History of The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception 

THE CATHEDRAL GROUP which included the Church joined on the north by the Rectory and on the south by the Convent and School, was dedicated in 1928 by the Mos Reverend James A. Griffin, D.D., first Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, formerly the Diocese of Alton, Illinois. The style is Greek Revival, chosen for its American traditions and executed in Mankato stone. Joseph W. McCarthy was the architect.

ONE APPROACHES the Cathedral from a broad plaza flanked by two ornamental flag poles each fifty feet high. The portico is formed by four Doric columns supporting a strong pediment, in the face of which is carved the coat of arms of His Excellency, Bishop Griffin. This sculpture is the work of Leon Hermant of Chicago.

THE VESTIBULE is lined with Vert Corail Claire marble. At the left is the Baptistery lined with Botticino marble and on the right is a lavatory for the convenience of the congregation.

THE CHURCH PROPER is basilican, the clerestory carried on rows of Siena columns in the Greek ionic style. Above the Rose Tavernelle wainscot are set the mosaic Stations of the Cross executed of minute pieces and imported from Venice.

History of the Cathedrals of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

"The Old Cathedral" Saint Peter and Paul Church Alton Diocese of Alton, Illinois

The first Cathedral of the present Diocese of Springfield, still affectionately called "The Old Cathedral," the See Church of the Diocese of Alton, has an interesting history.

The first church of record was not actually a church but a rented hall, first used by the resident pastor, Father George Hamilton in 1838. Officially it was dedicated to St. Matthew, but some records show the name "St. Mathias." This temporary church was replaced by a stone edifice built in 1843. Ten years later a fire in the building next door so badly damaged St. Matthew that the site, Third Street between Alby and Easton Sts., was sold to the Baptists, who tore down the ruins and built a new church of their own, retaining two of the stones of the original church, bearing the inscriptions, "One Lord, One Baptism," and "One Flock, One Shepherd."

The pastor Father Carrol and the parishioners obtained permission to build a new church with a new title "Saints Peter and Paul" at 721 State Street. The edifice, of good Gothic design, was somewhat long in building; but it was well enough along for services to be held in it in 1856. In 1857, with the exception of the sanctuary and the spires it was sufficiently completed for use.

Bishop Henry Damian Juncker, D.D. named first bishop of the diocese of Alton, selected it as the Cathedral for his diocese. On May 15,1859, it was solemnly consecrated by Most Reverend Peter Richard Kenrick, D.D., Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

It was the Cathedral for two other Bishops: Peter J. Baltes (1869 - 1886) and James Ryan (1888-1923), before the diocese was changed to Springfield. Originally, it was the focal point for all the Catholics in the lower half of the state of Illinois; however, after the death of Bishop Baltes, 1886, the lower twenty-eight counties of the state were formed into a new diocese, Belleville.

The plan of the Old Cathedral has been attributed to two men, Pugin of England and Thomas Walsh, who is the architect of record. The original cost of the church, exclusive of the sanctuary and spires, was $35,000.

The Rose Window in the front is very impressive and is of historical interest since it bears the date 1855. The two spires, the larger on the right front and smaller one on the left slightly back from the front add beauty and dignity. There were erected by 1865 Three bells were added between 1862 and 1871. In January, 1902, a fire badly damaged the sanctuary; a new marble altar built by T.G. Schrager and Son of St. Louis was installed. However, the Crucifixion scene above the altar was there before the fire. In 1915, the interior was completely renovated; the sanctuary floor was raised and covered with white hexagonal tile; the altar steps and altar rail, formerly wooden, were replaced by white marble. The floor of the nave was raised and covered with hard maple; the walls and ceiling were frescoed.

To many the "Old Cathedral" is venerated church, mother of the spiritual well being of a diocese for sixty-four years and home church for over a century.

Church of the Immaculate Conception

The Beginnings, 1837.1857

To picture the heavily populated area of central Illinois as a wilderness dotted with only a few scattered settlements and without Catholic churches is difficult. But, in 1828, according to one source, there were only two Catholic families in Central Illinois; and until 1849, there was only one nearby church -- St. Bernard in Glenarm.

Despite the slow beginnings, one of the earliest priests to do missionary work in the community, Father John Mary Iraeneus St. Cyr saw the land as the future center of the church in Illinois. His successors labored to develop a Sturdy Catholic settlement. Father George Hamilton (1838 - 1840) tried unsuccessfully to build a church. Then between 1840 and 1844 the Vincentians, a Jesuit, Father H.G. Allan, S.J., Fathers Joseph B. Trabo, C.M. and R. Rollando, C.M., continued the mission work. In 1844 Father George Hamilton returned to Springfield for two years.

His successor, Father Phillip Conlon, succeeded in erecting the first church in Springfield. On the south side of Adams Street, between Eighth and Ninth Streets he constructed a forty by sixty foot frame building dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Until 1865, when a new parish was formed for German Catholics, it served the city and missions as widely separated as Taylorville and Virginia.

Between 1850 and 1855 the parish had four pastors: Father John Gifford, Father Nicholas Stehle, Father M. Prendergast, and Father Michael Henley.

By that time the congregation numbered 380 families. The little church was inadequate; besides the ethnic characteristic had changed to English, Irish, and German. The last group had increased considerably and wanted a church of its own. To replace the old church, Father Thomas Quigley in 1856 laid the foundation for a church to be under the patronage of the Blessed Mother. However, he was transferred and his successors, Fathers McElhern and Muller, did not continue the project.

In the fall of 1857, Father James Fitzgibbon, now pastor, resumed building a new church, but on a new design. The structure he erected on the northeast corner of Seventh and Monroe Streets won praise as one of Springfield's finest. Completed in 1858, it was dedicated by Bishop Henry Damian Juncker, April 3,1859, under the new title of the Blessed Mother - The Church of the Immaculate Conception; it is said to be the first church in the "Western Country" to bear that title. The Irish used the New Church; the German population continued to use St. John the Baptist until 1865.

Heeding the stress of the Council of Baltimore, Father Fitzgibbons built a two room school for the education of boys, taught by the Holy Cross Brothers of Notre Dame. The girls attended the Ursuline St. Angela School, located on Sixth and Mason Streets.

Father Fitzgibbons was pastor until 1864. From January to May, 1864, Father Zabel, D.D., and Father Sticks served the parish. Father Joseph Costa, appointed in May 1864, served until February 1865. Father Louis Hinssen, pastor only three years (1865 - 1868) did one notable thing: he converted the old St. John the Baptist Church into a school for girls under the tutelage of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. With Father John O'Sulivan, 1868-1869, the series of short pastorates ended. In the next fifty-five years, the Immaculate Conception had only two pastors.

In his long tenure (1869-1889), Father Patrick Brady was an active builder In 1870 there was need for added space in the Church, so he ex-tended the front twenty feet. By 1876 there was demand for more school space; accordingly, he constructed a large two story brick building. However, he still retained the policy of sex segregation and retained two teaching staffs.

Msgr. Timothy Hickey (1889-1924), pastor for thirty-five years, did some building but concentrated on developing the spiritual life of the parish. He also constructed a new residence for the priests and a home for the Dominican Sisters whom he had called on to staff the school. In 1890 he dropped the segregated plan of education.

Father Brady had only four assistants in nearly twenty years. As the diocese expanded Msgr. Hickey had twenty assistants in thirty-five years.

In November 1923, the Church of the Immaculate Conception became the Cathedral of the newly established Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and served as such from February 28,1924, until October 1928.

Msgr. Timothy Hickey, because of ill health, resigned as pastor in January 1924 and died in 1926. His successor, Father William Sullivan served until 1927; Father George E. Faller, administrator for several months, was followed by Father Louis Hufker, who was pastor until October 1928 after the new Cathedral was dedicated. The assistants during this time were Father George Kenney (1917-1925), Father Michael Griffin (1924-1925), Father Daniel Grady (1925), Father Charles Sandon (1925-1926), Father Francis Sheils (1926), Father Joseph O'Brien (1928), and Father William Croke (1928).

To perpetuate the memory of Msgr. Timothy Hickey who served as pastor of "Old St. Mary's" for thirty-five years, Bishop Griffin directed that his remains be removed from Calvary Cemetery and interred in a crypt in the new Cathedral. This occurred Tuesday, October 16,1928 as part of the Cathedral dedication ceremonies.

So after seventy years, "Old St. Mary's" ceased to be a church. The last mass was said there at 9:30 a.m., October 14,1928, the day of the dedication of the new Cathedral.

The New Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception 1928-

On August 14,1927, Bishop Griffin in ceremonies witnessed by about 8,000 persons laid the cornerstone for the new Cathedral. A little over a year later in a series of elaborate religious and civil ceremonies the new Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was formally dedicated on October14, 1928.

On October 13,1928, Bishop Griffin of Spring-field, Illinois, Bishop Samuel Stritch of Toledo, Ohio, and Bishop Gerow of Natchez, Mississippi, consecrated the three altars: the main altar dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, the side altar on the south to the Sacred Heart, the one on the north to St. Joseph.

The next day, October 14, George Cardinal Mundelein, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, in which Springfield is included, dedicated the Cathedral. Archbishop Glennon of the Arch-diocese of St. Louis, of which at one time Spring-field had been a suffragan diocese, preached the sermon.

The following day Bishop Hoban of Rockford said the Diamond Jubilee mass of the Diocese; Bishop Kelly of the Oklahoma-Tulsa City Diocese preached. Later in the day at a public civil ceremony in the State Armory an assembly of 20,000 was addressed by Governor Len Small, Mayor Emil Smith, and Cardinal Mundelein.

On the fourth day the dedication events ended with a pontifical mass celebrated by Bishop Althoff of the diocese of Belleville, and the interment in the Cathedral crypt of Msgr. Timothy Hickey, for thirty-five years pastor of the Old Immaculate Conception Church.

History of the Cathedral taken from the 1978 Jubilee Book