An angel's power and nature are finite, whereas the Divine power and essence, which is the universal cause of all things, is infinite: consequently God through His power touches all things, and is not merely present in some places, but is everywhere. Now since the angel's power is finite, it does not extend to all things, but to one determined thing. For whatever is compared with one power must be compared therewith as one determined thing. Consequently since all being is compared as one thing to God's universal power, so is one particular being compared as one with the angelic power. Hence, since the angel is in a place by the application of his power to the place, it follows that he is not everywhere, nor in several places, but in only one place.— Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Prima Pars, Question 52, Article 2: Whether an angel can be in several places at once?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Michaelmas
Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll Back On
SEE THE ARTICLE Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll Back On, at the KTVI News website:
By Roche Madden
(KTVI - myFOXstl.com) -- "Sex, drugs and rock & roll" will take the stage Friday night after a Catholic priest gave his okay.
Thursday the St. Louis Archdiocese got a court order and stopped the curtain from going up after it learned the musical was going to be staged in the Ivory Theater.
The Ivory Theater is a former Catholic Church called St. Boniface.
As part of the sale the buyer had to agree that certain businesses like an abortion clinic or a tattoo parlor could not be housed inside the former church.
The deed also says live stage productions aimed at adult audiences were banned. The Archdiocese had concerns about the content of "Sex, drugs and rock & roll."
But, after a monsignor reviewed a 40 minute tape of some of the show he said it was okay to put on.
The theater owner says if he has any concerns about future plays he will consult with church leaders before putting the show on stage.
Photos of the Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, in Joliet, Illinois
HERE ARE PHOTOS of the Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, in Joliet, Illinois. This is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois. The church is located about 47 highway miles southwest of the Chicago Loop.
Click any image for a larger version.
From the History of the Diocese and Cathedral:
Saint Raymond Nonnatus (ca. 1204-1240) was a Spanish nobleman, known in Spain as San Ramon. He ransomed Christian slaves of the Moor in Algeria; when his money ran out, he ransomed his last captive by giving himself up as a hostage. During his imprisonment, he converted Mohammedans to Christianity, and as punishment, his captors closed his lips with a padlock. Upon his release, he preached the Crusade, became Master-general of the Mercedarian Order and a Cardinal. His nickname non-natus means 'not born', for he was delivered by caesarian.
Joliet was founded in 1834 with the name Juliet, perhaps, like its neighboring village Romeoville, after the Shakespearian character. In 1845, it was renamed Joliet in honor of the Jesuit-trained French-Canadian fur-trader Louis Jolliet, (1645—1700), who explored this region with the Jesuit Father Jacques Marquette.
Joliet became a source of building stone for the Illinois and Michigan Canal, completed in 1848, and these quarries attracted immigrants from Ireland. This stone, called Lamont or Joliet Limestone (and inaccurately Athens or Joliet Marble), is bluish when first quarried, but ages to an attractive buttery yellow color. Perhaps the best known structure made of this stone is the 1869 Gothic-style old water tower in Chicago. By 1890, 3000 railroad box cars of stone per month were shipped out of Joliet.
After 1870, employment at the new Bessemer-process steel mills in Joliet attracted vast numbers of southeastern Europeans. The city remained an industrial center until the late 1970s; after a severe depression in the 1980s, the city returned to prominence in the 1990s as an exurban bedroom community of Chicago. Joliet is now the fastest-growing large city in the Midwest.
Joliet has a large population of Catholic and Orthodox Christians.
ECCLESIA CATHEDRALIS S · RAYMUNDI
NONNATI AD DEI GLORIAM · GLORIOSE
REGNANTE PIO XII PAPA · A CLERO
POPULOQUE DIOECESEOS JOLIETTENSIS
ERECTA · ANNO DOMINI MCMLII
The church has been renovated with a versus populorum altar-table in the transept, a large baptismal/holy water font near the narthex, and the tabernacle removed to the former baptistery.
Bishop's crozier and cathedra. James Peter Sartain, Bishop of Little Rock since the year 2000, was named the fourth Bishop of Joliet in Illinois in 2006.
IXth Station of the Cross.
Arms of the Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876—1958).
Altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary. "Do whatever He tells you."
Holy oils: the Oil of Catechumens, Oil of the Sick, and Oil of Chrism. These are typically olive oil with balsam or other perfumes. Chrism comes from the Greek word χρῖσμα, (chrisma), meaning oil; these are consecrated by the Bishop on Holy Thursday. Being anointed with oil was a very ancient sign of kingship, and now of being a Christian; Christ means 'the anointed one'.
Saint Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars (1786—1859) "All our religion is but a false religion, and all our virtues are mere illusions and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God, if we have not that universal charity for everyone - for the good, and for the bad, for the poor and for the rich, and for all those who do us harm as much as those who do us good. "
Saint Francis Xavier (1506—1552), founding Jesuit, Apostle to the Far East. "It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards a man's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken."
Infant Jesus of Prague.
The tabernacle. "Take, eat; this is my body".
Stations of the Cross, seen on the wall to the left, in the cloister.
Outbuildings of the Cathedral.
Address:
604 North Raynor Avenue
Joliet, Illinois 60435
Click any image for a larger version.
From the History of the Diocese and Cathedral:
When the Holy See erected the Diocese of Joliet in 1948, the advancing and progressive city of Joliet joined those cities of the world designated as "Cathedral Towns." Once of the first objectives of Bishop Martin McNamara, the first Bishop of Joliet, was to provide the diocese with a permanent mother-church or cathedral. A cathedral takes its name from the fact that it houses not only the altar of sacrifice, but also the "Cathedra," or official seat, of the Bishop of the diocese.
The cathedral is the spiritual center of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. There are 535,000 Catholics living in a seven county area. The Cathedral was built in 1952-1954 with contributions from original diocesan members at a cost of $2.4-million. It was completely paid for when it opened. Today's replacement cost is estimated at $20-million.
In 1948, Bishop McNamara explained to the architects what he felt was needed for his cathedral. Some of his more important requirements were: elimination of any steps from the sidewalk to the entrances, numerous and ample exits; accurate acoustical correction and sound amplification; a devotional and spacious sanctuary so arranged that all may see and follow the liturgy; and an interior of dignity suffused with a devotional and religious atmosphere.
The plan of the church is that of the true Latin cross. Black granite from Pennsylvania serves as the exterior base course as well as the bulk of the entrance portico. Indiana limestone is the trim used to relieve the red brick exterior walls. The coat-of-arms of the Pope and the Bishop of the diocese in 1954 ornament and characterize the eastern facade of this church.
The decorative treatment of the interior, twenty-five varieties of imported marbles have been used to accentuate important features of the room, which at its highest point is seventy feet above the main floor.
The windows merit particular attention. Though ordinarily termed "stained glass windows," they have no stain on the glass but are translucent mosaics. They are made up of small pieces of imported antique glass, integrally colored, bedded in lead to produce the individual design, graded in color to develop highlights and shadows. Made in Chicago by native artisans, they are undoubtedly the finest examples of this craftsmanship to be found anywhere. The pictorial sequence, starting from the east window in the south transept, illustrates the twelve articles of the Apostle's Creed.
The campanile, or bell-tower separately constructed from the church, supports a chime of five cast bronze bells, the largest of which weighs two tons. These are so mounted that each can be rung by electrical control from the sacristy. By automatic clock, they will sound the Angelus daily. The tower rises 190 feet above street level.
Saint Raymond Nonnatus (ca. 1204-1240) was a Spanish nobleman, known in Spain as San Ramon. He ransomed Christian slaves of the Moor in Algeria; when his money ran out, he ransomed his last captive by giving himself up as a hostage. During his imprisonment, he converted Mohammedans to Christianity, and as punishment, his captors closed his lips with a padlock. Upon his release, he preached the Crusade, became Master-general of the Mercedarian Order and a Cardinal. His nickname non-natus means 'not born', for he was delivered by caesarian.
Joliet was founded in 1834 with the name Juliet, perhaps, like its neighboring village Romeoville, after the Shakespearian character. In 1845, it was renamed Joliet in honor of the Jesuit-trained French-Canadian fur-trader Louis Jolliet, (1645—1700), who explored this region with the Jesuit Father Jacques Marquette.
Joliet became a source of building stone for the Illinois and Michigan Canal, completed in 1848, and these quarries attracted immigrants from Ireland. This stone, called Lamont or Joliet Limestone (and inaccurately Athens or Joliet Marble), is bluish when first quarried, but ages to an attractive buttery yellow color. Perhaps the best known structure made of this stone is the 1869 Gothic-style old water tower in Chicago. By 1890, 3000 railroad box cars of stone per month were shipped out of Joliet.
After 1870, employment at the new Bessemer-process steel mills in Joliet attracted vast numbers of southeastern Europeans. The city remained an industrial center until the late 1970s; after a severe depression in the 1980s, the city returned to prominence in the 1990s as an exurban bedroom community of Chicago. Joliet is now the fastest-growing large city in the Midwest.
Joliet has a large population of Catholic and Orthodox Christians.
ECCLESIA CATHEDRALIS S · RAYMUNDI
NONNATI AD DEI GLORIAM · GLORIOSE
REGNANTE PIO XII PAPA · A CLERO
POPULOQUE DIOECESEOS JOLIETTENSIS
ERECTA · ANNO DOMINI MCMLII
The church has been renovated with a versus populorum altar-table in the transept, a large baptismal/holy water font near the narthex, and the tabernacle removed to the former baptistery.
Bishop's crozier and cathedra. James Peter Sartain, Bishop of Little Rock since the year 2000, was named the fourth Bishop of Joliet in Illinois in 2006.
IXth Station of the Cross.
Arms of the Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876—1958).
Altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary. "Do whatever He tells you."
Holy oils: the Oil of Catechumens, Oil of the Sick, and Oil of Chrism. These are typically olive oil with balsam or other perfumes. Chrism comes from the Greek word χρῖσμα, (chrisma), meaning oil; these are consecrated by the Bishop on Holy Thursday. Being anointed with oil was a very ancient sign of kingship, and now of being a Christian; Christ means 'the anointed one'.
Saint Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars (1786—1859) "All our religion is but a false religion, and all our virtues are mere illusions and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God, if we have not that universal charity for everyone - for the good, and for the bad, for the poor and for the rich, and for all those who do us harm as much as those who do us good. "
Saint Francis Xavier (1506—1552), founding Jesuit, Apostle to the Far East. "It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards a man's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken."
Infant Jesus of Prague.
The tabernacle. "Take, eat; this is my body".
Stations of the Cross, seen on the wall to the left, in the cloister.
Outbuildings of the Cathedral.
Address:
604 North Raynor Avenue
Joliet, Illinois 60435
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Archdiocese Blocks Performance at Ivory Theatre
See the article over at AMDG: Archdiocese Blocks Performance at Ivory Theatre
The former Saint Boniface Church was sold in 2005 to a group that converted it into a theater; one deed restriction on the sale prohibited "live performances directed to an adult audience rather than the general public." The opening show at the new theater is called "Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll", which may violate this prohibition.
The former Saint Boniface Church was sold in 2005 to a group that converted it into a theater; one deed restriction on the sale prohibited "live performances directed to an adult audience rather than the general public." The opening show at the new theater is called "Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll", which may violate this prohibition.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Photos of Saint Joseph Church, in Chenoa, Illinois
HERE ARE PHOTOS of Saint Joseph Church in Chenoa, Illinois, of the Diocese of Peoria. The church is 111 highway miles southwest of the Chicago Loop
The parish was founded in 1859, and is named after Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus and patron of the Universal Church.
Chenoa, in McLean County, was laid out by Matthew T. Scott in 1854 at the intersection of two railroads. This region used to be tallgrass prairie, is very flat, and is noted for having some of the most fertile soils in the world. Underground are vast seams of coal. McLean County is the largest in Illinois at 1186 square miles.
My visit to this church was suggested by JB Powers of the Society of St. Barbara.
Mary and Saint Patrick.
The Divine Mercy in front of the altar.
Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony of Padua.
Sacred chrism.
The communion rail.
Altar of Mary; to the right is a statue of Saint Anne and the child Mary.
225 West Owsley Street
Chenoa, Illinois 61726
The parish was founded in 1859, and is named after Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus and patron of the Universal Church.
Chenoa, in McLean County, was laid out by Matthew T. Scott in 1854 at the intersection of two railroads. This region used to be tallgrass prairie, is very flat, and is noted for having some of the most fertile soils in the world. Underground are vast seams of coal. McLean County is the largest in Illinois at 1186 square miles.
My visit to this church was suggested by JB Powers of the Society of St. Barbara.
Mary and Saint Patrick.
The Divine Mercy in front of the altar.
Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony of Padua.
Sacred chrism.
The communion rail.
Altar of Mary; to the right is a statue of Saint Anne and the child Mary.
225 West Owsley Street
Chenoa, Illinois 61726
The Destruction of Heege School, in Affton, Missouri
Heege Elementary School, formerly of the Affton Missouri public school district, is now demolished. Generations of children in this neighborhood, including myself, attended this school. Like many other similar projects conceived late in the business cycle, the plan to convert this building into condominiums was abandoned. A small strip mall is planned for this location.
The school was constructed in 1931, expanded in 1953 and 1965, and closed in 1976.
This photo is courtesy of my father, and was taken on September 7th, 2007.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Extraordinary Form of the Mass at Old Saint Ferdinand's Shrine in Florissant, Missouri
St. Joseph Radio Catholic Lecture Series
Mark Your Calendar!
St. Joseph Radio and the Friends of Old St. Ferdinand Shrine present
The Holy Sacrifice of Mass
Fr. Gary Carr
Visiting priest at St. Frances de Sales Oratory in St. Louis
and
Fr. Thomas Keller
Director of Liturgy & Liturgical Formation at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
• Why the Motu Proprio?
• What is the difference between the Novus Ordo Mass and the Traditional Mass?
• How can I benefit from a Mass said in a language I do not understand?
Schedule:
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:00 a.m. Talk 1: Back to the Future – Fr. Gary Carr
10:15 a.m. Talk 2: The Tridentine Mass Explained – Fr. Thomas Keller
11:30 a.m. Tridentine Latin Mass
Celebrants: Fr. Gary Carr and Fr. Thomas Keller
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:15 p.m. Talk 3: Safe Harbor or Dangerous Iceberg for the Bark of Peter?
Fr. Gary Carr
2:45 p.m. Questions and Answers, Fr. Gary Carr
4:00 p.m. Closing
Bring your family and friends!
Freewill Donations Appreciated! Reservations required for lunch – please call 636-244-0089
Saturday ~ October 6, 2007
Historic Old St. Ferdinand Shrine • 1 Rue Saint Francois • Florissant, Missouri
For more information or to schedule a speaker for your parish event or organization, please contact:
St. Joseph Radio • P.O. Box 2983 • Orange, California 92859 • Phone: 714-744-0336 • Fax: 714-744-1998
Monday, September 24, 2007
Gospel Love
"Love, for the Gospel, is a self-sacrificing, willed concern for and giving to another, even if attraction and feeling are absent, and even if little or nothing is received in return."— Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Photos of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Springfield, Illinois
HERE ARE PHOTOS of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Springfield, Illinois. The city is both the capital of the State of Illinois, and is also the seat of government of Sangamon County. The church is about 100 highway miles northeast of downtown Saint Louis, Missouri, and is about 200 highway miles southwest of the Loop in Chicago, Illinois.
Click any photo for a larger version.
Dioecesis Campifontis in Illinois is one of five dioceses under the Archdiocese of Chicago, and has approximately 161 thousand Catholics out of a total population of 1.1 million. The diocese is served by 178 priests in 156 parishes over an area of 15 thousand square miles.
Historical Indian and European settlement in this part of the world tended to be along the major rivers, for ease of transportation. Although Springfield is on the Sangamon River (Pottawatomie Sain-guee-mon "where there is plenty to eat"), that river was not good for navigation, and the first permanent structure in what is now Springfield was constructed in the rather late year of 1821.
Springfield is on a flat plateau, with typical topographic relief of only about 20 feet, and was once surrounded by a vast tallgrass prairie which covered over half of Illinois and extended all the way into Canada. The paucity of trees, extreme weather, swarming insects, and periodic prairie fires made this region frightening for Europeans, and the difficulty in plowing the soil made living here impractical.
John Deere of Illinois invented the steel plow in 1837 which made farming the prairie possible: within a short time, the Illinois interior was settled by farmers. That same year, Springfield became the state capital, and moving there was the man who would become its most famous resident – Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), sixteenth President of the United States.
Centuries-old immigration patterns still hold, and the Catholic population of Illinois still tends to be located near the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, and on Lake Michigan, sites of early European settlements and missionary work; Catholics are still rare on the prairie.
By 1923, widespread paved roads and the rails made river passenger transportation almost obsolete, and the episcopal See of this diocese moved from Alton, Illinois – located on the Mississippi River near Saint Louis – to the more central location of Springfield.
CATHEDRAL
OF THE
IMMACVLATE
CONCEPTION
The narthex or vestibule.
1853-1928
CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD IN ILLINOIS
THIS CATHEDRAL WAS DEDICATED IN OCTOBER 1928 A.D. BY
THE RT. REV. JAMES A. GRIFFIN , D.D. BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE
TO COMMEMORATE THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF THE DIOCESE. IT WAS ORIGINALLY
ESTABLISHED AS THE DIOCESE OF QUINCY, JULY 29, 1853
THE SEE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ALTON, JANUARY 5, 1857
AND TO SPRINGFIELD, OCTOBER 26, 1923
THE FORMER BISHOPS WERE
HENRY DAMIAN JUNCKER, D.D. CONSECRATED APRIL 28. 1857
DIED OCTOBER 2, 1868
PETER JOSEPH BALTES, D.D. CONSECRATED JANUARY 23, 1870
DIED FEBRUARY 15, 1886
JAMES RYAN, D.D. CONSECRATED MAY 1, 1888
DIED JULY 2, 1923
From the history of the church:
MACVLA NON EST IN TE
"there is not a spot in thee" (Canticle of Canticles 4:7)
Macula = spot or sin,
Immaculate = spotless or sinless.
The mosaic behind the altar is taken from a painting of La Inmaculada by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617–1682).
The old high altar, with tabernacle. A worthy altar for celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass.
The background of the altar is made of "black and gold" marble from Porto Venere, Italy, and the steps leading up to the altar are made of Belgian black marble. The tabernacle and Doric columns holding up the mensa are made of Rose Breche marble.
The altars, statues, and pulpit were made by the Daprato Statuary Company of Italy, Chicago, and New York.
The tabernacle.
Crucifix located next to the altar.
Detail above the main altar.
The mythological griffin, with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle and the body of a lion, is lord of both the heavens and the earth, hence is a symbol of the divinity and humanity of Christ.
The baptismal font with a statue of Saint James the Greater to the right.
Detail of the pulpit.
LOQVERE QVAE DECENT SANAM DOCTRINAM
"Preach what is befitting sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1)
Altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in front is the bishop's cathedra, or episcopal throne.
Holy oils are placed upon the altar of Saint Joseph with the Infant Jesus.
Statue of Saint James the Greater, the Apostle (died A.D. 44).
Statue of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568–1591). "There is no more evident sign that anyone is a saint and of the number of the elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to desolation, suffering, and trials."
Statue of Saint Paul the Apostle (ca. A.D. 3–ca. 65)
Window of the Little Flower.
Below the previous window is the shrine to Saint Thérèse de Lisieux (1873–1897). "If Our Lord had not lavished so much love and sunshine on His Little Flower, she never could have become acclimatised to this earth. Still too weak to bear the storm, she needed warmth, refreshing dew, and soft breezes, and these gifts were never wanting to her, even in the chilling seasons of trials."
Shrine to Saint Patrick (ca. 387–ca. 461) "I came to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts of unbelievers, putting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others."
First station of the cross: Jesus is condemned to death.
The stations in this cathedral are mosaic.
The window on the left shows Archbishop Bonzano, Apostolic Delegate to the U.S., Pope Pius XI, and Cardinal Mundelein, in honor of the 1926 Eucharistic Conference in Chicago. The window on the right shows President Abraham Lincoln commissioning Archbishop Hughes of New York to go to visit Napoleon III of France, to convince him not to recognize the Confederacy.
According to the church history:
The left window shows John Sobieski (1629–1696) defeating the Turk at Vienna. The right window shows the martyrdom of Saint Ignatius of Antioch at the Coliseum in about A.D. 107.
Confessional.
Address:
524 East Lawrence Avenue
Springfield, Illinois 62703
Click any photo for a larger version.
Dioecesis Campifontis in Illinois is one of five dioceses under the Archdiocese of Chicago, and has approximately 161 thousand Catholics out of a total population of 1.1 million. The diocese is served by 178 priests in 156 parishes over an area of 15 thousand square miles.
Historical Indian and European settlement in this part of the world tended to be along the major rivers, for ease of transportation. Although Springfield is on the Sangamon River (Pottawatomie Sain-guee-mon "where there is plenty to eat"), that river was not good for navigation, and the first permanent structure in what is now Springfield was constructed in the rather late year of 1821.
Springfield is on a flat plateau, with typical topographic relief of only about 20 feet, and was once surrounded by a vast tallgrass prairie which covered over half of Illinois and extended all the way into Canada. The paucity of trees, extreme weather, swarming insects, and periodic prairie fires made this region frightening for Europeans, and the difficulty in plowing the soil made living here impractical.
John Deere of Illinois invented the steel plow in 1837 which made farming the prairie possible: within a short time, the Illinois interior was settled by farmers. That same year, Springfield became the state capital, and moving there was the man who would become its most famous resident – Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), sixteenth President of the United States.
Centuries-old immigration patterns still hold, and the Catholic population of Illinois still tends to be located near the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, and on Lake Michigan, sites of early European settlements and missionary work; Catholics are still rare on the prairie.
By 1923, widespread paved roads and the rails made river passenger transportation almost obsolete, and the episcopal See of this diocese moved from Alton, Illinois – located on the Mississippi River near Saint Louis – to the more central location of Springfield.
CATHEDRAL
OF THE
IMMACVLATE
CONCEPTION
The narthex or vestibule.
1853-1928
CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD IN ILLINOIS
THIS CATHEDRAL WAS DEDICATED IN OCTOBER 1928 A.D. BY
THE RT. REV. JAMES A. GRIFFIN , D.D. BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE
TO COMMEMORATE THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF THE DIOCESE. IT WAS ORIGINALLY
ESTABLISHED AS THE DIOCESE OF QUINCY, JULY 29, 1853
THE SEE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ALTON, JANUARY 5, 1857
AND TO SPRINGFIELD, OCTOBER 26, 1923
THE FORMER BISHOPS WERE
HENRY DAMIAN JUNCKER, D.D. CONSECRATED APRIL 28. 1857
DIED OCTOBER 2, 1868
PETER JOSEPH BALTES, D.D. CONSECRATED JANUARY 23, 1870
DIED FEBRUARY 15, 1886
JAMES RYAN, D.D. CONSECRATED MAY 1, 1888
DIED JULY 2, 1923
From the history of the church:
THE CATHEDRAL GROUP which included the Church joined on the north by the Rectory and on the south by the Convent and School, was dedicated in 1928 by the Most Reverend James A. Griffin, D.D., first Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, formerly the Diocese of Alton, Illinois. The style is Greek Revival, chosen for its American traditions and executed in Mankato stone. Joseph W. McCarthy was the architect.
ONE APPROACHES the Cathedral from a broad plaza flanked by two ornamental flag poles each fifty feet high. The portico is formed by four Doric columns supporting a strong pediment, in the face of which is carved the coat of arms of His Excellency, Bishop Griffin. This sculpture is the work of Leon Hermant of Chicago.
THE VESTIBULE is lined with Vert Corail Claire marble. At the left is the Baptistery lined with Botticino marble and on the right is a lavatory for the convenience of the congregation.
THE CHURCH PROPER is basilican, the clerestory carried on rows of Siena columns in the Greek ionic style. Above the Rose Tavernelle wainscot are set the mosaic Stations of the Cross executed of minute pieces and imported from Venice.
MACVLA NON EST IN TE
"there is not a spot in thee" (Canticle of Canticles 4:7)
Macula = spot or sin,
Immaculate = spotless or sinless.
The mosaic behind the altar is taken from a painting of La Inmaculada by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617–1682).
The old high altar, with tabernacle. A worthy altar for celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass.
The background of the altar is made of "black and gold" marble from Porto Venere, Italy, and the steps leading up to the altar are made of Belgian black marble. The tabernacle and Doric columns holding up the mensa are made of Rose Breche marble.
The altars, statues, and pulpit were made by the Daprato Statuary Company of Italy, Chicago, and New York.
The tabernacle.
Crucifix located next to the altar.
Detail above the main altar.
The mythological griffin, with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle and the body of a lion, is lord of both the heavens and the earth, hence is a symbol of the divinity and humanity of Christ.
The baptismal font with a statue of Saint James the Greater to the right.
Detail of the pulpit.
LOQVERE QVAE DECENT SANAM DOCTRINAM
"Preach what is befitting sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1)
Altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in front is the bishop's cathedra, or episcopal throne.
Holy oils are placed upon the altar of Saint Joseph with the Infant Jesus.
Statue of Saint James the Greater, the Apostle (died A.D. 44).
Statue of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568–1591). "There is no more evident sign that anyone is a saint and of the number of the elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to desolation, suffering, and trials."
Statue of Saint Paul the Apostle (ca. A.D. 3–ca. 65)
Window of the Little Flower.
Below the previous window is the shrine to Saint Thérèse de Lisieux (1873–1897). "If Our Lord had not lavished so much love and sunshine on His Little Flower, she never could have become acclimatised to this earth. Still too weak to bear the storm, she needed warmth, refreshing dew, and soft breezes, and these gifts were never wanting to her, even in the chilling seasons of trials."
Shrine to Saint Patrick (ca. 387–ca. 461) "I came to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts of unbelievers, putting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others."
First station of the cross: Jesus is condemned to death.
The stations in this cathedral are mosaic.
The window on the left shows Archbishop Bonzano, Apostolic Delegate to the U.S., Pope Pius XI, and Cardinal Mundelein, in honor of the 1926 Eucharistic Conference in Chicago. The window on the right shows President Abraham Lincoln commissioning Archbishop Hughes of New York to go to visit Napoleon III of France, to convince him not to recognize the Confederacy.
According to the church history:
The windows of the Cathedral were made by a process originated by Thomas O'Shaughnessy of the O'Shaughnessy-Kugal Studios, Chicago. They are mosaics of finely cut translucent glass, a radical departure from the European stain glass. The windows are built not of lead which is weak but of enduring copper which will not warp or sag. A unique feature of these windows is that at night they appear as mosaic panels showing the picture in full color and detail.
The left window shows John Sobieski (1629–1696) defeating the Turk at Vienna. The right window shows the martyrdom of Saint Ignatius of Antioch at the Coliseum in about A.D. 107.
Confessional.
Address:
524 East Lawrence Avenue
Springfield, Illinois 62703