Co-Cathedral of Saint Thomas More (Tallahassee, Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Co-Cathedral ofSaint Thomas More |
|
|---|---|
.JPG) |
|
 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
|
|
| 30°26′47.22″N 84°17′51.88″W / 30.4464500°N 84.2977444°W | |
| Location | 900 W Tennessee St. Tallahassee, Florida |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | www.cocathedral.com |
| History | |
| Status | Co-Cathedral |
| Dedication | Thomas More |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | December 4, 1965 |
| Completed | 1967 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Block & Stucco |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Pensacola-Tallahassee |
The Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More is a Catholic church located in Tallahassee, Florida. It is one of two main churches for the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. The other is the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola. This church also helps Catholic students at Florida State University with their faith.
Contents
History
How It Started
The Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More began with a group called the Newman Club. This club was for Catholic students at the Florida State College for Women. In 1947, this college became Florida State University (FSU). The Newman Club needed a place to meet and worship.
In 1950, the club bought a house near FSU. This house became their first student center. It had a chapel, meeting rooms, and a place for a housemother to live. This helped students feel like they belonged. However, more and more Catholic students joined. Soon, the small chapel was too crowded. On Sundays, students often had to wait outside to attend Mass.
Building the Church
Because the old chapel was too small, plans for a new student center began in 1963. The local pastor, Patrick Madde, suggested making the new chapel bigger. The designs were changed several times. Finally, in 1965, George W. Stickle created the final plan.
His design included a chapel and a student center next to it. The center had a kitchen, rooms for priests, a lounge, and a library. The whole building covers half a city block. It has a tall bell tower, 95 feet high. This tower celebrates 400 years since the Spanish arrived in St. Augustine. The building looks like a Spanish-style church from the mid-1900s. It has a red-tiled roof and seven tall, rounded arches at the front.
A special part of the chapel is its stained-glass windows. These windows were designed by a French artist named Jean Barillet. He was famous for his work on old cathedrals. The windows show Christ as the main focus of the Christian faith. The center windows show a bright figure of Christ. The other windows have colorful, abstract designs.
Construction started on December 4, 1965. Demetree Builders of Orlando finished the work two years later. Bishop Hurley officially dedicated the chapel on October 8, 1967.
Becoming a Co-Cathedral
The chapel did not stay just a chapel for long. In 1968, the new Bishop of St. Augustine, Paul Tanner, made it a student parish. This meant it was a church for students. It stayed a student parish for seven years.
On October 7, 1975, something important happened. The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee was formed. Six days later, the parish was made the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More. This means it became one of the two main churches for the new diocese.
Former and Current Clergy
Bishops
These are the bishops who have served the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee:
- René Henry Gracida (1975–1983)
- Joseph Keith Symons (1983–1990)
- John Mortimer Smith (1991–1995)
- John Huston Ricard, S.S.J. (1997–2011)
- Gregory Lawrence Parkes (2012–2016)
- William Albert Wack, C.S.C. (2017–present)
Rectors
These are the rectors who have led the Co-Cathedral:
- William A. Kerr (1975–1984)
- James Amos (1984–1987)
- Charles W. Roland (1987–1990)
- Micheal W. Tugwell (1990–1999) & (2003–2013)
- Dennis O'Brien (2000)
- C. Slade Crawford (2000–2003)
- John Cayer (2013–2022)
- Timothy Holeda (2022–present)
Other Clergy
Many other priests and deacons have also served the Co-Cathedral over the years, helping the community and students.
See also
In Spanish: Concatedral de Santo Tomás Moro (Tallahassee) para niños
