Holy Family Cathedral (Tulsa, Oklahoma) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Holy Family Cathedral, Rectory, and School
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | W. 8th St. & S. Boulder Ave. Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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| Built | 1912-1927 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003704 |
| Added to NRHP | February 11, 1982 |
The Cathedral of the Holy Family is an important Roman Catholic Church building in the United States. It is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This church is the main church for the Diocese of Tulsa. It is also where the bishop of the diocese has his official seat.
Construction on the main church building started on May 23, 1912. The first Mass, which is a special church service, was held there on April 1, 1914. For a while, it was the tallest building in Tulsa. This was true until the Mayo Hotel was built in 1923. The cathedral also has a school called Holy Family Cathedral School. This school teaches students from pre-school all the way to twelfth grade.
The Diocese of Tulsa was created in 1973. The buildings at this site were added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 11, 1982. This means they are recognized as important historical places.
Contents
History of Holy Family Church
Early Beginnings in Tulsa
Around 1890, a priest named Rev. Wm Ketcham visited Tulsa. At that time, Tulsa was part of Indian Territory. He would come from Muskogee to hold church services in people's homes. He and his leader, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, got permission to build a church. This permission came from the chief of the Creek Indian tribe. However, the church building was not constructed right away.
In November 1897, another priest, Rev. Charles Van Hulse, started visiting Tulsa. He came once a month to hold Catholic services in private homes. In early 1899, people started collecting money to build a church. They raised $1,400. A building contract was signed in May 1899. The new church building was officially opened on September 10, 1899.
Rev. Theophilius Van Hulse took over from his brother in November 1900. He stayed in Tulsa until 1906. Then, Rev. John G. Heiring became the new priest. Heiring made plans to make the church bigger. This included expanding the rectory, which is the priest's house, and the school.
Building the Holy Family Cathedral
By 1910, the church had become too small for all the people who wanted to attend. Father Heiring decided to build a new, larger church complex. This new complex was built at the corner of Eighth and Boulder, where it stands today. The main church building was finished in just two years. Construction on the rectory began five years later, in 1919.
Holy Family School
School's Early Days
The story of Holy Family School is closely connected to the church's history. Catholic families in Tulsa asked Bishop Meerschaert to start a Catholic school. In 1899, Mother Katharine Drexel helped with this request. She was from a wealthy banking family in Philadelphia. Mother Katharine gave money to build St. Theresa's Institute for Creek Indian Girls. She wanted the school to help Native American and African American children. However, she allowed children of all races to attend. The money she loaned was paid back by 1902. After that, the school was renamed Holy Family School. It took the same name as the church.
Three Sisters of Mount Carmel came from New Orleans to teach at the new school. In 1902, they were replaced by Sisters of Divine Providence from San Antonio.
School Today
In January 2020, Holy Family Cathedral School changed its teaching style. It became a classical Catholic school. This means it focuses on traditional learning methods and subjects.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de la Sagrada Familia (Tulsa) para niños
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
- Bishop Edward James Slattery
- Bishop David Konderla
