Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Kansas City, Missouri)
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic cathedral
in Kansas City, Missouri
, United States
. Along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph
it is the seat of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
. It is a contributing property
in the Quality Hill neighborhood, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The Diocese of Kansas City was established by Pope Leo XIII
in 1880. Immaculate Conception was chosen as the cathedral for the new diocese by Bishop John Joseph Hogan
. He laid the cornerstone
for the present cathedral in 1882. While the interior of the building was not completed and temporary windows had to be put in, the first Mass in the church was held on Trinity Sunday in 1883. The Cathedral was built on the highest ground of the city and at 250 feet (76.2 m) it was the tallest structure in Kansas City at the time. Tickets were sold to people to climb the steps in the tower to see the view.
A carillon
of eleven bells was placed in the tower in 1895. The bells are named after the following saints: St. Anna, St. Bernard, St. Catherine, St. Cecilia, St. Edward, St. Elizabeth, St. Helen, St. John, St. Mary and St. Thomas. The largest bell, St. Thomas, is rung more than the others. From 1903 to 1945 the Cathedral ran St. Christopher's Inn, which was located on Main Street. St. Christopher's Inn was a Single Room Occupancy facility for homeless men. The stained glass
windows, which were created by local artisans at the Kansas City Stained Glass Works Company, were installed in 1912. The windows depict various Biblical scenes and the life of Christ.
A major renovation of the cathedral’s interior was completed in 1955 during the episcopacy of Bishop Edwin V. O’Hara
. On August 29, 1956 Pope Pius XII
merged the western part of the Diocese of St. Joseph with the northern part of Diocese of Kansas City to form the Diocese of Kansas City- St. Joseph. The rest of what was the Kansas City Diocese became part of the newly established Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
. Immaculate Conception was the named the cathedral of the merged diocese and the Cathedral of St. Joseph in St. Joseph was named the co-cathedral.
The copper dome on the cathedral tower started to deteriorate. It was replaced by a new dome, cupola and cross covered in 23-carat gold leaf
in an effort led by Bishop John Cody in 1960. A diocesan capital campaign, Gift of Faith, provided the necessary funds for another major renovation and restoration of the cathedral. Bishop Raymond J. Boland
dedicated the renewed cathedral on February 23, 2003.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph
Cathedral of St. Joseph (St. Joseph, Missouri)
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...
it is the seat of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on September 10, 1880, as the Diocese of Kansas City, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. ...
. It is a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
in the Quality Hill neighborhood, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
The Rev. Benedict Roux arrived in Kansas City in 1833. Two years later he built a church out of logs at Eleventh and Broadway that was named St. John Francis Regis. From 1845 to 1880 the parish was served by the Rev. Bernard Donnelly who was a circuit-riding priest. He had a brick church built in 1857 that was named Immaculate Conception.Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in 1880. Immaculate Conception was chosen as the cathedral for the new diocese by Bishop John Joseph Hogan
John Joseph Hogan
Bishop John Joseph Hogan was a Catholic priest and missionary in Missouri in the American Civil War era. He was the first Bishop of the Dioceses of Saint Joseph, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri.-History:...
. He laid the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the present cathedral in 1882. While the interior of the building was not completed and temporary windows had to be put in, the first Mass in the church was held on Trinity Sunday in 1883. The Cathedral was built on the highest ground of the city and at 250 feet (76.2 m) it was the tallest structure in Kansas City at the time. Tickets were sold to people to climb the steps in the tower to see the view.
A carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
of eleven bells was placed in the tower in 1895. The bells are named after the following saints: St. Anna, St. Bernard, St. Catherine, St. Cecilia, St. Edward, St. Elizabeth, St. Helen, St. John, St. Mary and St. Thomas. The largest bell, St. Thomas, is rung more than the others. From 1903 to 1945 the Cathedral ran St. Christopher's Inn, which was located on Main Street. St. Christopher's Inn was a Single Room Occupancy facility for homeless men. The stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows, which were created by local artisans at the Kansas City Stained Glass Works Company, were installed in 1912. The windows depict various Biblical scenes and the life of Christ.
A major renovation of the cathedral’s interior was completed in 1955 during the episcopacy of Bishop Edwin V. O’Hara
Edwin Vincent O'Hara
Edwin Vincent O'Hara was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:Edwin O'Hara was born in Lanesboro, Minnesota, as one of eight children. His parents emigrated from Ireland during the potato famine and settled in the United States. O'Hara studied at St. Paul's Seminary before...
. On August 29, 1956 Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
merged the western part of the Diocese of St. Joseph with the northern part of Diocese of Kansas City to form the Diocese of Kansas City- St. Joseph. The rest of what was the Kansas City Diocese became part of the newly established Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau is a Roman Catholic diocese in Missouri. It was founded on August 24, 1956. The current bishop is the Most Reverend James Vann Johnston, Jr., appointed January 24, 2008, and installed March 31, 2008....
. Immaculate Conception was the named the cathedral of the merged diocese and the Cathedral of St. Joseph in St. Joseph was named the co-cathedral.
The copper dome on the cathedral tower started to deteriorate. It was replaced by a new dome, cupola and cross covered in 23-carat gold leaf
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...
in an effort led by Bishop John Cody in 1960. A diocesan capital campaign, Gift of Faith, provided the necessary funds for another major renovation and restoration of the cathedral. Bishop Raymond J. Boland
Raymond James Boland
Raymond James Boland, born February 8, 1932, in Ireland, was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama and the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph....
dedicated the renewed cathedral on February 23, 2003.