Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus (Joliet, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral ofSt. Raymond Nonnatus |
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St. Raymond Cathedral in 2015
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 Location in Illinois
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| 41°32′07″N 88°06′03″W / 41.53528830°N 88.10095010°W | |
| Location | 604 N. Raynor Ave. Joliet, Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/parish |
| Founded | 1917 |
| Dedication | Raymond Nonnatus |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Classical Revival |
| Completed | 1955 |
| Construction cost | $2.4 million |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | One |
| Spire height | 190 feet (58 m) |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Joliet in Illinois |
The Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus is a big Catholic church in Joliet, Illinois, USA. It's the main church for the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois. This means it's where the bishop has his special chair. It's also a regular church for local people.
Contents
History of St. Raymond
Starting the Parish
In the early 1900s, the city of Joliet was growing. Because of this, a new church was needed. Archbishop George Mundelein of Chicago started St. Raymond Parish on June 28, 1917. The very next day, Father Francis Scanlan became its first pastor.
At first, church services were held at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate. This building was on Plainfield Road. Father Scanlan lived at St. Patrick’s Church in Joliet.
Building the First Church and School
Work on a new church building began in November 1917. The first Mass was held in this new church on December 8, 1918.
St. Raymond School opened in September 1918. It started with 178 students. The Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate were the teachers. The school quickly grew bigger. Over the years, the school building had to be made larger many times.
Becoming a Cathedral
The Diocese of Joliet was created by Pope Pius XII on December 11, 1948. St. Raymond's was chosen to be the main church, or cathedral, for this new diocese.
People decided that the first church building was not big enough to be a cathedral. So, plans were made to build a brand new cathedral. Construction started in 1952. The current cathedral was finished in 1955. It cost about $2.4 million to build.
The first Mass in the new cathedral was celebrated by Bishop Martin Dewey McNamara on December 8, 1954. In 1973, for the diocese's 25th anniversary, a new marble altar and ambo (a special stand for reading) were added.
Father Roger Kaffer, who grew up in the parish, was briefly the cathedral's rector in 1985. On April 25 of that year, Pope John Paul II chose Father Kaffer to be an auxiliary bishop for Joliet. He became a bishop in the cathedral on June 26, 1985.
The cathedral was greatly updated when Father Stanley Orlikiewicz was the pastor. The altar was moved closer to the people. The baptismal font (where baptisms happen) was moved into the main part of the church, called the nave.
Pastors and Rectors
These priests have led St. Raymond’s parish. After 1948, they were called the cathedral rector:
- Rev. Francis Scanlan (1917–1941)
- Msgr. Edwin V. Hoover (1941–1969)
- Rev. Thomas O’Keefe (1969–1985)
- Rev. Roger Kaffer (1985)
- Rev. Stanley Orlikiewicz (1985–2002)
- Rev. Jim Burnett (2002–2008)
- Rev. Brad Baker (2008–2018)
- Rev. William G. Dewan (2018–present)
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Ramón Nonato (Joliet) para niños
