Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Winona, Minnesota) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
The cathedral in 2024
Location in Minnesota Show map of Minnesota Location in the United States Show map of the United States
44°02′54″N 91°38′22″W / 44.0484°N 91.6395°W / 44.0484; -91.6395
Location	360 Main St. Winona, Minnesota
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Cathedral
Founded	1952
Dedication	Sacred Heart of Jesus
Architecture
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1952
Specifications
Number of spires	One
Materials	Limestone
Administration
Diocese	Winona-Rochester

The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester. A diocese is an area managed by a bishop. This beautiful cathedral is located in the city of Winona, Minnesota, in the United States.

The Story of the Cathedral
- The First Parishes
  - St. Thomas Parish
  - St. Joseph Parish
- Why Was a New Cathedral Needed?
See also

The Story of the Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart has an interesting history. It was created in 1952 by joining two older church communities, called parishes. These were the St. Thomas and St. Joseph parishes, which were located just four blocks away from each other.

The First Parishes

St. Thomas Parish

St. Thomas was the very first Catholic parish in Winona, started way back in 1857. A year earlier, Bishop Joseph Cretin had held the first Mass in the town. The church he started became a pro-cathedral in 1889. A pro-cathedral is a church that acts as a cathedral until a permanent one can be built.

St. Joseph Parish

St. Joseph parish was founded in 1862. It was created for the German Catholic community in Winona. Like St. Thomas, this parish also built a new church building in the early 1880s to serve its growing community.

Why Was a New Cathedral Needed?

As more people joined the diocese, it became clear that the St. Thomas Pro-Cathedral was not large enough to serve as the main church. So, in 1944, a plan was made to raise money for a brand-new cathedral.

In 1950, the Holy See (the leadership of the Catholic Church in Rome) gave permission for the St. Thomas and St. Joseph parishes to merge. At that time, St. Thomas had about 600 families and St. Joseph had over 300.

By joining together, they created the new Sacred Heart parish. Their new cathedral building was finished in 1952, and it has served the community ever since.