Cathedral of Saint Raymond
Encyclopedia
Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus is a Catholic cathedral
in Joliet, Illinois
, United States
. It is the seat of the Diocese of Joliet.
established St. Raymond Parish on June 28, 1917. The following day the Rev. Francis Scanlan, who was an assistant pastor at Holy Cross Parish in Chicago, was assigned as St. Raymond’s first pastor. Initially, Mass was celebrated for the parish at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate on Plainfield Road. Father Scanlan resided in the rectory
of St. Patrick’s Church in Joliet.
Ground was broken for a new church in November of 1917 and the first Mass was celebrated in the new church on December 8, 1918. St. Raymond School opened in September of 1918 with an enrollment of 178. The Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate formed the faculty. The school expanded quickly and the school building had to be enlarged several times over the next several decades.
on December 11, 1948. St. Raymond’s was chosen to be the diocese’s cathedral. It was decided that the church was not adequate for cathedral functions so plans were made for a new cathedral church. Construction began in 1952 and the present cathedral was completed in 1955 for $2.4 million The first Mass in the new cathedral was celebrated by Bishop Martin McNamara
on December 8, 1954. The marble altar and ambo
were installed for the diocese’s silver jubilee in 1973.
The Rev. Roger Kaffer
, a native of the parish, briefly served as the cathedral rector in 1985. On April 25 of that year Blessed John Paul II appointed Father Kaffer as auxiliary bishop
of Joliet. His Episcopal ordination took place in the cathedral on June 26, 1985.
An extensive renovation of the cathedral took place during the pastorate of the Rev. Stanley Orlikiewicz. The altar was repositioned closer to the congregation and the baptismal font was moved into the nave
of the church.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Joliet, Illinois
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the seat of the Diocese of Joliet.
St. Raymond Parish
As the city of Joliet expanded in the early 20th century Archbishop George Mundelein of ChicagoRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
established St. Raymond Parish on June 28, 1917. The following day the Rev. Francis Scanlan, who was an assistant pastor at Holy Cross Parish in Chicago, was assigned as St. Raymond’s first pastor. Initially, Mass was celebrated for the parish at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate on Plainfield Road. Father Scanlan resided in the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
of St. Patrick’s Church in Joliet.
Ground was broken for a new church in November of 1917 and the first Mass was celebrated in the new church on December 8, 1918. St. Raymond School opened in September of 1918 with an enrollment of 178. The Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate formed the faculty. The school expanded quickly and the school building had to be enlarged several times over the next several decades.
Cathedral of St. Raymond
The Diocese of Joliet was established by Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
on December 11, 1948. St. Raymond’s was chosen to be the diocese’s cathedral. It was decided that the church was not adequate for cathedral functions so plans were made for a new cathedral church. Construction began in 1952 and the present cathedral was completed in 1955 for $2.4 million The first Mass in the new cathedral was celebrated by Bishop Martin McNamara
Martin Dewey McNamara
Martin Dewey McNamara was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Joliet, Illinois .-Biography:...
on December 8, 1954. The marble altar and ambo
Ambo
Ambo may refer to:* Ambo Village in Kiribati where the parliament of Kiribati sits, also known for the Ambo declaration issued at the Tarawa Climate Change Conference, an international diplomatic conference held in Kiribati in November 2010...
were installed for the diocese’s silver jubilee in 1973.
The Rev. Roger Kaffer
Roger Kaffer
Roger Louis Kaffer was the American Auxiliary Bishop Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1985 until 2002....
, a native of the parish, briefly served as the cathedral rector in 1985. On April 25 of that year Blessed John Paul II appointed Father Kaffer as auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Joliet. His Episcopal ordination took place in the cathedral on June 26, 1985.
An extensive renovation of the cathedral took place during the pastorate of the Rev. Stanley Orlikiewicz. The altar was repositioned closer to the congregation and the baptismal font was moved into the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
of the church.
Pastors/ Rectors
The following priests have served as pastors of St. Raymond’s parish and after 1948 as the cathedral rector:- Rev. Francis Scanlan (1917-1941)
- Msgr. Francis Hoover(1941-1969)
- Rev. Thomas O’Keefe (1969-1985)
- Rev. Roger KafferRoger KafferRoger Louis Kaffer was the American Auxiliary Bishop Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1985 until 2002....
(1985) - Rev. Stanley Orlikiewicz (1985-2002)
- Rev. Jim Burnett (2002-2008)
- Rev. Brad Baker (2008-Present)