Cathedral of St. John Berchmans (Shreveport, Louisiana) Facts for Kids

This page is about Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans of Shreveport. For Saint John Berchmans Church (disambiguation), see St. John Berchmans Church.

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans

Location in Louisiana
32°29′52″N 93°45′01″W / 32.4977°N 93.7503°W / 32.4977; -93.7503
Location	939 Jordan St. Shreveport, Louisiana
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Founded	1902
Consecrated	January 16, 1929
Past bishop(s)	William Benedict Friend Michael Duca
Architecture
Style	Tudor Revival, Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	July 31, 1927
Completed	1928
Specifications
Materials	Brick
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Shreveport

The Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans is a very important church in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport. A "cathedral" is like the home church for a bishop, who is a leader in the Catholic Church.

This church is special because it is one of only eight churches in the world named after John Berchmans. He was a Jesuit saint. In 2016, the cathedral received a "relic" of Saint John Berchmans. A relic is a special item connected to a saint. This relic is part of his heart, and it is kept in a special container called a "reliquary" near the main altar.

History of the Cathedral
- Becoming a Cathedral
- The School and Renovations
Building Style and Art
Images for kids
See also

History of the Cathedral

The beautiful inside of the cathedral.

The story of this church began in 1902. At that time, a group of Jesuit priests came to Shreveport. They wanted to start a new church and a high school for boys. The first leader of the church was Father John F. O'Connor.

By 1924, the church community was growing. They needed a bigger building. So, on July 31, 1927, they laid the "cornerstone" for the new church. A cornerstone is the first stone laid for a building. It often has the date of construction. The building was finished by June 1928. The church was officially "consecrated" on January 16, 1929. To consecrate a church means to dedicate it in a special religious ceremony.

In 2017, the place where the first church stood was dug up. The state of Louisiana put a special marker there to remember it.

Becoming a Cathedral

In 1977, this church became a "co-cathedral." This meant it shared the role of a main church with another cathedral in the Diocese of Alexandria–Shreveport.

However, on June 23, 1986, that diocese was divided. This created a new area called the Diocese of Shreveport. Saint John Berchmans then became the only main cathedral church for this new diocese.

The Jesuit priests managed the church until October 1988. After that, the local diocese took over. From 1992 to 1994, the church had a big makeover. They added a "vestibule," which is like an entrance hall. They also added a separate chapel that could seat 100 people.

The School and Renovations

The school that started with the church is now for both boys and girls. It teaches students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade. A famous person who went to this school was Don Hathaway. He was the sheriff of Caddo Parish for many years.

The cathedral was updated again in 2014. During this time, the main altar and the "tabernacle" were fixed up. The tabernacle is a special place where the Eucharist is kept. Some parts that were added in the 1990s renovation were also removed.

Building Style and Art

The Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans has a mix of building styles. It combines Tudor and Gothic designs.

Inside the church, you can see exposed wooden beams. These are common in the Tudor style. The windows and doorways have pointed arches. These arches are a classic feature of Gothic architecture. Three of the large, beautiful windows inside the church were made by a famous stained-glass artist named Emil Frei Jr.