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St. Michael's Cathedral (Springfield, Massachusetts)

Coordinates: 42°6′15.1″N 72°35′4.1″W / 42.104194°N 72.584472°W / 42.104194; -72.584472
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St. Michael's Cathedral
St. Michael's Cathedral is located in Massachusetts
St. Michael's Cathedral
St. Michael's Cathedral
42°6′15.1″N 72°35′4.1″W / 42.104194°N 72.584472°W / 42.104194; -72.584472
Location254 State Street
Springfield, Massachusetts
CountryUnited States
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusCathedral
Founded1847
DedicationSaint Michael the Archangel
Architecture
Architect(s)Patrick Keely
Groundbreaking1860
Completed1861
Specifications
MaterialsBrick
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Springfield
Clergy
Bishop(s)Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski

St. Michael's Cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts, United States established in 1847.

History

The parish was established in 1847 as the church of St. Benedict after years of local Catholics fighting Protestant opposition to establish a parish.[1] The congregation purchased a former Baptist church which served as its first home. For the first five years it had no pastor when the Rev. Michael P. Gallagher was assigned to serve the parish. Gallagher began construction of the current sanctuary on State Street in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1860, and completed in 1861, based on plans from noted Brooklyn architect Patrick Keely.[2] In recognition of Fr. Gallagher's work, the parish changed its name to St. Michael at this time. Fr. Gallagher died in 1869 and is buried at the church entrance. When Pope Pius IX established the Diocese of Springfield in 1870, St. Michael's church became its cathedral.[1]

The structure was expanded in 1996, with addition of the Bishop Marshall Center at the rear of the church. The center includes a chapel that seats 60 people, a TV studio for daily broadcast of the Mass, a parish hall that can seat 120 people and kitchen and is handicap accessible.

From the year 2000, the cathedral has been home to The Cathedral Choir of Boys and Adults, whose purpose is to serve the bishop, sing at ordinations and other high masses, and perform the annual festival of Lessons and Carols and Tenebrae service during Advent and Lent, respectively. Along with their normal duties, the choir offers basic music theory training to the boys of the choir.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Gagnon, Frances M. (September 25, 2010). "St. Michael's Church in Springfield to celebrate laying of its cornerstone in 1860". The Republican. Springfield. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  2. ^ "St. Michael's Cathedral, Springfield (1860)". Historic Buildings of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
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