Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Basilica of the Co-Cathedralof the Sacred Heart |
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The exterior of the church in 2023
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| Location | 1114 Virginia Street, East Charleston, West Virginia |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | H.B. Lowe |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1895 |
| Completed | 1897 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Wheeling-Charleston |
The Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a very special church in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. It is called a "co-cathedral" because it shares the role of being the main church for the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. It shares this role with the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling.
This church also has the special title of a "minor basilica," which was given by the Pope. The church building and its surrounding area are part of the historic Downtown Charleston Historic District. This district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it's an important historical site.
Contents
The History of Sacred Heart Church
This section will tell you about how the Sacred Heart church started and grew over the years.
Starting the Sacred Heart Parish
The very first Catholic priest to visit what is now West Virginia came in 1832. Later, in 1836, a priest named Rev. Alexander L. Hitzelberger held a Mass (a Catholic church service) in the Charleston courthouse.
In 1850, Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Wheeling. A diocese is an area managed by a bishop. Priests visited Charleston from time to time. In 1862, Rev. Stenger settled in Charleston, but the Civil War made his work difficult. He returned in 1866. Since there was no church building, he held Mass on the second floor of a store.
The Sacred Heart parish (a local church community) officially started on August 1, 1866. Bishop Whelan, who was then the Bishop of Wheeling, bought some land in Charleston. A two-story brick building on this land was used as both a church and a school.
In 1869, the church community built a simple wooden church. It was about 60 feet long and 25 feet wide, and it cost $1,500. This church was located where the current rectory (the priest's house) now stands.
Building a New Church
By 1885, Father Stenger began collecting money for a new, bigger church. Even people who were not Catholic helped by donating money. By 1892, the church had 84 English-speaking families and 56 German-speaking families. The school had 90 students.
Father Stenger chose H.B. Lowe as the architect for the new church. He spent $600 on the plans for the building. The first Mass in the current church building was celebrated on Christmas in 1897.
Father Stenger passed away in 1900. In 1901, a group of priests called Capuchin friars started serving at Sacred Heart. They built a new rectory in 1902. They also added more parts to the church building in the early 1900s.
The first pipe organ was installed in the church in 1905. Beautiful marble altars and stained glass windows from Munich, Germany were added in 1909. In 1911, three bells were placed in the church tower. They were named St. Richard, St. Joseph, and the Blessed Virgin. They weighed 2,600 pounds, 1,500 pounds, and 700 pounds.
In 1948, the church bought an electronic organ for $4,500. Later, in 1950-1951, the inside of the church was greatly updated. A new Kilgen pipe organ was bought for $31,832. The front part of the current rectory was finished in 1952. In 1958, new pews (church benches) were installed for $11,429. In 1966, artist John L. Baker painted the ceiling of the sanctuary (the holy part of the church) with a colorful design.
Sacred Heart Becomes a Co-Cathedral
On October 4, 1974, Pope Paul VI made an important change. He renamed the Diocese of Wheeling to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Because of this, Sacred Heart Church became the co-cathedral for the diocese.
In 1980, the Capuchin friars, who had served the parish for 79 years, left. A priest from the diocese, Rev. Edward Sadie, became the new rector (the main priest) of the co-cathedral.
Renovations and Growth
Many renovation and building projects happened in the 1980s. The church started a fundraising campaign to update the cathedral inside and out. This project included adding air-conditioning and cleaning the stained glass windows. A new, large Schantz pipe organ was also installed.
The church bought the old Kanawha Valley Hospital building to create a parking lot. In 1985, they opened the John XXIII Pastoral Center. New carpet was put in the sanctuary, and new furniture, like the Bishop's Chair, Ambo (a stand for reading), and Altar, were made by Edward Hillenbrand. Bishop Francis B. Schulte dedicated the finished cathedral in 1988.
In the 1990s, the parish bought Riverview Terrace. This building became a place for elderly people to live. The church also worked with First Presbyterian Church to build two houses for Habitat for Humanity, a group that builds homes for people in need.
In the early 2000s, the church bought the parking lot of the Charleston newspaper. They also updated the Cenacle Retreat property to be used for church offices and apartments for the clergy (priests). This building was renamed the Cordis Center. The cathedral itself was also renovated, and a new gathering space was added.
On November 9, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI gave Sacred Heart the special title of a minor basilica.
Catholic Schools
The first school at Sacred Heart opened in 1866. It was in the Dunbar Building, which was used as both a church and a school. The school had some ups and downs in the 1800s. It closed in 1868 but was reopened in 1870 by the Sisters of St. Joseph.
At the same time, a boarding school called St. Mary's Academy opened and operated until 1895. The school moved into a new building in 1872 but closed again in 1892. In 1903, the Franciscan Sisters of Penance and Christian Charity reopened the school. They built a new convent (a home for nuns) in 1904.
A new school building opened on September 8, 1920. The first high school classes began in 1922. In 1927, the parish bought and renovated a building to house the high school.
Bishop John Swint laid the cornerstone for a new high school in 1940. The building opened the next year as Charleston Catholic High School. The grade school was updated in 1942. The old Dunbar Building, which had served many purposes, was torn down.
Kindergarten classes were added to the school in 1952. A third floor was added to the high school building in 1956. The current grade school building opened in 1962. It cost $521,140 to build.
In 1986, the school built a new playground. In 1990, Seton Hall was renovated. It gained classrooms on the second and third floors and space for an After School Care Program on the first floor. In the 1990s, the school started a $3.5 million fundraising effort. This money was to build a new science wing for the high school.
See also
