St. Stephen Cathedral (Owensboro, Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Stephen Cathedral |
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| 37°46′11″N 87°06′57″W / 37.7697°N 87.1158°W | |
| Location | 610 Locust St. Owensboro, Kentucky |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1839 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Italianate |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Owensboro |
St. Stephen Cathedral is a special Catholic building in Owensboro, Kentucky, United States. It's called a cathedral because it's the main church for the Diocese of Owensboro. Think of it as the 'headquarters' church for the area.
Contents
History of St. Stephen Cathedral
Long ago, in the early days of Daviess County, priests would hold church services in people's homes. The very first church named St. Stephen in Owensboro was built in 1839. Rev. John C. Wathen became its first leader.
As the town and the church community grew, they needed a bigger building. So, a second church was built in 1856, right where the first one stood. The church you see today was built on Locust Street between 1924 and 1926.
Becoming a Cathedral
On December 9, 1937, Pope Pius XII created the Diocese of Owensboro. A diocese is like a church district. St. Stephen's was chosen to be the main church, or cathedral, for this new diocese.
The first Bishop of Owensboro, Francis Ridgley Cotton, was officially welcomed at St. Stephen's Cathedral on February 24, 1938.
Recent Updates and Events
In 2007, the cathedral's roof was repaired. Old shingles were replaced with special Ludowici tiles.
On May 29, 2017, a very important event happened at the cathedral. It hosted the funeral of Nicky Hayden. He was a famous motorcycle racer from Owensboro. Nicky passed away in Italy after a bicycle accident.
Catholic Schools in Owensboro
The first school in Daviess County was St. Francis Academy. It was started in 1849 by a group of nuns called the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
In 1939, the same year St. Stephen's became a cathedral, its first church school opened. It was on Frederica Street and taught five grades. Later, in 1951, Owensboro Catholic High School opened, taking the place of St. Francis Academy. A new St. Stephen's school building opened on Locust Street in 1962.
In 1989, the Catholic schools in Owensboro joined together. They used the building at St. Angela Merici for the new combined school. That same year, a preschool opened at St. Stephen's.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Esteban (Owensboro) para niños
