Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Oklahoma City)
| Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | |
|---|---|
 | |
  | |
| 35°30′9.8″N 97°31′50.15″W / 35.502722°N 97.5305972°W | |
| Location |
3214 N. Lake Ave. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | cathedralokc.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1919 |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Style | Italianate |
| Groundbreaking | July 3, 1923 |
| Completed | February 1924 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | One |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Oklahoma City |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Most Rev. Paul Coakley |
| Rector | Rev. John Metzinger |
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Catholic cathedral in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
History
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish was established in 1919 when Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, the first Bishop of Oklahoma City, assigned Monsignor Monnot its first pastor on January 19.[1] Mass for the parish was initially celebrated in an automobile showroom on Classen Boulevard. The first church building was a wood structure built in May 1919 on NW 31st Street between Western and Lake. The following month a ground breaking was held for a combination church and school building.
Construction of the present church building was begun on July 3, 1923 and it was completed in February 1924. A frame rectory was completed in July of the same year. Pope Pius XI elevated Our Lady of Perpetual Help to a cathedral in 1931.[1] It replaced St. Joseph Cathedral downtown.
Thirty Vietnamese families, refugees from the Vietnam War, joined the parish in 1975. Their numbers have continued to grow in the succeeding years.
In 1993 a renovation project was begun. It included a new pipe organ by W. Zimmer and Sons of Charlotte, North Carolina, a new baptistery, electrical work and other additions to the parish plant.
Along with the rector, Rev. John Metzinger, and associate pastor, Rev. Thanh Nguyen, from July 1, 2013[2] - June 30, 2015,[3] Rev. Brian Buettner served his first priestly assignment as an associate pastor of Our Lady's Cathedral before returning to Rome, Italy for advanced studies in Sacred Theology in July 2015.
Past Rectors
- Most Rev. Edward Weisenburger (2002-2012)
Parochial School
Our Lady of Perpetual Help School opened in September 1919 with 90 students in twelve grades.[1] Three Sisters of Mercy served as the faculty. They resided in a frame house across the street from the school. The name of the school was changed in 1932 to Bishop John Carroll after the first Catholic Bishop in the United States. A new wing was added to the school in 1939 and a new convent was constructed in 1941. The former convent is now called Mercy Center and is used for a variety of parish functions. A gymnasium and classroom building was built as a part of the 1993 parish renovation project.
References
- 1 2 3 "Our History". Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- ↑ "Newly ordained priest to serve as chaplain of Bishop McGuinness". www.archokc.org. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
- ↑ "2015 Priest Assignments". www.archokc.org. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
External links
Coordinates: 35°30′10″N 97°31′50″W / 35.502723°N 97.530598°W
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