Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption (Saginaw, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption |
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Cathedral in 2023
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 Location in Michigan
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| 43°25′33″N 83°56′12″W / 43.4258°N 83.9367°W | |
| Location | 615 Hoyt Ave. Saginaw, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/Parish church |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Dedicated | July 23, 1903 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1901 |
| Completed | 1903 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 500 |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Saginaw |
The Cathedral of Mary the Assumption, often called St. Mary's Cathedral, is a large Catholic church in Saginaw, Michigan, United States. It is special because it is the main church, or cathedral, for the Diocese of Saginaw. Think of it as the 'headquarters' church for the area. In 1979, it was recognized as an important building in the Saginaw Central City Historic Residential District and added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
History of St. Mary's Cathedral
Early Days as St. Mary's Church (1853-1938)
St. Mary's began in 1853. It was first a "mission" church, meaning it was a smaller church connected to a bigger one in Bay City. The very first church building was finished that same year. Ten years later, a second church building was built.
In 1866, St. Mary's became its own "parish." A parish is a local church community. The first pastor, or priest in charge, was Rev. Francis T. Van der Bom. In 1868, the parish opened its first school. Four sisters, who are like nuns, from the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary taught there.
Over the years, St. Mary's helped start other churches in Saginaw. For example, St. Joseph Parish began in 1873. German families from St. Mary's started Sacred Heart the next year. In 1874, Father Van der Bom also helped create St. Mary's Hospital.
Because new parishes were forming, fewer students attended St. Mary's school. The sisters who taught there left in 1875. That same year, a two-story brick building called the rectory was built. This is where the priests live. In 1878, a second parish school, St. Mary Academy, was built. It was staffed by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
Construction on the current church building started in 1901. It was finished in 1903. This was the third church building for the parish. It was officially opened on July 23, 1903. The Sisters of Providence left the school in 1907. Dominican Sisters from Grand Rapids took their place. In 1913, Italian families from the parish started Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish. A new school building was completed in 1920.
Becoming a Cathedral (1938-Present)
St. Mary's Church became a cathedral on February 26, 1938. This happened when Pope Pius XI created the Diocese of Saginaw. A diocese is a large area managed by a bishop. The cathedral is the bishop's main church.
In 1941, the cathedral was greatly updated. A new altar, which is a special table used for religious services, was put in the church. In 1956, a new two-story convent was built. A convent is where sisters or nuns live.
The cathedral had a big renovation in 1978. The altar and the cathedra were moved. The cathedra is the bishop's special chair. It was moved to the main floor area from the apse, which is a rounded part of the church. A special chapel for the Blessed Sacrament was made. Movable chairs replaced the old wooden pews, which are long benches for people to sit on. The inside of the church was redecorated and painted. The cathedral was officially reopened on June 1, 1978.
Later, some changes happened with the schools. In 1982, the East Side Catholic Schools system was created. This was due to fewer students and higher costs. In 1984, St. Mary Cathedral School joined with other high schools. They formed Nouvel Catholic Central High School. The old St. Mary Cathedral School building was sold in 1988. It was later torn down in 2008.
More improvements were made to the cathedral in 2000. A covered entrance and an elevator were added. A new sound system was also installed. In 2007, a committee was formed to plan more renovations. The church bought back the old school building and the former convent. The convent was renovated in 2008. It now holds parish offices and a mental health clinic.
The cathedral closed temporarily in February 2017 for a major renovation. Services were held at St. Andrew's Church during this time. The $4.7 million renovation included changing the inside layout. A new marble altar, ambo (a stand for reading), and baptismal font (a basin for baptisms) were added. New wooden cathedra and pews were also installed. An addition was built for restrooms that are easy for everyone to use. The church can now seat about 500 people.
Pipe Organ
During the 2017 renovation, a large pipe organ was rebuilt in the cathedral. This organ was originally from St. Joseph's Church in Bay City, Michigan. It was built in 1930 by Kilgen. The Lauck Pipe Organ Co. of Otsego, Michigan rebuilt it.
The organ had been updated before, in 1984 and 2002. This amazing instrument has 30 "ranks of pipes." This means it has about 1,800 pipes in total! It also has two consoles. A console is like the control panel for the organ. Each console has three manuals, which are keyboards played with the hands. It also has a pedalboard, which is a keyboard played with the feet.
See also
