Cathedral of Saint Peter (Kansas City, Kansas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of St. Peter |
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Cathedral viewed from the south
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 Location in Kansas
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| 39°06′37″N 94°38′42″W / 39.1102°N 94.6451°W | |
| Location | 409 N. 15th St. Kansas City, Kansas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/Parish |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Dedication | St. Peter the Apostle |
| Dedicated | September 5, 1927 |
| Consecrated | 1948 (as a cathedral) |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1925 |
| Completed | 1927 |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 145 feet (44 m) |
| Number of spires | Three |
| Materials | Carthage stone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Kansas City in Kansas |
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is a very important Roman Catholic church in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. This means it is where the Archbishop has his official seat.
History of the Cathedral
The story of St. Peter's began on October 7, 1907. Bishop Thomas Francis Lillis asked Rev. Bernard Kelly to start a new church community. The first Mass, a special church service, was held on December 8, 1907. It took place in the Bishop's home and 126 people attended.
Soon, people started raising money to build a church and a school together. The first stone for this new building was laid on March 14, 1908. The building was officially opened on September 7 of the same year. A house for the priest, called a rectory, was built between 1916 and 1917.
Work on the current church building started in 1925. The first Mass in this new building was held on August 1, 1927. The church was officially dedicated on September 5, 1927.
On May 10, 1947, a big change happened. Pope Pius XII decided to move the main church city from Leavenworth, Kansas to Kansas City. This made St. Peter's even more important. In 1948, Bishop George Joseph Donnelly officially made St. Peter's a cathedral. To show this, twelve gold crosses were placed inside the church. These crosses represent the Twelve Apostles. A special chair for the Bishop was also placed in the church.
In 1992, a new parish center was built. The inside of the cathedral was updated in 1998. From October 2006 to October 2007, the church celebrated its 100th birthday! During this time, a statue of St. Joseph the Worker was placed in the Centennial Courtyard. A time capsule was also buried nearby. It is planned to be opened in 2057.
The Parochial School
St. Peter's School opened its doors in the fall of 1908. It started with 95 elementary students and 10 high school students. The first building, which was both a church and a school, quickly became too small. So, a new school building was constructed in 1912.
By 1937, the school had grown to 430 students. Sadly, a fire destroyed the building in 1943. A new and larger school building was then built and opened on October 23, 1955.
Over time, many families moved from the city to the suburbs. This caused the number of students at the school to go down. In 2006, only 110 students were enrolled. In 2007, the archdiocese combined several local Catholic schools. They created Resurrection Catholic School, using the St. Peter's School building.
Images for kids
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Tower on the southwest corner of the cathedral.
See also
