St. Matthew's Cathedral (South Bend, Indiana)
Encyclopedia
St. Matthew’s Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral
in South Bend, Indiana
, United States
. Along with Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne
it is the seat of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
.
suggested a more modest wooden structure to serve temporarily as a church. The Rev. Theodore Hammes was appointed as the parish’s first pastor and he initially lived at St. Monica’s in Mishawaka
. Twenty-two men volunteered to help build the church, which was built in May 1922 for $10,000. The church was dedicated on August 13, 1922. The basement served as a parish hall. The parish grew rapidly and the new church’s capacity of 240 was too small. A new addition was dedicated in October 1923 and increased the seating capacity to 600. Six more lots were added to the parish property in 1924.
The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Victory arrived at St. Matthew’s in 1942 and stayed until 1958. They taught religious education to the children who did not attend the parish school and other parochial responsibilities. The present rectory
was built in 1954. Ground was broken for the current church in 1959. The old church was torn down and the bells were placed in the tower of the new church.
for the diocese.
Msgr. Joseph R. Crowley was assigned to St. Matthew's in 1969. On August 24, 1971 he was named auxiliary bishop
for the diocese. After his ordination he was named as the diocesan director of religious education. Two years later he returned to St. Matthews as pastor. He was to be the first of three auxiliary bishops to serve the parish consecutively as its pastor.
In 1989 the parish choir, under the direction of Dr. Edward Kline, was invited to sing at the Vatican
. Additions were made to the parish in 1992. The Cathedral Center opened and the convent
was converted into a day care center. A commercial building was purchased in 1994 to expand the day care program. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C., who became pastor in 1997, left the parish in 2002 to become Bishop of Peoria
.
on October 13, 1929. The building cost the parish $167,000 to build. Enrollment the first year was 150 students in five grades and a new grade was added every year until 1932. The Sisters of St. Joseph
formed the faculty.
In 1934 the Brothers of the Holy Cross
opened Central Catholic High School on the second floor of the school building. The enrollment that year was 18 students with two brothers as teachers. As the enrollment increased additional classrooms and athletic programs were added. Tuition in the early years was $40. The number of brothers on the faculty increased, a lay person was added who taught biology and coach the athletic teams and professors from the University of Notre Dame
taught at the school as well. The schools highest enrollment was 237 boys. The school was discontinued in 1951 when three Catholic schools merged to create St. Joseph High School.
After Central Catholic left St. Matthew’s School expanded into the space. A new gymnasium was constructed in 1955. The school was significantly renovated during the pastorate of Bishop Jenky.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Along with Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne
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...
it is the seat of the 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...
.
St. Matthew’s Parish
The Rev. John DeGroote bought 14 lots in the Oak Park addition in South Bend in 1921. Initial plans called for a building to house a combined church and school, but because the estimated cost of $35,000 was considered too expensive, Bishop Herman AlerdingHerman Joseph Alerding
Herman Joseph Alerding was a German-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fort Wayne from 1900 until his death in 1924.-Biography:...
suggested a more modest wooden structure to serve temporarily as a church. The Rev. Theodore Hammes was appointed as the parish’s first pastor and he initially lived at St. Monica’s in Mishawaka
Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River and a Twin city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 48,252 as of the 2010 Census...
. Twenty-two men volunteered to help build the church, which was built in May 1922 for $10,000. The church was dedicated on August 13, 1922. The basement served as a parish hall. The parish grew rapidly and the new church’s capacity of 240 was too small. A new addition was dedicated in October 1923 and increased the seating capacity to 600. Six more lots were added to the parish property in 1924.
The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Victory arrived at St. Matthew’s in 1942 and stayed until 1958. They taught religious education to the children who did not attend the parish school and other parochial responsibilities. The present 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...
was built in 1954. Ground was broken for the current church in 1959. The old church was torn down and the bells were placed in the tower of the new church.
St. Matthew’s Cathedral
In 1960 Blessed John XXIII changed the name of the Diocese of Fort Wayne to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. St. Matthew’s Church, which was still under construction, was named the Co-cathedralCo-cathedral
A co-cathedral is a cathedral church which shares the function of being a bishop's seat, or cathedra, with another cathedral. Instances of this occurred in England before the Protestant Reformation in the dioceses of Bath and Wells, and of Coventry and Lichfield, hence the names of these dioceses...
for the diocese.
Msgr. Joseph R. Crowley was assigned to St. Matthew's in 1969. On August 24, 1971 he was named 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...
for the diocese. After his ordination he was named as the diocesan director of religious education. Two years later he returned to St. Matthews as pastor. He was to be the first of three auxiliary bishops to serve the parish consecutively as its pastor.
In 1989 the parish choir, under the direction of Dr. Edward Kline, was invited to sing at the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. Additions were made to the parish in 1992. The Cathedral Center opened and the convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
was converted into a day care center. A commercial building was purchased in 1994 to expand the day care program. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C., who became pastor in 1997, left the parish in 2002 to become Bishop of Peoria
Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States.-Territory:...
.
Catholic Schools
Construction of St. Matthew’s School was begun on May 15, 1929. It was dedicated by Bishop John F. NollJohn F. Noll
Most Rev. John Francis Noll was bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana from 1925 until his death in 1956. He was a native of Fort Wayne, and one of nineteen children. John Noll attended St. Lawrence Seminary in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin from 1888 to 1893. He was ordained a priest...
on October 13, 1929. The building cost the parish $167,000 to build. Enrollment the first year was 150 students in five grades and a new grade was added every year until 1932. The Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
formed the faculty.
In 1934 the Brothers of the Holy Cross
Congregation of Holy Cross
The Congregation of Holy Cross or Congregatio a Sancta Cruce is a Catholic congregation of priests and brothers founded in 1837 by Blessed Father Basil Anthony-Marie Moreau, CSC, in Le Mans, France....
opened Central Catholic High School on the second floor of the school building. The enrollment that year was 18 students with two brothers as teachers. As the enrollment increased additional classrooms and athletic programs were added. Tuition in the early years was $40. The number of brothers on the faculty increased, a lay person was added who taught biology and coach the athletic teams and professors from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
taught at the school as well. The schools highest enrollment was 237 boys. The school was discontinued in 1951 when three Catholic schools merged to create St. Joseph High School.
After Central Catholic left St. Matthew’s School expanded into the space. A new gymnasium was constructed in 1955. The school was significantly renovated during the pastorate of Bishop Jenky.
Pastors/Rectors
The following priests have served as pastors of St. Matthew’s parish and after 1960 as the cathedral rector:- Rev. Theodore Hammes (1921–1933)
- Msgr. Arnold J. Wibbert (1933–1969)
- Bishop Joseph Crowley (1969–1991)
- Bishop John Sheets (1991–1997)
- Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C. (1997–2002)
- Msgr. Michael Heintz (2002–Present)