Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe (Dallas, Texas)
| Cathedral Guadalupe | |
|---|---|
| National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe | |
 | |
  Location in Texas | |
| 32°47′19″N 96°47′52″W / 32.78865°N 96.79788°W | |
| Location | 2215 Ross Ave. Dallas, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Membership | 25,000 registered families |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Dedicated | October 26, 1902 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Nicholas J. Clayton |
| Style | Gothic revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1898 |
| Completed | 1902 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | One |
| Spire height | 224 feet (68 m) |
| Materials | Brick |
| Bells | 49 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Dallas |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Most Rev. Edward J. Burns |
| Rector | Very Rev. Jesús Belmontes |
The National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Catedral Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) or just simply Cathedral Guadalupe is the cathedral church of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Texas. The structure dates from the late 19th century[1] and is located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas. The church oversees the second-largest Catholic church membership in the United States. Its average Sunday attendance is 11,200.
History
Background
In 1869, Dallas's first Catholic parish, Sacred Heart Church, was established by the Bishop of Galveston. The church was built in 1872 and was located at Bryan and Ervay Streets, near present-day St. Paul Station.[1]
In 1890, Dallas was established as a diocese, and Sacred Heart became the diocesan cathedral of Dallas with Bishop Thomas Brennan acting as the first bishop. Along with Dallas' tremendous growth at the time, the parish soon outgrew its church building, and the need for a new cathedral arose.[1]
In 2023, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops elevated the Cathedral Shrine, which has long been a place of pilgrimage, especially for Catholics of Mexico and Latin America, to a National Shrine to highlight its historical and ongoing impact on the community of the area.[2]
Construction
The property on which the current cathedral is now located was purchased for US$30,000, which adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to over $600,000 in 2007.[3] The cornerstone for the cathedral was laid June 17, 1898 and the church was formally dedicated on October 26, 1902.[1][4]
Consolidation
As the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex grew through the early 20th century, other diocesan parishes were built in neighboring suburbs, decreasing Sacred Heart's attendance. However, by the 1960s the neighboring Our Lady of Guadalupe parish had outgrown its facilities.
The parish, located on Harwood Street, was established in 1914 and primarily served Mexican immigrants. Bishop Thomas Tschoepe of Sacred Heart invited Our Lady of Guadalupe to merge with Sacred Heart, and by 1975, the Guadalupe church on Harwood closed following the churches' consolidation. On December 12, 1977, Sacred Heart Cathedral was renamed Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe—"the Cathedral Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe."[1] This reflects the large Spanish-speaking proportion of the congregation, so that the congregation now has masses and various programs in Spanish and English, as well as English classes.
Expansion
The cathedral recently underwent a major multi-phase renovation project. As part of the project, a US$20 million bell tower housing a 49-bell carillon was constructed. The bell tower was planned by the original architect, Nicholas J. Clayton,[5] but had not been built.[6][7]
See also
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- List of buildings and structures in Dallas, Texas
- List of churches under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe
References
- ^ a b c d e Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe - History Archived 2012-06-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 29 April 2007.
- ^ Harris, Laura. "Cathedral Guadalupe in Downtown Dallas honored with prestigious 'National Shrine' designation". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ side note: Using a CPI Inflation Calculator and inputing $30,000 for 1913 (the lowest available year) returns well over $600,000 in 2007 dollars.
- ^ Photograph of the cornerstone at Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe - Architecture overview. Retrieved on 29 April 2007.
- ^ "Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe". Architexas. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
- ^ "Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe". www.masoncontractors.org. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
