovak
Catholic Federation. Adamec retired in
2011.
Current Bishop
Mark L. Bartchak was appointed Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown by
Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. He was born
in Cleveland in 1955 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Erie in 1981. He previously served as diocesan vicar for
canonical affairs and judicial vicar for the Diocese of Erie.
The Cathedrals
The Diocese has cathedrals in Altoona and in Johnstown.
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament refers specifically to the Sacrament
of the Eucharist. Christians believe
that Jesus turned bread and wine into his Body and Blood at the Last
Supper. Each Catholic Mass commemorates this
great gift from God.
I place myself in the presence of Him, in whose
Incarnate Presence I am before. I place myself there. I adore Thee, O my
Savior, present here as God and man, in soul and body, in true flesh and blood.
I acknowledge and confess that I kneel before that Sacred Humanity, which was
conceived in Mary’s womb and lay in Mary’s bosom; which grew up to man’s
estate, and by the Sea of Galilee called the Twelve, wrought miracles, and
spoke words of wisdom and peace; which in due season hung on the cross, lay in
the tomb, rose from the dead, and now reigns in heaven. I praise, and bless,
and give myself wholly to Him, Who is the true Bread of my soul, and my
everlasting joy.
The first Catholic Church in Altoona —Saint John the Evangelist—was established in 1851, two
years after the founding of Altoona Altoona St.
John’s St.
John’s
The Cathedral was designed in a Baroque style by George
Lovatt, Sr. of Philadelphia and is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. The building is 264 feet long
and 120 feet wide. The distance from the
street to the top of the classical dome is 198 feet. The main doors are made of etched glass
depicting Jesus at the Last Supper and symbols of the Four Evangelists. Exterior statues depict Demetrius Gallitzin,
the Apostle of the Alleghenies; John Carroll, the first U.S. bishop; St.
Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American to be canonized; and St. John Neumann,
the first male American to be canonized.
All pictures are from Wikipedia
Above the 12-foot long main altar is a golden tester. The seven sanctuary windows are based on
popular Holy Cards and depict scenes from the life of Jesus and the Blessed
Mother. The base of the dome has several
symbols of the Eucharist and also has depictions of six saints with a special
devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Near
the top of the dome, 152 feet above the floor, are medallions of the Four
Evangelists. The Cathedral has chapels
dedicated to St. Anne, Our Mother of Sorrows, and St. Thomas More.
The crypt chapel, directly below the altar, contains the
earthly remains of six Diocesan bishops.
The Cathedral’s pipe organ was made by the G.F. Steinmeyer Company of
Germany in 1931. The organ has 57
speaking stops with 78 ranks and 4,759 pipes, made of wood, zinc and various
tin and lead alloys. Above the organ is a stained glass window depicting
St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music.
The Cathedral website—altoonacathedral.org—has a tour of the
cathedral. Also see the Diocesan website
at dioceseaj.org. The Cathedral is
located in downtown Altoona and has five weekend masses.
St. John Gualbert Cathedral
Dear St. John, you forgave your brother’s
murderer. May my forgiveness of others
lead to their salvation and mine. Amen.
St. John Gualbert Cathedral was designed in a Romanesque
Revival style by Louis and M.J. Beezer of Altoona. The Cathedral is 124 feet long, 66 feet wide,
and 47 feet tall. The two Italianate
spires rise 180 feet and 104 feet above the street. The smaller tower holds a 3,200 pound bell
that survived the Johnstown flood. The
building has a unique superstructure—170,000 pounds of steel were used in
building the foundation and another 420,000 pounds were used to support the nave and roof. (You can read more about this on the
Cathedral website.) Construction of the
brick and terra cotta building cost $75,000. The Cathedral is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
The top picture is from the Cathedral website and the bottom picture is from Wikipedia.
The Cathedral is entered through four large bronze doors
that were made in Italy in 1968 and depict scenes from the life of St. John
Gualbert. The door handles depict the
symbols of the Evangelists. The doors
are framed by terra cotta panels. The
nave is entered through wooden doors with stained glass windows depicting
symbols related to Our Lord, His Blessed Mother, and St. John Gualbert.
The sanctuary contains the main altar and two side
altars. The altar on the right has a
marble image of Our Blessed Mother and the altar on the left has a statue of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus and contains the tabernacle. The sanctuary has marble statues of St.
Joseph and St. John Gualbert. Nine stained
glass windows overlook the sanctuary.
The center windows has an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The four windows to Jesus’ left represent the
Evangelists and the four to the right represent fathers of the Western
Church: Pope St. Gregory the Great, St.
Jerome, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine.
The walls of the Cathedral are wainscoted with Italian
marble. Along the walls are the Stations
of the Cross, which were originally painted, but were later bronzed. The frames are 40 inches wide and 74 inches
high. The Cathedral’s stained glass
windows measure 9 feet by 18 feet and were made by the Artistic Glass Painting
Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. They depict
Bible stories, St. Patrick, and Christian symbols. All around the Cathedral are cherubs and 484
gold-leaf rosettes. Above the nave are
two murals done by an anonymous English artist and depicting St. John Gualbert
and the Presentation of Mary by her mother.
The Cathedral seats 700. The
Cathedral pipe organ was donated by Andrew Carnegie at the suggestion of
Charles Schwab. Originally made by H.P.
Eckert of Pittsburgh, it has been renovated several times and today has 1,929
pipes.
The Cathedral has a 1,500 square foot room that served
various purposes until 1925, when it was converted to a chapel devoted to St.
Anne. The chapel was designed by the
Pittsburgh firm of Comes, Perry, and McMullen.
The following description comes from the website.
The marble altar sits on a raised marble floor decorated
with geometric inserts of brightly colored ceramic tile. The altar bears the
cream verara statue of St. Anne and the Child Mary carved by the Tonetti
Brothers of Italy. Directly behind St.
Anne are inserts of bright mosaic tile. The tabernacle door is decorated in
gold leaf carved with interwoven dark colors of red, gold, and turquoise. The solid brass Promoter's Lamp, intricately
carved, stands to the right of the altar and burns continuously honoring all
living and deceased members of the St. Anne Society. Wall hangings near the altar depict Jewish
symbols and Old Testament designs.
The paneled polychrome cypress ceiling is adorned with rich
vibrant colors of turquoise, yellow, orange, and tan. Ten carved corbels (heads) are just below the
ceiling on each side. Below these carvings are graceful stone arches, supported
by five limestone columns on each side, topped with hand-carved capitals. Each
capital depicts different Old Testament symbols. Four pilaster caps help
support the ceiling at each end. The capitals, corbels, and pilaster caps,
together with all the stone carvings, are the work of Bernosconi.
Four narrow arch-shaped stained glass windows can be seen
above the confessionals on the courtyard side. Henry Hunt Studios in Pittsburgh
executed the glass work, which has 24 small medallions each with a different
title for the Mother of God.
The parish website is stjohngualbert.org. The Cathedral is located in downtown Johnstown
and has four weekend masses.
The first picture is from the Cathedral website and the others are from Wikipedia.
Also located in the Diocese
The Basilica of St. Michael the
Archangel is in Loretto. Demetrius
Gallitzin (1770-1840) was a European prince and the first priest ordained in
the United States Loretto
and the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in 1799 and from here
ministered to the small Catholic communities scattered throughout western Pennsylvania
All pictures are from the Basilica's website.
Diocese of Greensburg
The diocese consists of 4 counties in southwestern
Pennsylvania. The diocese has 148,000
Catholics (23 percent of the total population) in 78 parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Greensburg
Hugh Lamb (1890-1959)
·
Born in Modena, Pennsylvania, and ordained a
priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1915.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia
(1936-1951).
·
First
Bishop of Greensburg (1951-1959).
Bishop Lamb established ten new parishes and eight new schools,
including Greensburg Central Catholic High School. He also built nursing homes. He helped establish Jeannette District
Memorial Hospital and brought in the Sisters of Charity to staff the hospital. Bishop Lamb died of a heart attack in 1959.
William G. Connare (1911-1995)
- Born in Pittsburgh and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1936.
- Bishop of Greensburg (1960-1987).
Bishop Connare implemented
the changes directed by the Second Vatican Council (which he attended),
established a diocesan newspaper, held the first diocesan synod to organize the
Diocese, opened a Diocesan Catholic Charities, and started an annual
fund-raising campaign. He established
homes for the elderly and new schools, including Geibel High School in
Connellsville. He was one of eight
bishops that concelebrated the canonization Mass for Elizabeth Ann Seton in
1975 and he attended the funeral for Archbishop Oscar Romero in El Salvador in
1980 (see wikipedia.org/wiki/Óscar_Romero).
He was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award for his contributions to the Boy
Scouts of America. He retired as bishop
in 1987.
Anthony G. Bosco (1927-2013)
·
Born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and ordained a
priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1952.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh (1970-1987).
·
Bishop of
Greensburg (1987-2004).
Bishop Bosco hosted television and radio programs in
Pittsburgh, established a Department of Infomedia Services as Bishop of
Greensburg to spread the Catholic Faith and call all to holiness, and helped
establish the Catholic Communications Campaign for the National Conference of Catholic
Bishops. He provided greater
opportunities for the laity, such as improved adult education at the parish
level and enhanced parish social ministry.
Bosco closed several parishes and schools due demographic changes and to
economic changes in the steel industry. Bishop
Bosco retired in 2004.
Lawrence E. Brandt (born 1939)
·
Born in West Virginia and ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1969.
·
Also served in the Vatican diplomatic corps for
15 years in four countries.
·
Bishop of
Greensburg (2004-2015).
Bishop Brandt focused on increasing vocations in the Diocese
and created three prayer chapels to raise awareness of the need for more
clergy. His efforts resulted in the
ordination of eight priests and 6 permanent deacons. Brandt was also a successful fundraiser. He created a capital campaign for the Diocese;
a Lenten appeal to educate seminarians, provide for youth ministry and charitable
and educational needs; a poverty relief fund for the poor and needy; and a
grants program to help poor children attend Catholic schools. Bishop Brandt held meetings with the laity to
understand their needs and concerns and began an evangelization program on
local radio stations. Brandt closed 16
parishes and merged others due to changing demographics—an action that has
resulted in some opposition. During his
time in Rome, Brandt developed an interest in cooking. Bishop Brandt retired in 2015.
Current Bishop
Edward C. Malesic was appointed Bishop of Greensburg by Pope
Francis in 2015. He was born in Harrisburg
in 1960 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Harrisburg in 1987. He previously served the Diocese of
Harrisburg as judicial vicar and secretary of canonical services.
The Cathedral
Blessed Sacrament Cathedral
The Blessed Sacrament refers specifically to the Sacrament
of the Eucharist. Christians believe
that Jesus turned bread and wine into his Body and Blood at the Last
Supper. Each Catholic Mass commemorates
this great gift from God.
My God, we adore You
here in the Blessed Sacrament. As we kneel before You, we recognize You as the
Creator of all life. We thank You and praise You for the lives you have given
to us and to those we love. Give us a true and lasting respect for all life,
for we recognize it as coming from You. We pray for all who have suffered or
died as a result of disrespect whether that suffering and death has come as a
result of abuse, war, gossip, or abortion. We pray for an end for all
disrespect of life. As we kneel before You we ask You to forgive all those who
do not respect the sanctity of life. We repeat the words you spoke as you hung
on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
A group of local Catholics purchased the property on which
the Cathedral now stands in 1789 (at a cost of less than $1). Their hopes of building a Catholic church in
downtown Greensburg were not realized until 1846
when Most Holy Sacrament
Church
The Cathedral was designed by the firm of Comes, Perry, and
McMullen of Pittsburgh, in an English Gothic style. It is constructed with sandstone and Indiana
limestone and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is situated on the highest point in
Greensburg.
Among the Cathedral’s features are: bronze entry doors, marble floors, a coffered
ceiling and wood trusses that are stenciled and gilded, a predella (altar
platform) made using marble slabs from the former baldachin placed in a bed of
pink terrazzo, carved wood relief Stations of the Cross, and the apse ceiling
painted to represent a starry midnight sky.
The parish website is blessedsacramentcathedral.org and the
Diocesan website is dioceseofgreensburg.org.
The Cathedral is located just north of downtown Greensburg and has five
weekend masses to serve 1,700 parish families.
Greensburg is one of a dozen diocesan sees that has a population of
fewer than 20,000.
The first picture is from the Cathedral website and the second is from Wikipedia.
St. Vincent de Paul Basilica and Archabbey
is in Latrobe. A group of Benedictine
priests and monks, led by Father (later Archabbot) Boniface Wimmer arrived in
the Latrobe area in 1846 from Germany
and established the first Benedictine monastery in the United States College and St. Vincent Seminary. The Archabbey church was dedicated in 1905
and was designated a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1955—the tenth such
church honored in the United States. Golf
legend Arnold Palmer’s memorial service was held here in 2016. The website is basilicaparishstv.org.
The top is from the basilica website and the bottom is from pinterest.
Diocese of Allentown
The diocese consists of 5 counties in eastern Pennsylvania. The diocese has 260,000 Catholics (21 percent
of the total population) in 94 parishes, as of 2015.
Bishops of Allentown
Joseph McShea (1907-1991)
·
Born in Lattimer, Pennsylvania, and ordained a priest
for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1931.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia
(1952-1961).
·
First
Bishop of Allentown (1961-1983).
Bishop McShea constructed, purchased, or renovated over 300 buildings
for the new Diocese, including three new high schools and a nursing home. He also helped establish what is now DeSales
University in Allentown. He ordained 130
priests and attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council. McShea successfully opposed the merger of
Sacred Heart Hospital and Allentown Hospital and expanded the Diocese’s social
welfare program. Bishop McShea retired
in 1983.
Thomas J. Welsh (1921-2009)
- Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1946.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia (1970-1974) and first Bishop of Arlington, Virginia (1974-1983).
- Bishop of Allentown (1983-1997).
Bishop Welsh established a pro-life program for the Diocese
and frequently joined protesters at local abortion clinics. He held workshops on natural family planning and Humanae Vitae so that his priests better understood the issues. He established a youth ministry and an
endowment for Diocesan schools. Welsh
sought better relationships between Catholics and Jews and converted the
Bishop’s mansion to Diocesan offices. Bishop
Welsh retired in 1997.
Edward P. Cullen (born 1933)
- Born in Philadelphia and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1962.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia (1994-1997).
- Bishop of Allentown (1997-2009).
Bishop Cullen consolidated, not without controversy, many of
the Diocesan parishes, reducing the number by 47. He served on the Board of Trustees of The
Catholic University of America and served as chair of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops Committee on Women in Society and the Church. Bishop Cullen retired in 2009.
John O. Barres (born 1960)
- Born in New York and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, in 1989.
- Bishop of Allentown (2009-2016).
Bishop Barres parents were converts to Catholicism and he
was baptized by Archbishop Fulton Sheen.
He was also the first Bishop of Allentown to have not previously served
as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia.
Bishop Barres is fluent not only in English, but in Italian, French, and
Spanish. Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Rockville Centre, New York, in
2016.
Current Bishop
Alfred A. Schlert was appointed Bishop of Allentown by Pope Francis
in 2017. He was born in Easton,
Pennsylvania, in 1961 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Allentown in
1987. He previously served the Diocese
as vicar general and pastor.
The Cathedral
Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena
Catharine of Siena (1347-1380) dedicated her life to Jesus
as a child and became a Third Order Dominican at 16. She spent several years praying and fasting
during which time she had mystical experiences in which she conversed with
Jesus and became mystically espoused to Him.
She then began a stage of her life in which she tended the sick and
served the poor. She attracted a number
of disciples who were drawn to her holiness, but also to her happiness, charm,
and practicality. She experienced more
visions in 1370 prior to an attempt to reform the Papacy. Popes had lived in Avignon ,
France, since 1309 and she convinced Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome Italy ,
Europe , and of nurses.
Heavenly Father, your
glory is in your saints. We praise your glory in the life of the admirable St.
Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church. Her whole life was a noble
sacrifice inspired by an ardent love of Jesus, your unblemished Lamb. In
troubled times she strenuously upheld the rights of His beloved spouse, The Church.
Father, honor her merits and hear her prayers for each of us, and for our whole
parish family dedicated to her. Help us to pass unscathed through the
corruption of this world, and to remain unshakably faithful to the church in
word, deed, and example. Help us always to see in the Vicar of Christ an anchor
in the storms of life, and a beacon of light to the harbor of your Love, in
this dark night of men's souls. Grant also to each of us our special petition
(pause to pray for your own intentions). We ask this through Jesus, your Son,
in the bond of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Catherine of Siena, Pray for us.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia purchased property at a cost
of $70,000 to establish Saint Catharine of Siena Siena
Church
According to the Cathedral’s website, the Cathedral of St.
Catharine of Siena is designed in a colonial style similar to the restoration
of the early colonial buildings in Williamsburg, Va. The exterior is faced with
a variegated salmon brick trimmed with buff Indiana
The Cathedral’s website is cathedral-church.org and the
Diocesan website is allentowndiocese.org. The Cathedral, which is located slightly more
than a mile west of downtown Allentown, has five weekend masses.
The top picture is from the Cathedral website and the bottom is from Flickr.
