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Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe (Dallas, Texas) facts for kids

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Cathedral Guadalupe
National Shrine Cathedral of
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Downtown Dallas TX 2013-06-08 061.jpg
Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe (Dallas, Texas) is located in Texas
Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe (Dallas, Texas)
Location in Texas
32°47′19″N 96°47′52″W / 32.78865°N 96.79788°W / 32.78865; -96.79788
Location 2215 Ross Ave.
Dallas, Texas
Country United States
Denomination Roman Catholic Church
Membership 25,000 registered families
History
Founded 1869
Dedicated October 26, 1902
Architecture
Architect(s) Nicholas J. Clayton
Style Gothic revival
Groundbreaking 1898
Completed 1902
Specifications
Number of spires One
Spire height 224 feet (68 m)
Materials Brick
Bells 49
Administration
Diocese Diocese of Dallas

The National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Cathedral Guadalupe) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Texas. The structure dates from the late 19th century and is located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas. The church oversees the second largest Catholic church membership in the United States. Its average Sunday attendance is 11,200.

History

Background

Dallas Cathedral interior during a concert intermission
Interior

In 1869, Dallas's first Catholic parish, Sacred Heart Church, was established by the Bishop of Galveston. The church was built in 1872 and was located at Bryan and Ervay Streets, near present-day St. Paul Station.

In 1890, Dallas was established as a diocese, and Sacred Heart became the diocesan cathedral of Dallas with Bishop Thomas Brennan acting as the first bishop. Along with Dallas' tremendous growth at the time, the parish soon outgrew its church building, and the need for a new cathedral arose.

Construction

The property on which the current cathedral is now located was purchased for US$30,000, which adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to over $600,000 in 2007. The cornerstone for the cathedral was laid June 17, 1898 and the church was formally dedicated on October 26, 1902.

Consolidation

As the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex grew through the early 20th century, other diocesan parishes were built in neighboring suburbs, decreasing Sacred Heart's attendance. However, by the 1960s the neighboring Our Lady of Guadalupe parish had outgrown its facilities.

Bilingual sign at Dallas Cathedral
Sign reflecting growing Spanish-speaking population

The parish, located on Harwood Street, was established in 1914 and primarily served Mexican immigrants. Bishop Thomas Tschoepe of Sacred Heart invited Our Lady of Guadalupe to merge with Sacred Heart, and by 1975, the Guadalupe church on Harwood closed following the churches' consolidation. On December 12, 1977, Sacred Heart Cathedral was renamed Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe—"the Cathedral Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe." This reflects the large Spanish-speaking proportion of the congregation, so that the congregation now has masses and various programs in Spanish and English, as well as English classes.

Expansion

The cathedral recently underwent a major multi-phase renovation project. As part of the project, a US$20 million bell tower housing a 49-bell carillon was constructed. The bell tower was planned by the original architect, Nicholas J. Clayton, but had not been built.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Catedral Santuario de Guadalupe (Dallas) para niños

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