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 cathedral for the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It is like the main church for the Diocese of Tulsa, and it's where the bishop works. You can find it at 810 South Boulder Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
An architect named J.P. Curtin helped design this church. Construction on the building started on May 23, 1912. The first special church service (Mass) in the new building was held on April 1, 1914. For a while, it was the tallest building in Tulsa! That was until the Mayo Hotel was built in 1923.
The cathedral is also home to the Holy Family Cathedral School. This school teaches students from pre-school all the way up to eighth grade. The Diocese of Tulsa was created in 1973. The buildings at this location were added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 11, 1982. This means they are important historical sites.
Contents
History of Holy Family
Starting the Church in Tulsa
Around 1890, a Catholic priest named Father Wm Ketcham from Muskogee would visit Tulsa. At that time, Tulsa was part of Indian Territory. He would hold church services in people's homes. Father Ketcham and his leader, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, got permission from the Creek Indian chief to build a church. However, it took a few years before a building was actually constructed.
In November 1897, another priest, Father Charles Van Hulse, started visiting Tulsa once a month. He also held Catholic church services in private homes. In early 1899, people in the community raised $1,400 to build a church. The building started in May 1899 and was officially opened on September 10, 1899.
Father Theophilius Van Hulse took over from his brother in November 1900. He stayed in Tulsa until 1906. Then, Father John G. Heiring became the priest. He helped make plans to make the church bigger, including expanding the rectory (where the priests live) 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 it was time to build a new, larger church complex. He chose the spot at Eighth and Boulder, which is where the cathedral stands today. The main church building was finished in just two years. The rectory was built five years later, starting in 1919.
History of Holy Family School
The Holy Family School has a history that is closely connected to the church. Catholic families in Tulsa asked Bishop Meerschaert to start a Catholic school in their city. In 1899, a very generous woman named Mother Katharine Drexel helped. She was from a wealthy banking family and provided money to build St. Theresa's Institute. This school was the first version of Holy Family School.
Initially, St. Theresa's Institute was meant to help Native American and African American children in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories. But starting in 1910, children of all races were allowed to attend. Ten years later, when the initial loan was paid back, the school was renamed Holy Family School.
At first, 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. In January 2020, Holy Family Cathedral School changed its teaching style to a classical Catholic school. As of August 2020, it is the only Catholic school in the Diocese of Tulsa that offers this type of classical learning.
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
