Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph (San Jose)

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph (Spanish: Catedral Basílica de San José)[1] is a large Roman Catholic church in Downtown San Jose, which serves as the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California, with the distinction of minor basilica.

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph
Spanish: Catedral Basílica de San José
Exterior view of Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph
37°20′03″N 121°53′27″W
Location80 South Market Street
San Jose, California
Country USA
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitewww.stjosephcathedral.org
History
StatusMinor Basilica, Cathedral
FoundedApril 22, 1877 (1877-04-22)
DedicationSaint Joseph
Dedicated1990
Consecrated1803, 1877
Past bishop(s)The Most Rev. R. Pierre DuMaine
The Most Rev. Patrick Joseph McGrath
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationCalifornia Historical Landmark #910
National Register of Historic Places #77000345
Groundbreaking1876
Completed1885
Specifications
Capacity950
Administration
DeaneryDeanery 3
Episcopal areaSan José in California
ArchdioceseArchidioecesis Sancti Francisci
DioceseDioecesis Sancti Josephi in California
ProvinceEcclesiastical province of San Francisco
Clergy
Bishop(s)Oscar Cantú
Vicar(s)
  • Rev. Fr. Gerardo Menchaca
  • Rev. Fr. Tadeusz Terembula
DeanRev. Fr. Ritche Bueza
(St. John the Baptist Parish)
Pastor(s)Rev. Fr. Joseph M. Benedict
Laity
Director of musicJulie Wind
Organist(s)Aileen Chanco
Business managerSusan Olsen
Liturgy coordinatorMelissa Broome Ursin
Religious education coordinatorSusan Olsen
Parish administratorTanis Zuccaro

The basilica is named for Saint Joseph, patron saint of the Catholic Church and namesake of San Jose, California.

History
Ceiling of St. Joseph's Cathedral Basilica.
Interior view of Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph

The original St. Joseph's Church was called San Jose de Guadalupe[2] built on the site of the current basilica in 1803, and was the first non-mission parish built in California for the benefit of Spanish settlers instead of the Mission Indians (Ohlone). The Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe was connected with Mission Santa Clara by The Alameda which was part of the historic El Camino Real. The original adobe structure was damaged by earthquakes in 1818 and 1822.

In 1835, prominent Californio businessman Antonio Suñol donated the land at the northeast corner of the Plaza del Pueblo (modern Plaza de César Chávez) for the construction of a new, larger adobe church.[3] Suñol, alongside his brother-in-law Antonio María Pico (who served as Alcalde of San José at the time), oversaw the construction of the church for the next eight years until its completion and consecration in 1846.[4] In 1842, Suñol petitioned Francisco García Diego y Moreno, the Bishop of the Californias, for proper religious vestments and relics for the church. The second church was severely damaged by the 1868 Hayward earthquake

Work on the third church began in 1869. The third church was destroyed by fire in 1875, and a temporary fourth church was built a few blocks away while the fifth and current church was being constructed. The fifth church was dedicated by Joseph Alemany, Archbishop of San Francisco, in 1877 while construction continued. The current portico was completed in 1884, and the large dome was finished in 1885.

In 1981, a major renovation project was begun at the church, which was to become the cathedral for the new Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose. In 1985, the church was elevated to a cathedral, pending completion of the restoration in 1990. It replaced Saint Patrick Proto-Cathedral Parish, located a few blocks away, as the cathedral of the diocese. The cathedral was made a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph is listed as a California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

Architecture

Plaques at entrance

Just inside the entrance to the cathedral are two plaques that read:

The Most Rev. Joseph S. Alemany, O.P.

First Archbishop of San Francisco
dedicated Saint Joseph Church,
fourth on this site, on land
donated by Antonio Sunol for the
first permanent Catholic Parish

in California, founded in 1803.

Rev. Nicholas Congiato, S.J., Pastor, 22 April 1877


The Most Rev. R. Pierre DuMaine

First Bishop of San Jose
dedicated this Church
restored and renovated
as the new Cathedral

of the Diocese of San Jose.

Rev. P. Jeremiah Helfrich, S.J. Rector, 4 November 1990

Joseph bible quotes

The top of the walls of the inside of the Cathedral include quotes from the Vulgate about Joseph:

  • Matthew 1:20 - ANGELVS DOMINI APPARVIT IN SOMNIS JOSEPH NOLI TIMERE ACCIPERE MARIAM CONIVGEM TVAM
  • Matthew 1:24 - EXSVRGENS JOSEPH A SOMNO FECIT SICVT PRÆCEPIT ET ANGELVS DOMINI ET ACCEPIT CONIVGEN SVAM
  • Matthew 2:13–2:14 - FVTVRVM EST VT HERODES QVÆRAT PVERVM AD PEDENDVM ET MATREM EIVS NOCTE ET SECESSIT IN ÆGYPTVM
  • Luke 2:48 - DIXIT MATER EIVS ECCE PATER TVVS ET EGO DOLENTES QVÆREBVS TE
  • Luke 2:51 - DESCENDIT CVM EIS ET VENIT NAZARET ET ERAT SVBDITVS ILLIS
  • Luke 3:23 - ET JESVS PVTABATVR FILIVS JOSEPH

Stained glass windows

The stained glass windows going counter clockwise from the east transept depict:

  1. Agony in the Garden
  2. Crucifixion
  3. Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
  4. Saint Catherine of Alexandria
  5. Saint Patrick
  6. Saint John
  7. Saint Luke
  8. The Holy Family
  9. Saint Casimir
  10. Saint Edward the Confessor
  11. Saint John the Baptist
  12. Saint Mark
  13. Saint Matthew
  14. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque & The Sacred Heart of Jesus
  15. Saint Francis Xavier
  16. Saint Claude de la Colombière
  17. Resurrection
  18. Ascension

Odell pipe organ

The Odell pipe organ was built in 1886 by the J. H. and C. S. Odell Company in Yonkers, New York. It is the only such Odell instrument surviving in its original condition in the United States. It has 40,000 parts. It has 27 ranks of 60 pipes each. It was restored during 1987-1990.

  • From the baptismal font, looking up the nave to the altar.
  • The south semitransept, from the altar
  • The nave from the altar, showing the baptismal font, with organ loft above
  • The altar from the top of the nave with the ambo and cathedra behind it
  • The altar, from the north semitransept
  • Interior of the large dome over the crossing

See also

References
  1. St. Joseph's Cathedral - El Ministerio en Español
  2. History of the Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph
  3. Sourisseau Academy for Californian History at SJSU - Life of Antonio Suñol
  4. St. Joseph's Cathedral - History Timeline
  5. "Cathedral - About". Retrieved May 8, 2016.
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