Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Grand Island, Nebraska) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
U.S. National Register of Historic Places


Location in Nebraska Show map of Nebraska Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	204 South Cedar Street Grand Island, Nebraska
Built	1926-1928
Architect	Brinkman & Hagan
Architectural style	Late Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	82003189
Added to NRHP	July 15, 1982

The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also called St. Mary's Cathedral. It is a very important church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island. This church is in Grand Island, Nebraska, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's a special historical building.

A Look Back at the Cathedral's Story
- How the Church Began
- Becoming a Cathedral
Gallery
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A Look Back at the Cathedral's Story

How the Church Began

In 1859, two brothers, Patrick and Richard Moore, moved to Hall County, Nebraska. They were likely the first Catholic settlers in the area. Other Catholic families soon joined them. Two years later, the first priest, Rev. Almire Fairmont, visited. He held a church service in the Moores' log home. This home was near what is now Wood River. For many years, a priest from Omaha or Columbus, Nebraska, would visit once a year. They would hold services and give out Sacraments.

After the railroad came to Hall County in 1868, people decided to build a church. The Union Pacific Railroad gave land in Grand Island in 1869. A church, named St. Mary's, was built. But a strong windstorm destroyed it before it was even finished! In 1873, they tried again, but an economic problem stopped them.

A third try began on February 17, 1877. The first stone, called a cornerstone, was placed on May 7. The building was finished in July. The new church was officially opened in September 1877. It was made of wood on a brick base. Rev. P.J. Erlach became the first full-time pastor that year.

The church community kept growing. By the late 1880s, they needed a bigger church. Rev. Wunibald Wolf was sent to Grand Island to build it. Bishop James O’Connor of Omaha placed the cornerstone for this new church on August 15, 1888. The church was officially opened on July 7, 1889. The Rev. R. Schaffel, a high-ranking church official, led the ceremony.

This new church was made of brick and stone. It was about 44 feet wide and 119 feet long. It had two bell towers that were 104 feet tall. Building it cost $20,000, which was a lot of money back then!

Becoming a Cathedral

On March 8, 1912, Pope Pius X made a big change. He split the Diocese of Omaha into two parts. He created the Diocese of Kearney in western Nebraska. A "diocese" is an area managed by a bishop. Four years later, Pope Benedict XV added four more counties to this new diocese.

In 1917, the main city of the diocese, called the Episcopal see, moved from Kearney to Grand Island. Because of this, the diocese was renamed the Diocese of Grand Island.

However, St. Mary's Church was not considered grand enough to be a "cathedral." A cathedral is the main church of a diocese. Bishop James Duffy traveled and studied different building styles. He chose the Gothic Revival style. Construction began in 1926 and finished in 1928.

The new cathedral was designed by Brinkman & Hagan. It was inspired by the famous Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Cardinal Patrick Hayes from New York officially dedicated the new cathedral on July 5, 1928. This is called "consecrating" a church.

The church community continued to grow. In 1949, a new church, Blessed Sacrament parish, was started on the north side of the city. The building where the priests live, called the rectory, was finished in 1951. The old rectory and two other houses were used as a convent for nuns until a new convent was built in 1967.

The cathedral was updated in the 1950s and again in the 1980s. The old St. Mary's church, which had been used as a gym, was taken down in 1965. Two more new churches were started in Grand Island in 1973. These were St. Leo's and Resurrection. A new social hall was built in 2001 where the old St. Mary's School used to be.