Holy Family Cathedral (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Cathedral of the Holy Family is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It is the mother church of the Diocese of Tulsa and is the seat of the prelate bishop. It is located at 810 South Boulder Avenue in the city of Tulsa in the state of Oklahoma. The architect was William P. Ginther of Akron Ohio, who built many Roman Catholic churches throughout the midwest. Construction on the current structure began May 23, 1912 and Mass dedicating the church was on April 1, 1914. It was the tallest building in Tulsa until the Mayo Hotel was built in 1923.[1]
The Diocese of Tulsa was established in 1972.[1]
The Cathedral is also the site of the Holy Family Cathedral School, an educational institution for students from pre-school to eighth grade.
Buildings at this site were listed on the National Register of Historic Places February 11, 1982. The NRIS number is 82003704.[1]
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[edit] History
[edit] Holy Family Church
About 1890, Rev. Father W. Ketcham, the Roman Catholic pastor of Muskogee (then part of Indian Territory), visited Tulsa from time to time to say Mass in a private residence. He and his superior, Rt. Rev. Bishop Meerschaert, obtained permission from the Creek Indian tribal chief to build a church. However, no building was constructed until several years later.[2]
Beginning in November 1897, Rev. Charles Van Hulse visited Tulsa (then also part of Indian Territory) once a month to hold Roman Catholic church services in a private residence. At the start of 1899, a subscription drive raised pledges of $1,400 for the purpose of building a church. A contract was let in May, 1899 and the building was dedicated on September 10, 1899.[2]
Rev. Theophilius Van Hulse succeeded his brother in November 1900, and remained in Tulsa until 1906 when he was succeeded by Rev. John G. Heiring, who oversaw plans to expand the church facilities. This included expanding the rectory and the school.[2]
[edit] Holy Family Cathedral
By 1910, the church had outgrown its original capacity. Rev. Heiring turned his attention to building a new complex at the intersection of Eighth and Boulder, the present location.[3] Construction of the sanctuary was completed in only two years with construction of the rectory beginning five years later, in 1919.[1]
[edit] Holy Family School
The history of Holy Family School is intertwined with that of the church. In 1899, Mother, later Saint, Katherine Drexel, an heiress to the Drexel banking family of Philadelphia, provided funds to construct St. Theresa's Institute, the predecessor of Holy Family School. Initially, this was designated to benefit Indian and African American children of the Oklahoma and Indian Territories. Children of all races were admitted beginning in 1910. Ten years later, the school was renamed Holy Family School.[2]
Three Sisters of Mount Carmel came from New Orleans to teach at the new school. They were replaced in 1902 by Sisters of Divine Providence from San Antonio.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa Home Page.
- Holy Family Cathedral School Home Page.
- Official Cathedral Website
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