Cathedral History

ST. Joseph church

As more and more German Catholics arrived in the city, the desire among them to have a church and priest who would minister to them in their own language grew stronger. In 1858, a committee was organized to secure a site for a church building.

The group negotiated the purchase of a lot at the corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets for $400. It took the immigrant community three years to raise the money to purchase the land, but by November 1862, the building was completed and the Rev. Theodore Venn was appointed pastor.

In the spring of 1882, the cornerstone of a new church was laid that would serve the people of St. Joseph's until the creation of Cathedral parish.

cathedral of the Sacred heart

ST. Thomas church

As Winona grew, the new parish grew with it. In 1858, Winona's first resident priest, the Rev. Michael Pendergast, was appointed. He served the infant parish until 1864.

In 1864, the church was moved to a site on Wabasha Street, near Center Street. Four years later, the foundation of a new church was laid. The church would be completed three years later, and it would be this structure that would serve as the Pro-Cathedral for the Diocese of Winona for the 63 years between its establishment in 1889 and the dedication of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in 1952.

As the years passed, the inadequacy of St. Thomas Pro-Cathedral to meet the needs of the growing Diocese of Winona became more and more apparent.

In 1944, a fund drive was begun to raise money for the construction of a new cathedral for the diocese.

As the fund drive neared completion, discussion began for the merger of St. Thomas and St. Joseph parishes to form the Cathedral parish. On June 15, 1950, the Vatican granted a petition to unite the parishes, only four blocks apart, but long separated by language and nationality.

On October 25, 1952, Bishop Edward Fitzgerald consecrated the altar and celebrated the first Mass in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.

Liturgical updating was completed in 1982. This included acoustical improvements, installation of the new Gress-Miles pipe organ, remodeling of the sanctuary, moving the Cathedra (Chair of the Bishop) and the Shrines of Mary and St. Joseph, and reducing the main altar in size and moving it forward.

In 1983, Rev. Robert Brom, Cathedral rector was appointed Bishop of Duluth. In 1990 he became the Bishop of San Diego, CA.

Over the years, as Winona State University grew, the neighborhood around the Cathedral began to change. Family homes became student rental housing. Beginning in the 1990’s, outreach to the Catholic student population took on an increasing importance for the parish. Collaboration with the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center on the Winona State University Campus took different forms but is a significant relationship for our parish community. Programs reflecting this changing neighborhood have also been developed, including Theology on Tap and a beginning of the year Block Party to welcome the students to Winona and the Cathedral Parish.

In 2002, planning began for a new renovation of the Cathedral. In three planning meetings the issues of how the building works for liturgy, accessibility and hospitality were identified as significant needs for a renovated building. In addition, a permanent and worthy location for the practice of Perpetual Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was desired. Finally, more meeting space was planned.

The community moved out of the worship space in January, 2006 and worshipped in Holy Family Hall. In mid-December, Bishop Harrington blessed the new baptismal font and celebrated the first Mass in the newly renovated space. Work continued on the new entry atrium, located on the site of the historic St. Thomas Church, through 2007. The renovated church was dedicated on June 6, 2007.

The future of the Cathedral parish will be one of continued faith and change. The 150 year tradition of prayer and service continues while adapting to meet new challenges and realities. Greater collaboration between the parishes of Winona have resulted in the Winona Area Catholic Schools and the Winona Catholic Community Youth Ministry.

As mother church for the Diocese of Winona and parish church for our local community, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart continues its mission of proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and sharing the love of the Sacred Heart of Christ.

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A true Catholic presence in the area was not established until the first German and Irish settlers arrived in the early 1850's.

In 1856, Bishop Cretin, the first Bishop of Minnesota and the Dakotas, journeyed to Winona to celebrate the first recorded Mass in the city and to help organize Winona's first Catholic parish.

Rev. Thomas Murray was appointed to the newly formed mission church in 1857. He established a church on two lots on Dacota Street, between Mark and Belleview, dedicated to Saint Thomas the Apostle.