Sacred Heart Cathedral (Rochester, New York)

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in Rochester, New York, United States. The recently renovated cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Rochester and seat of the diocesan bishop, as well as home to a parish community.[1] The parish is currently known as the Cathedral Community at The Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral in 2013
Location in New York
43°11′35″N 77°37′58″W
Location296 Flower City Park
Rochester, New York
CountryUnited States
DenominationRoman Catholic Church
Websitewww.cathedralcommunity.org
History
Founded1911
Architecture
StyleGothic Revival
Groundbreaking1925
Completed1927
Specifications
MaterialsLimestone
Administration
DioceseRochester
Clergy
Bishop(s)Most Rev. Salvatore Matano
RectorRev. Kevin McKenna

History

In 1823, St. Patrick's was the first Catholic parish established in Rochester.[2] Its third church building was under construction when the Diocese of Rochester was founded in 1868, and it became the diocesan cathedral. The Eastman Kodak Company built their headquarters adjacent to the cathedral property in 1914. Over the intervening years, the company expanded its footprint in the area and other parishes were established in the city. With the approval of the Holy See, the diocese sold St. Patrick's Cathedral to Eastman Kodak in 1937 and it was dismantled that same year. The parish remained in existence until 1979.

In the meantime, Sacred Heart parish was founded in 1911. The cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1925. Designed by Chicago architect Charles H. Prindeville, of the firm Egan & Prindeville, it was completed in 1927. Sacred Heart was named the pro-cathedral of the diocese when St. Patrick's was sold and became a full cathedral in 1952.[2][3]

2005 Renovation

The diocese completed an extensive and controversial eighteen-month renovation of the cathedral in January 2005 at a cost of $11 million.[4] According to the diocese, the renovation was undertaken not only for structural and aesthetic purposes but also to bring the cathedral into line with church regulations and norms for cathedral design.[5] Fr. Richard S. Vosko, a liturgical design consultant and priest of the Diocese of Albany who has overseen the redesign and renovation of numerous churches and cathedrals around the country, supervised the renovation.[6][7]

Apart from structural repairs and improvements, the renovation comprised moving the altar from the front of the church to the center in order to foster a feeling of participation, removing a large statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus hung on the wall in the sanctuary and replacing it with a new organ (the choir will now stand in the former altar space; fully visible), placing a new immersion baptismal font in the main aisle of the church so the community can share in baptisms, removing the pews and replacing them with padded chairs to allow flexible seating for events and moving the tabernacle out of the sanctuary to a side chapel.[8]

The renovation was controversial and attempts by traditional parishioners to stop the renovations were not successful. Protestors were upset with the "radical" re-configuration deemed a "wreckovation", the unwarranted spending of substantial monies when the diocese is closing churches and schools, and the fact that the church would likely become a pilgrimage site if former Rochester bishop Fulton Sheen is canonized believing that the church should remain in the condition when he served.[9][10][11]

Organ

The organ is an Opus 26 by Paul Fritts & Company, three-manual 53 rank instrument.[12][13]

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See also

References
  1. "About Us". Sacred Heart Cathedral parish. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  2. Alan Morrell (January 23, 2015). "Whatever Happened To ... St. Patrick's?". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  3. "Tour of Rochester's Sacred Heart Cathedral". Catholic Courier. Rochester, New York. December 8, 2009. Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  4. "Newly Renovated Sacred Heart Cathedral to Re-Open With Dedication Mass" (Press release). Diocese of Rochester. January 21, 2005. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  5. Cullivan, Rob (July 2, 2003). "Sacred Heart marks last Mass before start of renovations". Catholic Courier. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  6. "Sacred Heart Cathedral". Richard S Vosko, Ph D. Archived from the original on November 16, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2016. includes pre-renovation photo
  7. "2009 Faith & Form Merit Award - Sacred Heart Cathedral, Rochester, NY". Conrad Schmitt Studios. January 7, 2010.post renovation photo but prior to installation of the organ
  8. "Renovation follows church norms". Catholic Courier. December 21, 2009. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  9. Roberts, Judy (January 5, 2003). "Cathedral Renovation Foes Turn to City for Help". National Catholic Register. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  10. "Cathedral "Wreckovation" Critics Deliver Petitions To Bishop Clark". Archived from the original on 2011-08-19. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  11. Leonardi, Rich. "Murderin’ the Cathedral?: My Trip to Rochester’s Sacred Heart", Catholic Exchange, June 10, 2005
  12. "Halloran-All Saints Organ". Sacred Heart Cathecral. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  13. "Sacred Heart Cathedral, Rochester, New York". Paul Fritts & Company. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
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