Holy Name of Mary Pro-Cathedral (Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Holy Name of Mary Pro-Cathedral, also known as St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, is the original cathedral church
for the Diocese of Marquette
The historic church is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
, United States
. It one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the United States and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1984.
in 1668. There are only two other parishes, one located on St. Augustine, Florida
and the other in Santa Fe, New Mexico
, that are older in the United States. On January 9, 1857 Pope Pius IX
established the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie
and St. Mary’s was named the cathedral church for the new diocese.
The present church, the fifth for the parish, was built in 1881. It was designed by Canadian architect Joseph Connolly
in the Gothic Revival style. The church was extensively remodeled in three phases from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. The present rectory was added in 1922.
In 1968 the parish built the Tower of History as a shrine to the Catholic missionaries who served the community. It was designed to be a part of a larger complex that was to include a community center and a new church. Parish priorities changed and the structure was sold to Sault Historic Sites in 1980, who continues to operate it.
opened Loretto Academy in 1896 and educated girls from grade school through high school. It became a co-educational high school in 1945. The present school building was built in 1937 and held classes through eighth grade. Both St. Mary’s School and Loretto Academy closed in 1971 for financial reasons. The academy building was sold to the local school district. St. Mary’s School re-opened in 1993 and serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
for the Diocese of Marquette
Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette is a suffragan diocese of the Roman rite, encompassing all of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the ecclesiastical province of the Archbishop of Detroit. It encompasses an area of 16,281 square miles .Its cathedral is St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette,...
The historic church is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the United States and was 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...
in 1984.
History
St. Mary’s was begun by JesuitsSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 1668. There are only two other parishes, one located on St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
and the other in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, that are older in the United States. On January 9, 1857 Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
established the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie is a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. As it is a titular see, it is not an active diocese.-History:...
and St. Mary’s was named the cathedral church for the new diocese.
The present church, the fifth for the parish, was built in 1881. It was designed by Canadian architect Joseph Connolly
Joseph Connolly (architect)
Joseph Connolly was an Irish Canadian architect, born in Limerick, Ireland. He trained as an architect under J.J. McCarthy in his native Ireland before coming to North America. Connolly specialized in Gothic Revival design...
in the Gothic Revival style. The church was extensively remodeled in three phases from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. The present rectory was added in 1922.
In 1968 the parish built the Tower of History as a shrine to the Catholic missionaries who served the community. It was designed to be a part of a larger complex that was to include a community center and a new church. Parish priorities changed and the structure was sold to Sault Historic Sites in 1980, who continues to operate it.
Catholic Schools
St. Mary’s School was opened 1885. The Sisters of LorettoSisters of Loretto
Sisters of Loretto or the Loretto Community is a Catholic religious institution, which, according to their mission statement, "strive[s] to bring the healing Spirit of God into our world" and is committed "to improving the conditions of those who suffer from injustice, oppression, and deprivation...
opened Loretto Academy in 1896 and educated girls from grade school through high school. It became a co-educational high school in 1945. The present school building was built in 1937 and held classes through eighth grade. Both St. Mary’s School and Loretto Academy closed in 1971 for financial reasons. The academy building was sold to the local school district. St. Mary’s School re-opened in 1993 and serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade.