| Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart | |
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Location | Charleston, West Virginia United States |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Archdiocese of Baltimore |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Leadership | Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston Bishop: Michael J. Bransfield Rector: Msgr. P. Edward Sadie |
| Website | www. shccwv.us |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | H.B. Lowe |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Completed | 1897 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Limestone |
The Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a cathedral church and a Minor Basilica located in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling it is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.
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The first Catholic priest to visit what is now West Virginia came in 1832.[1] In 1836 the Rev. Alexander L. Hitzelberger of Norfolk, Virginia visited relatives in Charleston and said Mass in the courthouse. Bishop Richard Vincent Whelan of Richmond visited the city in 1842. The diocese of Wheeling was established by Pope Pius IX on July 19, 1850.[2] Various priests visited the area from time to time. The Rev. Stenger settled in Charleston for a short time in 1862, but the Civil War hindered his ministry. He was able to return and settle in the town again in 1866. There was no church building at the time so Stenger celebrated Mass on the second floor of B. Ward's store on Front Street (now Kanawha Boulevard).
Sacred Heart parish was established on August 1, 1866 when Bishop Whelan, who was now Bishop of Wheeling, purchased the Dunbar property in Charleston. A two-story brick building was used for a church and school. In 1869 a frame church that measured 60 x 25 feet was built for $1,500.00.[1] It sat on the site of the present rectory on Virginia Street. The rectory was located on the site of the old courtyard. The first assistant pastor assigned to Sacred Heart in 1870 was the Rev. Terence I. Duffy. Various missions were established and were served by both priests.
In 1885 Father Stenger started a collection for a new church. Prominent Protestants also provided financial assistance. By 1892 the parish census showed there were 84 English families and 56 German families.[1] There were 90 students enrolled in the school. H.B. Lowe was chosen as the architect for the new church, and $600 was spent for plans and specifications for the new building. The first Mass celebrated in the present church was celebrated on Christmas in 1897.
Father Stenger died in 1900 and in April 1901 Capuchin friars began their ministry at Sacred Heart. A new rectory was built the following year. Additions were also made to the church building in the first decade of the 20th century. The first pipe organ was installed in 1905. The marble high altar was erected in 1909. The stained glass windows from Munich, Germany were installed the same year. The three bells that were placed in the tower in 1911 include: St. Richard at 2,600 pounds, St. Joseph at 1,500 pounds and the Blessed Virgin at 700 pounds.[1]
In 1948 the old pipe organ was replaced by a Wurlitzer electronic organ for $4,500.00. The St. Cecilia's Guild started a weekly bingo to raise the money for a new Kilgen pipe organ, which was built for $31,832.48.[1] The interior of the church was extensively renovated from 1950-1951. The front part of the present rectory was built in 1952. Another new convent was completed in 1958. It eventually became the Cenacle Retreat House. The present pews were installed in the church in 1958 for $11,429.[1] Artist John L. Baker painted the sanctuary ceiling with a vibrant complex linear painting in 1966.
On October 4, 1974 Pope Paul VI renamed the Diocese of Wheeling as the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Sacred Heart Church was named the co-cathedral for the diocese. In 1980 the Capuchins left the parish after ministering at the parish for 79 years. A diocesan priest, the Rev. Edward Sadie became the cathedral rector.
Various renovation and building projects occurred in the 1980’s. A capitol fund drive, Growth In Faith Together, was initiated. The cathedral was renovated inside and out. The project included air-conditioning, cleaning and repairing the stained glass windows and a Schantz 60 rank pipe organ was installed. The parish purchased the former Kanawha Valley Hospital building and built a parking lot on part of the property. In 1985 the John XXIII Pastoral Center was dedicated. In 1987 the cathedral sanctuary was carpeted. Furniture maker Edward Hillenbrand built a new Bishop's Chair, Ambo and Altar. The cathedral was dedicated by Bishop Francis B. Schulte in 1988.
In the 1990s Riverview Terrace was bought to be used as a complex for the elderly. The purchase was made possible in part through the estates of Blanche and Maxine Horan. The parish joined with First Presbyterian to build two houses for Habitat for Humanity.
In the first decade of the 21st century the parking lot of the Charleston newspaper was purchased by the parish. The Cenacle Retreat property was remodeled for parish office space and apartments were created for the parish clergy. It was renamed the Cordis Center. The cathedral was renovated and a new gathering space was added to the church building. On November 9, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI raised Sacred Heart to the dignity of a Minor Basilica.[3]
The first school at Sacred Heart was opened in 1866 in the Dunbar Building that served as a combination church and school. For the rest of the 19th century the school was not a stable entity. Between 1868 and 1870 the school was closed. It was reopened by the Sisters of St. Joseph. At the same time a boarding school named St. Mary’s Academy was opened and it operated from 1870-1895. A new school building was constructed in 1872. From 1892-1903 the parish was without its school again. The school was re-opened by Franciscan Sisters of Penance and Christian Charity and a new convent was built in 1904.
A new school building opened on September 8, 1920. The first high school classes were begun in 1922. A building was bought and remodeled in 1927 for a high school. Bishop John Swint laid the cornerstone for a new high school in 1940 and the building opened the following year as Charleston Catholic High School. The grade school was remodeled in 1942. The Dunbar Building, which had served as grade school, convent, rectory for the Capuchins, school, first high school, parish hall, and parish library was torn down. Kindergarten was added to the school in 1952. The third floor of the high school building was built in 1956. The present grade school building was constructed for $521,140 in 1962.[1]
A new playground was built in 1986, and in 1990 Seton Hall was renovated with classrooms on second and third floors and space for the After School Care Program on the first floor. A $3.5 million fund drive was initiated in the 1990s and a new science wing was built for the high school.