October 27, 2010

Cathedral Parish marks 150 years

By John Gleason

For nearly a century the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception has proudly stood at the corner of E. Colfax Boulevard and Logan Street, guiding the spiritual needs of the Catholic faithful of the Denver Archdiocese and standing as witness to the growth of the city in which it resides.

In 2010 the parish, founded in 1860 as St. Mary’s at 15th and Stout streets by then-Father, later Bishop Joseph P. Machebeuf, marks its 150th anniversary. The first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Eve.

In 2012 the cathedral will mark the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the current building. For all Catholics, these joyous events are symbols of God’s grace and love for the “Mother Church” of the archdiocese, according to Msgr. Thomas S. Fryar, cathedral pastor.

“A hundred years in one space,” he mused. “Look at all of the events that have happened here: ordinations of priests and deacons in countless numbers and the many celebrations, including World Youth Day 1993 when we actually hosted a pope—not too many cathedrals around the country can boast that.

“In this one little building that was conceived more than a 100 years ago, the Church of Denver has been able to celebrate so many graces and blessings,” he added. “It’s a very special place.”

Called the “Pinnacled Glory of the West,” the cathedral has been the site of tens of thousands of Masses, has served as a destination for pilgrims and has housed sacred relics. It has survived two lighting strikes and has been restored and remodeled over the years. It continues to be a beautiful place to worship and a refuge for those in need.

When the cathedral was dedicated in 1912, Colorado had been a state for just 36 years, William Howard Taft was president and the White Star Line had launched and lost its newest and fastest ocean liner, the Titanic. Although the church is now dwarfed by neighboring skyscrapers, its twin Gothic spires continue to stand out as a symbol of God’s love to the people of Colorado.

In 1880, then Bishop Nicholas C. Matz organized the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Association for the purpose of raising money to build a new church, something the likes of which had never been seen in the Rocky Mountain West. Inspired by a cathedral in Bishop Matz’s hometown of Munster, Germany, construction began in 1902.

Fine Italian marble was cut and crafted for use in the construction of the altars and Communion rail. Marble from Colorado found its way into confessionals, pillars, steps and other parts of the church. Side altars were created for the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph and the Sacred Heart and the building was as up to date as any structure of its time, complete with telephones and a ventilation system. More than 75 stained-glass windows were imported from Germany. Not only are they stunning, but no other U.S. church boasts more stained-glass windows.

Msgr. James Rasby was cathedral rector from 1969-1989. He said the first time he remembers seeing the cathedral was in 1936 when he attended an ordination there.

“I was 11 and I thought it was the biggest building that God ever built,” he recalled. “During the four-hour ceremony, I counted the cracks in the floor. Years later when I became rector I told the congregation in my first sermon that I had been assigned there because I knew where the cracks were that had to be fixed.”

As rector, Msgr. Rasby was given the job of overseeing a major renovation of the cathedral in 1974. Termed an “updating,” included in the project was sandblasting the exterior of the building, washing the windows and the renovation of the 3,000-pipe church organ.

“It was a big project,” he said, “and so many things had to be done. The church hadn’t been painted in 40 years, it needed a new sound system and of course the altar railing was removed. It was an exciting time to say the least.”

When the cathedral was built, it was surrounded by mansions of Denver’s elite-those who were responsible for building the state from the ground up. As the decades passed, the neighborhood changed, but the cathedral remained constant, drawing people from outside parish boundaries, according to Msgr. Fryar.

“One of the things to be aware of is that the parish was started in the midst of a vibrant neighborhood of families with children,” he said. “And there were schools; the cathedral had both a grade and a high school. Many young people gravitated here, met their future spouse and started families.

“Today the schools are gone but the church remains, a sort of crossroads in the archdiocese,” he continued. “It draws people because this is the place where they feel at home and at peace to come and worship and praise the Lord.”

The basilica, so named by Pope John Paul II in 1979, is in the middle of yet another renovation in anticipation of the dedication anniversary.

In 2007 a new altar was installed. Other recent renovations saw the opening of the vestibule, which made the baptistery more visible. The facility was made more handicap accessible and wood paneling that had been added during the “updating” was removed.

Still to come is refurbishing the pews, renovating the exterior of the confessionals and re-doing the floor. The final stage of improvements will include cleaning the treasured windows and repainting the interior.

Msgr. Fryar said the work is coming along at an even pace.

“Not as fast as I’d like,” he said. “But when you consider the financial constraints we’re dealing with, it’s going well.”

Msgr. Fryar is confident that the renovation will be done in time for the cathedral’s century celebration in 2012 and ready for use for the next hundred years.

What will Catholics of the next century find in the Mother Church of the archdiocese?

“They will continue to find a cathedral that is very much an expression of the church of Denver,” he said. “A place where we gather to celebrate grace and life. It’s going to still be there.”

Information from “Colorado Catholicism” by Thomas Noel was used in this story.