Bp Callahan: La Crosse Cathedral celebrates 150th year as a parish

Cathedral of St. Joseph, 1950

Our cathedral, under the patronage of St. Joseph the Workman, begins some major anniversary celebrations this Sunday, May 6, at the 10:30 a.m. Mass. The Cathedral Parish begins its 150th or sesquicentennial anniversary and the present cathedral church building itself begins its 50-year anniversary at the same time.

This anniversary celebration will take place at our cathedral for the coming year and will involve all of us in our diocese in one way or another – and everyone is invited – no, encouraged,heartily encouraged to participate. All the parishes will be invited to celebrate Mass at the cathedral through your deaneries and with your pastors and parish priests. Remember the Year of Faith will kick off on Oct. 11, 2012 and runs through to the Solemnity of Christ the King in 2013 (the end of November). Busy times lie ahead of us; they are exciting and stimulating for our faith and our lived expression of it.

I sure hope that you will find time to get to your cathedral this year. I have proclaimed a special indulgence for those people who make a pilgrimage to the cathedral and offer the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be for the special intentions of the Holy Father along with the reception of the sacraments of penance and Eucharist according to the custom of the Church. You can make a day of it in La Crosse. The city is trying to become more visitor-friendly and is providing some good family fun. We also have the beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe where daily Mass is also offered and a beautiful restaurant is available for great eats before heading back home to any of our 19 counties and beyond.

continue at The Catholic Times