Cathedral of Saint Mary (Miami) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Cathedral of Saint Mary |
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 Location in Florida
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| 25°50′38″N 80°12′01″W / 25.843963°N 80.200219°W | |
| Location | 7525 NW 2nd Ave. Miami, Florida |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Dedicated | January 27, 1957 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1955 |
| Completed | 1957 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Miami |
The Cathedral of Saint Mary is a very important Roman Catholic church in Miami, Florida. It is the main church, or "seat," for the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami. An archdiocese is a large area with many Catholic churches, and the archbishop is its head bishop.
The cathedral is named after Mary, mother of Jesus. Its current archbishop is Thomas Gerard Wenski. The cathedral's rector, who manages the church, is Rev. Steven O’Hala.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The story of the cathedral begins with a small group of people and a simple wooden building. Over the years, it grew into the grand structure it is today.
Humble Beginnings
In August 1929, a group of 14 people met in a store in Miami. They wanted to start a new Catholic parish, which is a local church community. At the time, they were told they needed at least 100 Catholic families to form a parish.
They bought three lots of land and started building a small wooden church in April 1930. The first church service, or Mass, was held there on July 20, 1930. Later that year, Father Patrick Joseph Roche became the first pastor of the new St. Mary's Parish.
A Growing Community
The parish grew quickly. In 1931, a house for the priest, called a rectory, was built next to the church. A parish hall for community events was added in 1935.
Just before Christmas in 1936, the small wooden church was moved across the street to a larger piece of property. It was remodeled and made bigger, with two new wings added. After the changes, the church could hold 600 people.
A New, Grand Church
By the 1950s, the community needed an even bigger church. In 1955, construction began on a brand-new building. This new church was dedicated on January 27, 1957.
It was designed in a Spanish Colonial Revival style and was much larger than the old one.
- The dome over the altar was seven stories high.
- A tower in the corner stood 12 stories tall.
- The main entrance had two huge mahogany doors that were 30 feet high.
- The main part of the church, called the nave, was 140 feet long and five stories high.
Becoming a Cathedral
On August 13, 1958, the Pope in the Vatican created the new Diocese of Miami. St. Mary's Church was chosen to be its cathedral. This was a huge honor, making it the most important church in the region.
Coleman Carroll became the first bishop of Miami. Soon after, the church was renovated to fit its new role as a cathedral. A huge bronze bell weighing over two tons was added, along with a large pipe organ. In 1968, the Diocese of Miami was promoted to an Archdiocese, and Bishop Carroll became its first archbishop.
In 1987, the funeral for the famous actor and comedian Jackie Gleason was held at the cathedral.
Saint Mary's Cathedral School
The cathedral has its own school for students from kindergarten through 8th grade, called Saint Mary's Cathedral School. It opened in 1939 with 230 students.
In the 1960s, many families came to Miami from Cuba after the Cuban Revolution. The school welcomed many of these new students, and the Cuban-American community became an important part of the parish.
Leaders of the Cathedral
Many dedicated people have led the cathedral and the archdiocese over the years.
Archbishops of Miami
- Archbishop Coleman Francis Carroll, D.D. (1958–1977)
- Archbishop Edward Anthony McCarthy, D.D. (1977–1994)
- Archbishop John Clement Favalora, D.D. (1994–2010)
- Archbishop Thomas Gerard Wenski, D.D. (2010–present)
Pastors and Rectors
These are the priests who have been in charge of the parish and cathedral.
- Monsignor Patrick J. Roche (1930–1953)
- Monsignor Patrick J. O’Donoghue (1953–1966)
- Monsignor David E. Bushey (1966–1970)
- Monsignor John J. Donnelly (1971–1980)
- Monsignor Gerald T. LaCerra (1980–1991)
- Monsignor Andrew A. Anderson (1991–1999)
- Monsignor Terence E. Hogan (1999–2012)
- Very Rev. Christopher Marino, V.F. (2012–2024)
- Very Rev. Steven O'Hala, V.F. (2024–Present)
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Santa María (Miami) para niños
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in Florida
- Saint Mary's Cathedral School (Miami, Florida)
