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the old
Cathedral would be saved, including the spire, the three bells from the steeple, three mosaics from the sanctuary, the marble sanctuary appointments, one large undamaged stained glass window, three smaller undamaged semicircular stained glass windows, some ornamental stonework from around the doorways, and some other stone from the building. The demolition plan sparked debate among some in the city who felt portions of the structure should be preserved or declared a landmark.
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On June 10, 2007, Bishop
Morlino announced his intention to have the structure demolished and replaced with a new and larger church capable of seating 1,000 people. The Diocese of Madison announced on March 13, 2008, that St. Raphael's would be demolished by June of that year and that some items from
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jumping. Connell said that he had broken into the
Cathedral using a crowbar, stole a bottle of wine, and then "messed around with some stuff". The fire started in an office/storeroom under the spire, and the crowbar was found in that room. Connell had a history of mental problems, and had previously
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The fire caused the roof to collapse into the building, although the walls and steeple remained standing. There was further damage from the water and fears that the refurbished steeple would collapse, although the steeple was found to be stable in the days following the fire. The mosaics sustained
126:. The first frame church building was constructed in 1848. It measured 20 by 24 feet (6.1 by 7.3 m), but was sufficient size for the congregation at that time. In 1853, Father Francis Etchmann began constructing the most recent church building. The cornerstone was laid on May 28, 1854 by
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Bishop Hying held a press conference on
January 24, 2024, to officially make public the decision of the Holy See to name St. Bernard's as the new cathedral for the Diocese of Madison. Once a $ 15 million renovation project of the church building is completed in mid-2025, St. Bernard's will be
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of no cathedral while utilizing facilities of the diocese for diocesan events, and elevate an existing parish church for the cathedral. He rejects building a new cathedral as too expensive, and the status quo as undesirable. In
January 2023, the bishop proposed that he petition the
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On June 24, 2011, the parish purchased the structure it built in 1962 to house St. Raphael's School from 1963 until it closed in 1970. The parish demolished the building and in late 2012 created a park across the entire property featuring a Way of the Cross.
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at 222 West Main Street. In March 2005, the
Cathedral building located at 204 West Main Street was heavily damaged in a fire and was demolished. In late 2012, the diocese constructed a park on the site, called
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to name St. Bernard's Church in
Madison as the diocesan cathedral. This would require less of a financial burden and the plan could be accomplished with a small capital campaign to raise the necessary funds.
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In
October 1952 plans were announced to renovate St. Raphael's to better function as a cathedral. Construction began the following year. The Madison architecture firm John Flad & Associates and
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and Holy
Redeemer to form a new Cathedral Parish of St. Raphael. The plan at the time was for the parish to be housed in facilities of the two churches until a new cathedral could be built.
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156:. St. Raphael's was then chosen as the Cathedral church for the Madison diocese. At the time of the parish's elevation to a cathedral, Msgr. William Mahoney was the pastor. Bishop
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were responsible for the plans. A basement was dug out below the church building and a parish hall, kitchen, cloakroom, and other facilities were created there. A new two-story
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On March 14, 2005, a fire caused extensive damage to St. Raphael's
Cathedral, affecting not only those who attended the church, but the entire diocesan community.
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created the Diocese of Madison for an 11-county area in the southwestern part of the state. Territory was taken from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the
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In the early 1840s, immigrants from Ireland settled in what would later become Madison. They were soon organized into a parish named after the
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137:. He dedicated the new building because the parish was under his jurisdiction at the time. The spire and bells were added in 1885. A
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been in trouble with the law. Connell was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of close supervision.
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in Madison would be named the new cathedral rather than build a new cathedral at the St. Raphael site.
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From 1842 until 1853, the parish did not have a church and often celebrated Mass in homes and in the
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238:. Forty-one-year-old William J. "Billy" Connell was arrested for setting the fire and charged with
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619:"Mark third anniversary of cathedral fire quietly with prayer; have great hope for the future"
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and former Archbishop of Milwaukee, rededicated the renovated cathedral on March 10, 1955.
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donated the land upon which the parish buildings and a later parking lot would be built.
348:"Madison homeless advocates ask Catholic Diocese to allow camp on former cathedral site"
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smoke and water damage, and the stained glass windows were damaged but still in place.
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570:"Church Arsonist Gets 15 Years Judge Says Schizophrenic Man Is A Threat To The Public"
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was installed in St. Raphael's as the first Bishop of Madison on March 12, 1946.
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On July 1, 2008, the parish of St. Raphael merged with the nearby parishes of
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Religious buildings and structures in the United States destroyed by arson
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outlined three proposals to settle the cathedral question as part of the
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441:"St. Raphael Cathedral renovated in early years of Diocese of Madison"
408:"St. Raphael Cathedral property not tax exempt for 2013, judge rules"
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for the first time in the old territorial capitol building. Governor
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was added in 1897, and a new school building was dedicated in 1911.
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195:. The renovation also included new lighting, interior decorating,
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connected the cathedral and the rectory. The old sacristies,
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770:"Cathedral importance and update shared in press conference"
467:"Cathedral Marks 150th anniversary of laying of cornerstone"
695:"St. Raphael parish buys back old school for new cathedral"
378:"Photos: Summer day at Cathedral Place in downtown Madison"
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St. Raphael’s Cathedral: A Proposal by Michael Bursch
493:"New Spire to Crown St. Raphael Cathedral in Madison"
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187:were installed. The marble for the altar came from
107:. On August 15, 1842, Father Martin Kundig offered
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1095:Churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison
1017:Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart, Madison
744:"Proposals for cathedral, Traditional Latin Mass"
1125:Demolished buildings and structures in Wisconsin
322:List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
223:St. Raphael's undergoing de-construction in 2008
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16:Roman Catholic cathedral in Madison, Wisconsin
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1120:Buildings and structures demolished in 2008
234:The cause of the fire was determined to be
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943:Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, Beloit
645:"A Debate on the Ruins of the Cathedral"
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973:Our Lady of Loretto Church, Honey Creek
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327:List of cathedrals in the United States
55:St. Raphael's in 2006, with a new spire
1100:Roman Catholic cathedrals in Wisconsin
768:Mueller, Graham (February 14, 2024).
543:Nornberg, Julianne (March 24, 2005).
465:Uhler, Mary C. (September 16, 2004).
7:
718:Wondrash, Kevin (14 December 2022).
491:Uhler, Mary C. (30 September 2004).
439:Mary C. Uhler (February 23, 2021).
978:St. Augustine Church, New Diggings
720:"Cathedral future to be addressed"
595:"Cathedral to be rebuilt downtown"
346:Schneider, Pat (October 5, 2015).
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1130:Church fires in the United States
1054:Mount Olivet Cemetery, Janesville
845:Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison
545:"Cathedral fire: Result of Arson"
406:Trevelen, Ed (November 5, 2014).
91:. In 2023, it was announced that
72:Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison
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988:St. Wenceslaus Church, Waterloo
963:St. Bernard's Church, Watertown
593:Uhler, Mary C. (14 June 2007).
1110:Churches in Madison, Wisconsin
693:Erickson, Doug (3 July 2011).
296:consecrated as the cathedral.
191:and the mosaic was created in
1:
983:St. Joseph's Church, Shields
958:St. Patrick's Church, Madison
953:St. Bernard's Church, Madison
568:Trelven, Ed (June 12, 2007).
1022:St. Ambrose Academy, Madison
948:St. Patrick's Church, Benton
668:Wagner, Kat (28 June 2008).
643:Mosiman, Dean (3 May 2008).
74:and was located in downtown
165:Rambusch Decorating Company
115:, a close friend of Father
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938:St. Peter's Church, Ashton
803:Diocese of Madison website
517:"History & Statistics"
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670:"Downtown Parishes Merge"
274:In December 2022, Bishop
60:Saint Raphael's Cathedral
37:43.0722944°N 89.3862444°W
863:William Patrick O'Connor
798:Cathedral Parish website
928:St. Raphael's Cathedral
699:Wisconsin State Journal
649:Wisconsin State Journal
574:Wisconsin State Journal
413:Wisconsin State Journal
42:43.0722944; -89.3862444
1074:Catholicism portal
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873:William Henry Bullock
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209:Archbishop of Chicago
201:stations of the cross
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150:Diocese of La Crosse
144:On January 9, 1946,
135:Diocese of Milwaukee
93:St. Bernard's Church
1115:Crimes in Wisconsin
868:Cletus F. O'Donnell
774:The Catholic Herald
748:The Catholic Herald
724:The Catholic Herald
674:The Catholic Herald
623:The Catholic Herald
599:The Catholic Herald
549:The Catholic Herald
497:The Catholic Herald
471:The Catholic Herald
183:of St. Raphael and
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521:Diocese of Madison
314:Catholicism portal
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117:Samuel Mazzuchelli
76:Madison, Wisconsin
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750:. 11 January 2023
382:The Capital Times
353:The Capital Times
105:Archangel Raphael
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28:89°23′10.48″W
25:43°04′20.26″N
1013:High schools
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87:featuring a
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889:Auxiliaries
260:St. Patrick
203:. Cardinal
40: /
1089:Categories
1047:Cemeteries
859:Ordinaries
754:2023-01-15
729:2023-01-08
704:2011-12-30
679:2011-12-30
654:2011-12-30
629:2018-08-17
604:2011-12-30
579:2011-12-30
554:2011-12-30
526:2011-12-31
502:2011-12-30
477:2011-12-30
451:2022-03-21
419:13 October
388:13 October
359:13 October
333:References
284:status quo
131:John Henni
997:Education
924:Cathedral
473:. Madison
447:. Madison
64:cathedral
969:Historic
934:Parishes
918:Churches
779:March 2,
300:See also
289:Holy See
240:burglary
189:Florence
173:sacristy
70:for the
1031:Priests
853:Bishops
154:diocese
139:rectory
133:of the
99:History
62:is the
246:, and
207:, the
199:, and
193:Venice
185:Tobias
181:mosaic
177:altars
128:Bishop
68:parish
66:and a
244:arson
236:arson
781:2024
421:2015
390:2015
361:2015
248:bail
109:Mass
167:of
83:or
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