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Co-Cathedral Of The Sacred Heart At 1111 St. Joseph Parkway


Montrose1100

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This will not be a co-cathedral. Look for Galveston's St. Mary's Cathedral to be de-certified when this building is completed and this new Sacred Heart (If that's what it's finally named) to be the only cathedral for the diocese. Look also for a name change in the diocese, with "Galveston" being scrubbed from the title. :(

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This will not be a co-cathedral. Look for Galveston's St. Mary's Cathedral to be de-certified when this building is completed and this new Sacred Heart (If that's what it's finally named) to be the only cathedral for the diocese. Look also for a name change in the diocese, with "Galveston" being scrubbed from the title. :(

Where did you get this info???

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The L.A. Cathedral is a great example of modern religious architecture. I know of course a lot of people prefer the old-style and decry the death of classic church design, but that is not new and thankfully has never stopped architects from trying different things:

The term Gothic was first used by art critics, during the Renaissance, who were referring negatively to the style of art and architecture that did not conform to the Classicism of Greece and Rome. The critics came up with the term because they thought the Goths had invented the style. They were incorrect in their thinking that it was the Goths who, in their opinion, were responsible for the destruction of the good and true Classical style. The people of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries recognized the originality of the style and referred to it as "opus modernum" (modern work)."

Why "Gothic?" Because that was the term applied to a style of architecture (dominant from the C12 through the C15) that was itself regarded as crude and primitive in contrast to the beauty, symmetry, and formality of classical (ancient Greek) architecture"

Fantastic info. Much appreciated as I am a real fan of Gothic/Romanesque Cathedral Architecture. Just found a great book at Barnes & N last weekend. I recreate woodwork in the old cathedral style especially Gothic. Let me know if you know of any sources where renderings or original drawings can be found. It is simply amazing how artisans and craftsman spent years on some of these historical churches/cathedrals/basilica's. Archiseek is a good source and Dover Publications offers some good ideas. Sometimes all I need is a photo then I create a "model" and if it seems right I produce more.

Any advise is welcomed. Thank you fernz

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Where did you get this info???

Just a hunch!, but let's wait and see....... It was 1958 when Bishop Nold changed the name of the diocese from Galveston to Galveston-Houston and moved the chancery office to Houston. Fifty years would be 2008, just right for a another name change to go along with the openning of a new cathedral. The diocese has already merged St. Mary's Cathedral (Galveston) and Sacred Heart church (Galveston) into one parish. St. Mary's is basicly a tourist attraction. They are also trying to sell the bishop's palace to the city of Galveston. Bishop Forenze also tryed closing O'Connell High School last year, but he ultimately allowed a group of supporters a chance to keep it open even though it is losing money and enrollment. It is still a catholic school but no longer affiliated with the diocese.

I may be wrong.....but previous actions by the diocese toward Galveston show otherwise.

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I may be wrong.....but previous actions by the diocese toward Galveston show otherwise.

I would be in favor of it. People would still refer to St. Mary's as St. Mary's Cathedral, just as people in St. Louis still refer to the old cathedral as.. well, as the old cathedral, even though it hasn't been one in a century.

Galveston is not central to the Archdiocese and it is not where even a large percentage of the parishioners live. Houston is now the 4th largest city in the U.S. with over 5 million in surrounding areas (which I don't think includes Galveston). The Woodlands or Katy or Sugarland are bigger communities than Galveston and one of those isn't even officially a city.

So, it would make more sense to be the Archdiocese of Houston, as it would have national recognition, whereas Galveston is seen as a little island pseudo-vacation spot.

-Michael

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Just a hunch!, but let's wait and see....... It was 1958 when Bishop Nold changed the name of the diocese from Galveston to Galveston-Houston and moved the chancery office to Houston. Fifty years would be 2008, just right for a another name change to go along with the openning of a new cathedral. The diocese has already merged St. Mary's Cathedral (Galveston) and Sacred Heart church (Galveston) into one parish. St. Mary's is basicly a tourist attraction. They are also trying to sell the bishop's palace to the city of Galveston. Bishop Forenze also tryed closing O'Connell High School last year, but he ultimately allowed a group of supporters a chance to keep it open even though it is losing money and enrollment. It is still a catholic school but no longer affiliated with the diocese.

I may be wrong.....but previous actions by the diocese toward Galveston show otherwise.

I guess it could always happen. It sure sounds more official, the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart makes it sound like it's not quite a Cathedral....just a "Co-Cathedral".

Anyway, can anyone take a picture of the construction for those of us not living in Houston? The Archdiocese web site seems to be updated very infrequently these days.

Thanks!

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Anyway, can anyone take a picture of the construction for those of us not living in Houston? The Archdiocese web site seems to be updated very infrequently these days.

Thanks!

I took this one earlier this week... it appears they're mostly done externally-speaking.

407903433_bc84806c75.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...
It looks great! Thank you Highway6!

If anyone has more pics, please share...

With pleasure. Please excuse the quality as I didn't buy the best camera-phone on the lot.

post-3700-1174600698.jpeg

post-3700-1174600708.jpeg

Edited by nx99
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I drove by today and wondered why the main windows face the Pierce Elevated instead of downtown?

Seems like they laid this out in the wrong direction.

but as you look at the front of the cathedral, you see downtown, not the pierce elevated. the windows looked like stained glass so when you're inside, the outside view shouldn't be a problem.

Edited by musicman
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I took this one earlier this week... it appears they're mostly done externally-speaking.

407903433_bc84806c75.jpg

You'll notice that the copper dome has already acquired a (chemically induced) patina.

Heck, they could have saved themselves the trouble; its proximity to the Pierce Elevated would facilitate the process in no time :D .

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You'll notice that the copper dome has already acquired a (chemically induced) patina.

Heck, they could have saved themselves the trouble; its proximity to the Pierce Elevated would facilitate the process in no time :D .

I wish they would have let it do so naturally. It would give the building a since of history as it is happening; not instant history. I guess "they" want us to view it as being there for ages.

Oh well.

m. <_<

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It's all about blending in, coexisting with the secular, and being as inoffensive as possible, but it has nothing to say about faith, spirituality, or what makes religion special to some people.

Nothing to say about faith? What about the fact that it's a giant cross facing the sky, and apparent to the hundreds of thousands of people who drive by every day on the Pierce Elevated?

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the front faces the pierce elevated because its typical cathedral design, so that the sun that rises in the east (as a metaphor for jesus rising from the dead) would bring light on the priest, while preeching. Or something like that.

Isn't the Pierce Elevated south of the cathedral?

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Nothing to say about faith? What about the fact that it's a giant cross facing the sky, and apparent to the hundreds of thousands of people who drive by every day on the Pierce Elevated?

Yes, it is shaped like a giant cross, but I'm not sure that is going to cause mass conversions among commuters on the Pierce Elevated. I meant that, at least to me, such a mundane and commonplace building would do little to inspire religious contemplation.

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Yes, it is shaped like a giant cross, but I'm not sure that is going to cause mass conversions among commuters on the Pierce Elevated. I meant that, at least to me, such a mundane and commonplace building would do little to inspire religious contemplation.

Trust me, the Catholic Church does not expect people to join because of their architectural likes or dislikes. It goes a bit deeper than that. And Cathedrals are not built as tools for mass converations.

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I meant that, at least to me, such a mundane and commonplace building would do little to inspire religious contemplation.

while the building is of a modern design, if you walk around it, I don't think i'd use the word commonplace to describe it. its size is surprising.

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Isn't the Pierce Elevated south of the cathedral?

It is southwest of it. I just thought that would have been the explination, it would be difficult to get the entrance exactly west, so that the "top of the cross" would face dirtectly east... since Downtown's grid (as well all know) doesn't run east-west, north-south. ;)

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You'll notice that the copper dome has already acquired a (chemically induced) <a href="http://web2.ccpl.org/prvEmplo

yees/HTML/scienceproject/OnlineExhibits/ncw/GreenPatinaFinish.html" target="_blank">patina</a>.

Heck, they could have saved themselves the trouble; its proximity to the Pierce Elevated would facilitate the process in no time :D .

but as you look at the front of the cathedral, you see downtown, not the pierce elevated. the windows looked like stained glass so when you're inside, the outside view shouldn't be a problem.

Seeing it almost finished, I am a little less unapproving as I was at first. A Little more Oldworld Style would have made me like it more , but since I am not Catholic I guess my Vote means nothing. I would have built on a bigger parcel of land with some Original 100 year+ old Oaks and used more natural Texas Granite as was used for Our State Capital Building, that one has massive Style going for it. I would love to visit it around Christmas time for a Mass or Classical Christmas Concert.

Edited by PasadenaTexan
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  • 1 month later...
It seems they had more money than expected. In addition to the bell tower, someone mentioned that the church was spending a huge amount on upgrading the interior, including some expensive Italian chandeliers.

The interior artwork and furnishings always had a separate budget. Bishop Fiorenza was always very careful in all his statements to make it clear that the costs were for the building only, not including furniture, stained glass, sacred objects or artwork. Therefore, I would not consider the Italian chandeliers an "upgrade". As far as I know, the interior walls are all plaster now. I believe the original design was for stone walls, but was revised when the basement was deleted to save money. The idea was that in the future, when more money might be available, the walls could be upgraded to stone.

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It seems they had more money than expected. In addition to the bell tower, someone mentioned that the church was spending a huge amount on upgrading the interior, including some expensive Italian chandeliers.

Can't wait til it's completed. If it weren't for this church I never would have got to see the Pope a few years ago. :)

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