Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Camden, New Jersey) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church of the Immaculate Conception
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Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden, New Jersey, September 2015
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 Location in Camden County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 642 Market Street, Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Area | 1.8 acres (0.73 ha) |
| Built | 1864 |
| Architect | Jeremiah O'Rourke |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001277 |
| Added to NRHP | December 10, 2003 |
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a large Catholic church in Camden, New Jersey. It is the main church for the Diocese of Camden, which means it's where the Bishop of Camden has his official chair. This beautiful building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. It was built in 1864 and became a cathedral in 1937.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Early Church in Camden
The first Catholic priests came to the Camden area in the 1740s. They were Jesuit priests from Philadelphia. At that time, Catholics were not allowed to practice their faith openly in New Jersey. So, Masses and other services were held secretly in people's homes.
Later, in 1796, Augustinian priests from Philadelphia also started helping Catholics in the region. Priests from St. Mary's Cathedral in Philadelphia then served Camden until 1853.
In 1852, a hall where Mass was regularly held was burned down. This was done by people who were against immigrants and Catholics.
First Parish and School
The first priest assigned to Camden was Reverend James Moran in 1855. He started the Church of the Immaculate Conception. At first, they still used Starr's Hall for church services.
In 1857, land was bought for a new church building. Construction began on June 9, 1859. The first Mass was celebrated in the new building on October 9, 1859. A house for the priest, called a rectory, was added in 1861.
A private Catholic school started in 1859 in Sarah Fields' home. It moved to the new church building and became a parish school. At first, regular teachers taught the students.
A new school building was started in 1871. However, construction stopped for a while because of money problems in 1872-1873. It was finished in 1874, along with a convent for nuns. That year, the Sisters of St. Joseph began teaching at the school. Later, the Brothers of the Holy Cross taught the boys from 1881 to 1892. The Sisters of Mercy took over teaching from the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1885. The school is now closed.
Building the Current Church
As more and more Irish immigrants came to Camden, the church building became too small. So, in 1864, land was bought for the current church for $7,500. Jeremiah O'Rourke from Newark was chosen as the architect.
The first stone of the church, called the cornerstone, was laid on October 23, 1864. The church was built of stone and was very large, measuring 60 by 165 feet. Even though it wasn't finished, the first Mass was held there in July 1866. The old church building was sold in 1868.
The church was not fully completed until 1888, when its tall tower and spire were finished. The inside of the church was also updated in 1890 with beautiful marble altars. The church was officially blessed on May 27, 1893, by Bishop Michael J. O'Farrell.
In 1867, German Catholics in Camden started their own church, Saints Peter and Paul. Camden became part of the Diocese of Trenton in 1881. The rectory was made bigger in 1882. Another church, Sacred Heart Parish, was started in 1885 from Immaculate Conception.
Becoming a Cathedral
As the number of Catholics grew in South Jersey, Pope Pius XI created the Diocese of Camden on December 9, 1937. The Church of the Immaculate Conception became the main church, or cathedral, for this new diocese. The first bishop of the diocese, Bartholomew J. Eustace, started his role on May 4, 1938.
Because the number of Catholics kept growing, another church, St. Joseph's Church, was also named a "pro-cathedral" in the 1950s. This meant it could also serve some of the functions of a cathedral.
In recent years, the number of people living in Camden has changed. On April 4, 2008, Bishop Joseph Galante announced that the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception would join with two other parishes: Holy Name and Our Lady of Mount Carmel & Fatima. The Cathedral became the main place for worship for these combined parishes.
See also
