Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Pensacola, Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of the Sacred Heart |
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| 30°25′53.98″N 87°12′14.63″W / 30.4316611°N 87.2040639°W | |
| Location | 1212 E. Moreno St. Pensacola, Florida |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1905 |
| Dedication | Sacred Heart of Jesus |
| Dedicated | May 18, 1967 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Modern Romanesque |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Pensacola-Tallahassee |
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a very important church in Pensacola, Florida. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. This means it's where the Bishop, who is a leader in the church, has his special chair.
The cathedral shares this special role with the Co-Cathedral of Saint Thomas More in Tallahassee. The church is named to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Building the First Church
In 1905, Pensacola was part of the Archdiocese of Mobile. Bishop Edward Allen asked Father Fullerton from St. Michael's Church to help build a new church. This church was called Sacred Heart Church.
While the church was still being built, a big hurricane hit Pensacola in 1906. The storm destroyed the roof of the new church. Workers quickly rebuilt it. Bishop Allen officially opened the church in April 1907. It was built in a style called Gothic Revival. At that time, only about twenty-five families belonged to the church.
Starting the School
The church also started a school in 1907, called Sacred Heart Academy. Nuns from the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration taught at the school. They later became known as the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament.
The school taught both boys and girls. Some girls even lived at the school as boarders. In 1945, the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament left. Other groups of nuns, like the Benedictine Sisters and then the Dominican Sisters, took over teaching. The Dominican Sisters stayed until 1970. During their time, the school stopped having students live there.
A New, Bigger Church
In the early 1900s, Pensacola grew a lot because of the lumber industry. The East Hill neighborhood, where Sacred Heart Church was, also grew quickly. After about 50 years, the church community needed a much bigger building.
The current school building was finished in 1951 and opened in 1952. The gym and parish hall were also used for church services. The old church building was sold in 1956 for $100 to the city of Pensacola. The city then gave it to the Greater Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. Today, the old church building is a special historical place.
Becoming a Cathedral
The church building you see today was officially opened on May 18, 1967. Archbishop Thomas Toolen from Mobile led the ceremony. This new church is made of brick. It has a Modern design but also looks like the old Romanesque Basilica style.
In 1968, a new church region called the Ecclesiastical Province of Miami was created. Ten counties in northwest Florida, including Pensacola, moved from the Diocese of Mobile to the Diocese of St. Augustine.
Then, in 1975, Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. On November 6 of that year, Bishop René Gracida became the first bishop of this new diocese. Sacred Heart Church was chosen to be the main church, or cathedral. St. Thomas More Church in Tallahassee became the co-cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral del Sagrado Corazón (Pensacola) para niños
