Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne, Indiana
, is the primary cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
, headed by Most Rev. Kevin Carl Rhoades. The parish was established in 1836, making it the oldest in Fort Wayne. The church was erected in 1860.
The Cathedral grounds, called the Cathedral Square, includes the Chancery
of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, MacDougal Chapel, Cathedral Center for C.C.D.
classes (formerly the Cathedral Boys School), and the Rectory (the priests' residence), and the grave of the last Miami Indians chief, Joseph Richardville
. Recently, the Cathedral Museum housed in the basement of MacDougal Chapel and diocesan offices located in the Cathedral Center were moved to a new location a few blocks north of Cathedral Square.
Also living at the rectory
, though serving the diocese as administrator to other Fort Wayne parishes, is retired Monsignor
J. William Lester.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
, is the primary cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010...
, headed by Most Rev. Kevin Carl Rhoades. The parish was established in 1836, making it the oldest in Fort Wayne. The church was erected in 1860.
Information
The original church on what is now Cathedral Square was St. Mary's church (separate to the present-day St. Mary church in Fort Wayne), opened between 1834 and 1835. In 1840, Rev. Louis Mueller began construction on a new church, the Cathedral of St. Augustine. St. Augustine's served as the church until a fire destroyed it in 1859. In 1860, Rev. Julian Benoit erected a third church and named it the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in honor of the Blessed Virgin. The Cathedral building still stands today, maintained through various renovations over the decades, the most recent by Schenkel and Sons,IncThe Cathedral grounds, called the Cathedral Square, includes the Chancery
Diocesan chancery
A diocesan chancery is the branch of administration which handles all written documents used in the official government of a Roman Catholic or Anglican diocese....
of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, MacDougal Chapel, Cathedral Center for C.C.D.
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was an association established at Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving religious education. Its modern usage, often abbreviated CCD or C.C.D., is a religious education program of the Catholic Church, normally designed for children.-History:Until the...
classes (formerly the Cathedral Boys School), and the Rectory (the priests' residence), and the grave of the last Miami Indians chief, Joseph Richardville
Chief Jean Baptiste de Richardville
Jean Baptiste de Richardville , also known as Peshewa and Joseph Richardville, was the last chief of a united Miami tribe.-Biography:...
. Recently, the Cathedral Museum housed in the basement of MacDougal Chapel and diocesan offices located in the Cathedral Center were moved to a new location a few blocks north of Cathedral Square.
Current staff
- Pastor - Rev. Msgr. Robert C. Schulte. He has been the rectorRectorThe word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the church and Vicar-General of the diocese since 1999. - Associate pastors - Rev. Fr. Dale Bauman and Rev. Fr. Fernando Jimenez
Also living at 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...
, though serving the diocese as administrator to other Fort Wayne parishes, is retired Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
J. William Lester.