Happy anniversary, Springfield in Illinois!

Five years ago today the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the mother church of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, was rededicated after a much needed restoration:

It was a moment of immense joy for the Diocese and of great grace, the blessings of which continue to be felt by those who visit this beautiful edifice built to the glory of the God under the patronage of Our Lady.

Today, then, ranks as a solemnity for the cathedral church and as a feast throughout the rest of the local Church. Naturally, here in Rome it is neither, but still I raise a prayer to God remembering this day:

O God, who were pleased to call your Church the Bride,
grant that the people that serves your name
may revere you, love you and follow you,
and may be led by you
to attain your promises in heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

 O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us!

Cathedral wins mayoral award

Last evening the Springfield Historic Sites Commission presented the 2011 Mayor's Historic Preservation Awards at the Edwards Place.

It was a very nice evening and a fitting celebration of the good work done by so many lovers of local history and architecture.

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois was presented an award for "Preservation Efforts by a Not-For-Profit Organization or Agency" for the recent restoration of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Mayor Mike Houston presents the award to Bishop Paprocki and Father Harman

An American history lesson in Cathedral glass

As a comment within a post yesterday, I remarked that Catholics all too often do not know the history of Catholics in the United States of America, either the positive contributions made by Catholics to American society or American society's negative attitude and persecution of Catholics.

When His Excellency the Most Reverend James Aloysius Griffin set out to establish his Seat in the newly erected Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, he looked to the example of his mentor, His Eminence George Cardinal Mundelein, to demonstrate that it is possible to be both a good Catholic (this must always come first for our duty to God is of the utmost importance) and a good citizen at the same time.

Bishop Griffin expressed this reality in the windows of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. 

The windows in the north wall of the Cathedral depict the growth of the growth of the Church in Europe whereas the windows in the south wall depict the growth of the Church in the New World.

Of particular interest to us today are three of these northern windows.

Here, General George Washington is shown commissioning Bishop John Carroll to gain the support of the French Canadian Catholics in the cause of independence.  Bishop Carroll was successful in his mission.  Above the two men stands the angel of peace, signifying God's Providence.

Here, President Abraham Lincoln is shown asking Bishop John Hughes of New York to convince Napoleon III against recognizing the Confederacy.  Bishop Hughes was successful.  (Incidentally, the face of Mr. Lincoln's assistant is the face of Bishop Griffin.)

In this third window, a Catholic chaplain is shown blessing American soldiers from Illinois as they leave Springfield during World War I.  The State Capitol is shown in the background surmounted by the gold star of the Gold Star Mothers whose sons were killed in battle.

It is indeed possible to be a good Catholic and a good patriot, but our faith must always come before our patriotism.  By our prayer and fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are also good citizens seeking to build up this nation in morality, in truth and in justice for all.

Bishop Paprocki to run for cathedral

The Most Reverend Thomas J. Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois, will run his seventeenth marathon this October in Denver Colorado.

In a recent letter, he says he is seeking pledges for the miles he will run to help pay off the debt incurred with the restoration of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The text of the letter follows, with my emphases:

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

As you may already know, I enjoy running and over the years have participated in 16 marathons. I am currently training to run the 26.2 mile Denver marathon on Oct. 17, 2010.

One of the reasons I run marathons is to raise funds for charity. This year I have decided to dedicate my marathon effort to help pay off the debt of the recent restoration of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield.

Many people who attended my installation as your new bishop in June made very favorable comments about the newly-restored Cathedral. Catholics in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois can take rightful pride in our beautiful mother church, especially the many people who have already contributed generously to help pay the restoration costs. However, due to unexpected expenses there is an outstanding debt of $2.07 million. I would like to make a push to retire this debt completely.

If you would like to support me in this effort, I invite you to make a tax-deductible pledge donation (e.g., $2 per mile x 26.2 miles = $52.40).

If you have any prayer intentions that you would like me to include while I am running and praying, please write them down and return them to me.

As sacred Scripture says, "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Your support will be greatly appreciated by me and all Catholics who gather and pray at our magnificent Cathedral.

God bless you,

Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki
Bishop of Springfield in Illinois

If you wish to make a pledge, you may do so online or through the mail.

The excitement builds

Wednesday will mark one of the greatest days in the history of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois when the Most Reverend George J. Lucas, Archbishop of Omaha, will return to the Diocese of which he was the fifth Bishop, to rededicate the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception after an extensive restoration.

A web site has been established for the occasion and has good pictures and descriptions of the various elements of the Cathedral. Be sure to check it out!

The second gem of the midwest

The State Journal-Register has an article in today's edition about the restoration of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and a series of pictures to go along with it. I would ignore the nasty and largely unintelligent comments to the article.

Dedication date set

The Most Reverend George J. Lucas, Archbishop of Omaha, will rededicate the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, 2 December 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. will be the homilist.

The restoration of the Cathedral of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, completed in 1928, was begun by then-Bishop Lucas last year.

I've posted some pictures of the work here.

Steeple work

When I was in Springfield Wednesday evening I took a couple of pictures of the steeple of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception:

Please keep the restoration project in your prayers, that the workers will be kept safe and that their work moves swiftly along.

Cathedral campaign a success

I'm very happy to say that the Built on Faith, Renewed in Hope campaign to restore the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois' Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception has succeeded overwhelmingly.

Shaun Riedell, director of the diocesan Office for Stewardship and Development, said that the Built in Faith, Renewed in Hope campaign is close to completion, with $9.28 million pledged. Over $2.1 million has already been paid.

[...]

The Built on Faith, Renewed in Hope campaign's original goal was to raise a total of $7 million dollars. Over $2 million was raised from Cathedral parishioners and major donors; the remainder was raised from Catholics in parishes in the 28 counties of the Springfield diocese [more].

Let us offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the generosity and faith of the people whose goodness has made this dream a reality.

Cathedral Campaign Video

The Diocese has released a video message for the Built on Faith, Renewed in Hope campaign to restore the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Do have a look. There is also a brochure for the campaign.

I've made my pledge. Will you make yours?

In the next few days I'll answer some commonly asked questions about why you shoudl consider giving to this campgain.

Built on faith, renewed in hope

The Catholic Times has several articles about the program for renewal - Built on Faith, Renewed in Hope - for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

An open house was held at the Cathedral today, which I was unable to attend.

Bishop Lucas addresses the restoration in his column, Grace & Mercy. He says:

Pictures of the Cathedral

Thom at Ad Dominum thinks the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is "beautiful." I concur. And it will be even more beautiful once the preseveration and renewal is complete.

You can view pictures of the Cathedral here.

More on the Cathedral renovation

The State Journal-Register has an article on the Cathedral campaign, Built on Faith, Renewed in Hope.

The highlight of the article is the three pictures it provides, two of which show part of the initial work that has been done. The progress is stunning!

If you value your sanity, I wouldn't bother reading the comments following the article.

I wasn't able to get to Springfield today because of reasons that I'll explain later this evening. Perhaps I can make a trip there on Friday.

Built on faith, renewed in hope

At a press conference today, the Most Reverend George J. Lucas announced plans for the preservation and renewal of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Illinois.

At the same time he announced an $11 million campaign for this project called "Built on faith, renewed in hope."

Some of the work has already begun and I hope to be able to stop by the Cathedral on Wednesday to take a few pictures of the work.

I know that a couple of blogs caught wind of this project a couple of weeks ago and - judging from those I've spoken with who have actually seen the plans and the work done thus far - their fears are unfounded.

This project includes:

• Restoration and repair of the Cathedral complex's copper roof and gutter system; repair of the bell tower; repointing of stone joints; and preservation of the Cathedral's stained-glass windows.
• Repair or replacement of inadequate electrical, plumbing, sound and heating/air conditioning systems.
• Construction of an 8,400-square-foot atrium to allow people to gather before and after Mass and other liturgical events and to serve as an accessible entryway to the church.
• Improvements to the features important to proper liturgical celebrations, such as extensive interior refinishing and redecorating; a new baptismal font; an accessible sanctuary; a new permanent altar to replace the temporary one now in use; a new and more easily accessible ambo (pulpit); a refashioned cathedra (bishop's chair); and the refurbishment of the tabernacle, which will be returned to its present location.
• Additional accessible parking west of the Cathedral and an entrance to the new atrium for parishioners and visitors from the main parking area.
• Major improvements made to the site by improving entries and entry plazas to the north and south, including exterior lighting for safety and increased accessibility to parish offices, school, Cathedral and parking areas.

"The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is an anchor for Catholic life in our diocese," said Bishop Lucas. "Our Cathedral was ‘Built on Faith' through the planning and generosity of those who preceded us. When the restoration and enhancements are completed, our Cathedral will be ‘Renewed in Hope.'"

I've posted pictures of the Cathedral on my Facebook page.

In honor of the day

The Imaculata is the Patroness of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. This image is the central mosaic in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

What's in a name?

If your surname happens to be Griffin, an excellent device for architectural ornamentation.

When the first Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, James Aloysius Griffin, set about the construction of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception he made good use of the mythological creature that bears his name.

Looking around the Cathedral, one can find griffins in many places: in the arms of a pew, supporting the espiscopal arms on the cathedra and flanking an image of the Eucharist, to name a few:

Personally, I am a great fan of the griffin and have been since I was a young boy. Because the griffin is both a nonexistant creature and a product of pagan mythology some might well wonder why the Bishop chose to incorporate it into his Cathedral.

At first glance the griffin doesn't seem to fit, but in the heraldic tradition the griffin serves as a guardian of hidden treasure and represents valor and vigilance. Bishop Griffin placed the creature throughout his new Cathedral to guard the treasure of the Eucharist and to call his faithful to be vigilant as they wait for the return of the Eucharistic King.

No small number of people today suggest that by the use of the griffin, the Bishop demonstrated his arrogance and pride. Perhaps, but he might have also been following the medieval/renaissance custom of members of the nobility placing their names upon buildings to show that they had carried out their civic duty; it could not be denied. This, I think, is more in keeping with Bishop Griffin's intentions.

The anniversary of the Cathedral

This past Sunday marked the anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Illinois. To honor the anniversary, I will try to post a series of posts about the Cathedral and the Bishop who built it.

Our Diocese was first established and erected as the Diocese of Quincy on 29 July 1853 by His Holiness, Pope Pius IX, though we never had a resident Bishop for reasons I might relate at another time. Just a few years later the same Pontiff transferred the See City to Alton, Illinois. On 23 October 1923 Pope Pius XI transferred the See to Springfield, where it remains to this day.

A mere eighteen days after the transfer of the See City, the Holy Father appointed James Aloysius Griffin, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, the first Bishop of Springfield in Illinois.

As he launched his plans to begin the construction of the Cathedral in Springfield four years after his arrival, Bishop Griffin said, after touring his Diocese and seeing to the spiritual and physical needs of his people:

Let us go up now to our Episcopal City and there build the head fortress of our Diocese, the Mother Church of all our churches and people, a Memorial to our Immaculate Mother, a testimonial to the pioneer priests and laity of our Diocese, a Home worthy of our Eucharistic King.

Rather than bring in a body of consulters and fund-raisers, as is the custom of our day, the Bishop himself was the sole campaigner for his new project, speaking across the Diocese at various functions for the Diamond Jubilee Cathedral Campaign.

Bishop Griffin sought $750,000 from the people of the Diocese and received close to $1,000,000,000. The campaign opened on 14 February 1927 with the motto, “It is God’s work. God wills it.” Apparently the slogan was rightly chosen!

At such success, Bishop Griffin wrote to the Associated Press, “I believe I am the happiest man in America. May our new Cathedral be not only a house of prayer but also a symbol of lovely friendships and an incentive to greater civic service."