St. Benedict Cathedral (Evansville, Indiana)

Last updated

St. Benedict Cathedral
St. Benedict Cathedral - Evansville, Indiana 01.jpg
St. Benedict Cathedral (Evansville, Indiana)
Location1320 Lincoln Ave.
Evansville, Indiana
Country United States
Denomination Roman Catholic Church
Website www.saintbenedictcathedral.org
History
Status Cathedral/Parish
Founded1912 (parish)
Dedication Benedict of Nursia
DedicatedMarch 18, 1928
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architect(s) Edward J. Thole (Cathedral)
Style Lombard-Basilica
Completed1928
Construction cost$230,000
Specifications
Capacity1,000 [1]
Number of spires One
Spire height130 feet (40 m) [2]
Materials Brick
Administration
Diocese Evansville
Clergy
Bishop(s) Most Rev. Joseph M. Siegel
Rector Rev. Godfrey Mullen, OSB
St. Benedict's Catholic Church, Rectory, and School
USA Indiana location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Coordinates 37°58′12″N87°32′26.16″W / 37.97000°N 87.5406000°W / 37.97000; -87.5406000
ArchitectFrank J. Schlotter (school)
August Gehlhausen (rectory)
Part of Lincolnshire Historic District (ID89001426 [3] )
Added to NRHPOctober 2, 1989

St. Benedict Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Evansville, Indiana, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Evansville. The cathedral, rectory and original school building are contributing properties in the Lincolnshire Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

Contents

History

St. Benedict Parish

Original parish building St. Benedict Cathedral - Evansville, Indiana 10.jpg
Original parish building
Cathedral interior St. Benedict Cathedral interior - Evansville, Indiana 01.jpg
Cathedral interior

St. Benedict Parish was established in 1912 to take care of the Catholics who lived east of the downtown area. The pastoral care for the parish was given to Benedictine Monks from St. Meinrad Abbey. [4] A two-story brick building was constructed to serve as a combination church and school. It was designed by local architect Frank J. Schlotter in the Neoclassical style. [2] It was built by local contractor, and parishioner, Michael J. Hoffman. An assembly hall was located in the basement, classrooms were located on the first floor, and the church sanctuary was on the second floor. After the present church building was completed in 1928, the second floor was converted into classroom space. A Modern movement addition was completed in 1953.

A two-story, brick, American Foursquare convent was built for the teaching sisters in 1913. A rectory for the resident clergy was completed in 1921 for $25,000. [2] The two-story brick structure was designed by August Gehlhausen in the Colonial Revival style. It features a two-story, full length, front porch.

The present church building was completed in 1928 in the Lombard-Basilica style. [1] It was designed by local architect Edward J. Thole of the architectural firm of Thole & Legeman. Parishioner Michael Hoffman again served as the contractor. The church features ceilings that are 65 feet (20 m) high, a baldachin over the altar and a seating capacity of over 1,000 people. [1] Zettler Art Glass Company of Munich, Germany produced the stained glass windows. The altars are composed of Italian marble. The campanile rises 130 feet (40 m). [2] The church was dedicated on March 18, 1928, by Abbot Athanasius Schmidt, OSB. [4]

The interior of the church was renovated after the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The baldachin was moved forward about 25 feet (8 m) and the former high altar was dismantled and a new altar was created. Two of Evansville's bishops were ordained and installed in St. Benedict's before it became a cathedral; Francis R. Shea in 1970 and Gerald A. Gettelfinger on April 11, 1989. [4]

St. Benedict Cathedral

On October 21, 1944, Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Evansville. [5] Assumption Church, Evansville's oldest Catholic parish, was chosen as the first cathedral. The property was sold to the city of Evansville who demolished it in 1965 for the new civic center. Holy Trinity, Evansville's second-oldest parish, served as the Proto-cathedral from 1965 to April 11, 1999, when St. Benedict's was consecrated as the third cathedral for the Evansville Diocese. [4]

Pastors/Rectors

The following priests have served as pastor of St. Benedict Parish. Since 1999 they have also served as cathedral rector: [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

St. Raphael's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral and a parish church in the Archdiocese of Dubuque located in Dubuque, Iowa. The parish is the oldest congregation of any Christian denomination in the state of Iowa. The cathedral church, rectory, former convent, and former parochial school building are a contributing properties in the Cathedral Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Heart Cathedral (Davenport, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

Sacred Heart Cathedral, located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, is a Catholic cathedral and a parish church in the Diocese of Davenport. The cathedral is located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River to the east of Downtown Davenport. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cathedral Complex. This designation includes the church building, rectory, and the former convent, which was torn down in 2012. The cathedral is adjacent to the Cork Hill Historic District, also on the National Register. Its location on Cork Hill, a section of the city settled by Irish immigrants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Indiana, United States

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a division of the Roman Catholic Church in southern Indiana in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville</span> Catholic diocese in the U.S. state of Indiana

The Diocese of Evansville is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Southwestern Indiana in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King</span> Church in Hamilton, Ontario

The Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic church in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The cathedral was consecrated on December 19, 1933. It is the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton, and the cathedral of the Diocese of Hamilton. The cathedral contains the cathedra of the bishop, the Most Rev. Douglas Crosby. The cathedral was raised to the status of a minor basilica in February 2013 by Pope Benedict XVI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John's Catholic Church (Worcester, Massachusetts)</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

St. John's Catholic Church, established in 1834, is an historic Roman Catholic parish church in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is the oldest established Catholic religious institution in the city, and the oldest Catholic parish in New England outside of Boston. On March 5, 1980, its 1845 church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

St. Ambrose Cathedral is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It serves as a parish church and as the seat of the Diocese of Des Moines in the Catholic Church. The cathedral, along with the adjoining rectory, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basilica of St. John (Des Moines, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

The Basilica of St. John is a Minor Basilica of the Catholic Church in the Drake neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is also a parish church in the Diocese of Des Moines. The church building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Diocese of Vincennes, the first Roman Catholic diocese in Indiana, was erected 6 May 1834 by Pope Gregory XVI. Its initial ecclesiastical jurisdiction encompassed Indiana as well as the eastern third of Illinois. In 1843 the Diocese of Chicago was erected from the Illinois portion of the diocese, and in 1857 Diocese of Fort Wayne was erected from the northern half of Indiana. The seat of the episcopal see was transferred from Vincennes, Indiana, to Indianapolis, and on 28 March 1898 it became the Diocese of Indianapolis. Pope Pius XII elevated the Indianapolis diocese to an archdiocese in 1944, and erected two new Indiana dioceses: the Diocese of Evansville and the Diocese of Lafayette. The Diocese of Gary, Indiana, was erected in 1956. The Evansville Diocese absorbed the city of Vincennes upon its creation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Anthony's Catholic Church is a parish church in the Diocese of Davenport. The parish complex is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets. It is the first church congregation organized in the city of Davenport and the second Catholic congregation, after St. Raphael's in Dubuque, in the state of Iowa. The parish buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church Complex in 1984. The designation includes the church and the former school building, which is the parish's original church building and the oldest standing church building in Iowa. The designation also included the rectory, which was partially torn down in 2009. The complex was also listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1992 as St. Anthony's Church Square. The property has been known historically as Church Square. In 2020 the parish buildings, except for the parish center, were included as contributing properties in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. Because of its recent construction date, the parish center is excluded as a contributing property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Stephen's Catholic Church (Cleveland, Ohio)</span> Historic church in Ohio, United States

St. Stephen Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio. The gothic style building was designed by architects Cudell & Richardson. The current church was built in 1875 and was added into the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Michael's Catholic Church (Holbrook, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Michael's Catholic Church is a former parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church is located in the unincorporated village of Holbrook, east of Parnell, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Michael's Church, Cemetery, Rectory, and Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Boniface Catholic Church (Sioux City, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Boniface Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Sioux City. The church is located in a residential area west of downtown Sioux City, Iowa, United States. The parish buildings form a nationally recognized historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as St. Boniface Historic District. At the time of its nomination it contained three resources, all of them contributing buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Francis Xavier Cathedral and Library</span> Historic church in Indiana, United States

The St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is a parish of the Roman Catholic Church in Vincennes, Indiana, under the Diocese of Evansville. Named for Francis Xavier, a 16th-century Jesuit apostle, it is located opposite George Rogers Clark National Historical Park at 205 Church Street, within the Vincennes Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart</span> Historic church in West Virginia, United States

The Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a cathedral church and a minor basilica located in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling it is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. The parish complex is a contributing property in the Downtown Charleston Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Cathedral of St. Joseph is a Catholic cathedral in St. Joseph, Missouri, United States. Along with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri it is the seat of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. The Cathedral Church, rectory and convent are all contributing properties to the Cathedral Hill Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. The school building and the auditorium do not contribute to the historical nature of the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral (Indianapolis)</span> Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located at Fourteenth and Meridian Streets in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and of the Archbishop of Indianapolis, most recently Archbishop Charles C. Thompson. Silas Chatard, the first Bishop of Indianapolis, established the cathedral parish in 1892, and named it after Saint Peter and Saint Paul, two apostles of Christ. The cathedral parish became known for its liturgical celebrations and sacred music performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (Indianapolis, Indiana)</span> Historic church in Indiana, United States

Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The parish's origins date to 1837, when it was first named Holy Cross parish. In 1850 it was renamed Saint John the Evangelist parish, and is the oldest Catholic parish in the city and in Marion County, Indiana. Considered the mother of the Catholic parishes in Indianapolis, it played an important role in development of the Catholic Church in the city. Saint John's Church served as the pro-cathedral of the diocese from 1878 until 1906; its rectory served as the bishop's residence and chancery from 1878 until 1892. In 1900 the church served as the site of first episcopal consecration held in Indianapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption (Saginaw, Michigan)</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

The Cathedral of Mary the Assumption, also known as St. Mary's Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral and parish church located in Saginaw, Michigan, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Saginaw. In 1979 it was included as a contributing property in the Saginaw Central City Historic Residential District on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. James Basilica (Jamestown, North Dakota)</span> Historic church in North Dakota, United States

St. James Basilica is a parish church in the Diocese of Fargo as well as a minor basilica located in Jamestown, North Dakota, United States. A previous church building, completed in 1882, served briefly as a cathedral in the 19th century. The present church building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as St. James Catholic Church, and it was elevated to a minor basilica in 1988.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Parish History". Historic Evansville. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Joan C. Marchand. "Lincolnshire Historic District". National Park Service . Retrieved November 20, 2014. with photos
  3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cathedrals of the Diocese of Evansville". Diocese of Evansville. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  5. "Diocese of Evansville". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved September 26, 2011.