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Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Crookston, Minnesota) facts for kids

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Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception - Crookston, Minnesota 01.jpg
47°46′31″N 96°35′23″W / 47.7752°N 96.5898°W / 47.7752; -96.5898
Location 702 Summit Avenue
Crookston, Minnesota
Country United States
Denomination Roman Catholic
Website crookstoncathedral.com
History
Status Cathedral/Parish church
Founded 1830
Dedication Immaculate Conception
Consecrated 1990
Architecture
Style Modern
Completed 1990
Specifications
Capacity 1000
Materials Brick
Administration
Diocese Crookston

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a special Catholic church in Crookston, Minnesota, United States. It's called a cathedral because it's the main church for the Diocese of Crookston, which is like a church district.

The Modern Cathedral (Built 1990)

The current Cathedral was officially opened on September 25, 1990. It was designed in a modern style.

Inside the New Cathedral

One of the most impressive things inside is the huge organ. It was made by the Reuter Organ Company from Lawrence, Kansas. This organ has two keyboards and 31 different sets of pipes. In total, it has about 1,789 pipes!

The church also has a bell tower on its west side. Inside this tower, there is a special area dedicated to the Holy Family.

In the southwest corner of the church, you'll find the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. This chapel holds the Tabernacle, which is a special container. It also has the cathedral's reliquary, which holds holy items. There is also a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe in this chapel.

The Older Cathedral (Built 1912)

The current cathedral replaced an older one that had the same name. This first Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was built in 1912. It was located at the corner of North Ash Street and Second Avenue.

Design of the Old Cathedral

The older cathedral was quite unique because it had three spires on its front. Most churches built in the Neo-Gothic style usually have only one or two spires.

A local architect named Bert Keck designed this church. His plans included two balconies, one on the north side and one on the south. These were for choirs to sing back and forth to each other. There was also a large choir balcony at the back for the main choir and the organ.

Bishop Timothy J. Corbett was the first bishop of the new Diocese of Crookston. He was in charge of getting the first cathedral built. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1989. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.

What Happened to the Old Cathedral?

After the new cathedral was built, the Diocese gave the old building to a homeless shelter. The shelter used the rectory, which is the priest's house, for extra space.

The shelter removed the beautiful stained glass windows from the church. Some were given to church members, and others were sold. The money from the sales helped fund the shelter's programs.

In 2001, a strong windstorm badly damaged the remaining stained glass. This caused air and rain to get into the building. The flat roofs of the sacristies, which are rooms used by priests, were also leaking. This caused a lot of damage over time.

The North Sacristy was completely emptied and cleaned out. In 2018, plans were made to clean up the rest of the building. The Prairie Skyline Foundation has created plans to fix up the old cathedral. They hope to turn it into a Community Center. This new center would host arts activities and provide a space for performances.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción (Crookston) para niños

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