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St. Michael's Cathedral
42°6′15.1″N 72°35′4.1″W / 42.104194°N 72.584472°W / 42.104194; -72.584472
Location	254 State Street Springfield, Massachusetts
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	stmichaelscathedralspfld.org
History
Status	Cathedral
Founded	1847
Dedication	Saint Michael the Archangel
Architecture
Architect(s)	Patrick Keely
Style	Italianate, Federal
Groundbreaking	1860
Completed	1861
Specifications
Materials	Brick
Administration
Diocese	Springfield
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Most Rev. William Draper Byrne
Rector	Most Rev. Gary Dailey
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Part of	Quadrangle–Mattoon Street Historic District (ID74000371)
Added to NRHP	May 8, 1974

St. Michael's Cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts, United States, established in 1847. In 1974, the church and rectory were included as contributing properties in the Quadrangle–Mattoon Street Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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. 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. 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 present Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts in 1870, St. Michael's church became its cathedral.

The structure was expanded in 1996, with the 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 the daily broadcast of the Mass, a parish hall that can seat 120 people and kitchen, and it is handicap accessible.

From the year 2000, the cathedral has been home to The St. Michael's Cathedral Choir, 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 children of the choir.

• Nave looking toward the sanctuary
• Nave looking toward the gallery
• Stained glass window
• Bishop Marshall Center
• Rectory

See also

• List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
• List of cathedrals in the United States
• Saint Michael: Roman Catholic traditions and views

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. Arbo, Mindy; Amadon, Elizabeth. "NRHP Nomination Form:Quadrangle–Mattoon Street Historic District" (PDF). National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
3. ^ Gagnon, Frances M. (September 25, 2010). "St. Michael's Church in Springfield to celebrate laying of its cornerstone in 1860". The Republican. Springfield. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
4. "St. Michael's Cathedral, Springfield (1860)". Historic Buildings of Massachusetts. Retrieved March 3, 2016.

External links

Media related to St. Michael's Cathedral (Springfield, Massachusetts) at Wikimedia Commons

• Official site
• Diocese of Springfield official site

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
Ordinaries	Bishops Patrick Thomas O'Reilly Thomas Daniel Beaven Thomas Michael O'Leary Christopher Joseph Weldon Joseph Francis Maguire John Aloysius Marshall Thomas Ludger Dupré Timothy Anthony McDonnell Mitchell Thomas Rozanski William Draper Byrne
Churches	Cathedral St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica Basilica of St. Stanislaus Parishes St. Stanislaus Parish, Adams
Education	High schools Pope Francis Preparatory School Saint Mary High School Closed Holyoke Catholic High School St. Joseph Central High School
Priests	Richard R. Lavigne
Catholicism portal

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
• Roman Catholic cathedrals in Massachusetts
• 1860s architecture in the United States
• Churches in Springfield, Massachusetts
• 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States
• Religious organizations established in 1847
• Tourist attractions in Springfield, Massachusetts
• 1847 establishments in Massachusetts
• Roman Catholic churches completed in 1861
• Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts
• Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
• National Register of Historic Places in Springfield, Massachusetts
• 19th century in Springfield, Massachusetts