Through the city’s remarkable history—its joys and sorrows, its trials and triumphs—St. Louis and the people who call it home have demonstrated unshakable generosity, grit, and hope. And for the last century, the Cathedral Basilica has stood at the center of it all: a testament to St. Louis’ rich history, a promise of her bright future, and a reminder that all that we do on earth rings into eternity.
…the Cathedral Basilica was a fragile dream. By their heroic response to grace, the faithful of St. Louis demonstrated that their love for Christ was as steadfast as the stones from which the Cathedral has hewn. Today, our community faces another unique opportunity—a charge to steward the treasure we have inherited, and a call to advance the Gospel in our community, across the nation, and into the future.
He has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has put eternity into man’s mind, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
– Ecclesiastes 3:11
Vast and intricate all at once, the Cathedral Basilica is an unrivaled jewel of the Church, and indeed, of all architecture. It is a stunning testament to man’s longing after greater things, to the story of Christ’s love for us, and to the faith of the saints who have advanced the message of the Gospel.
Take the SurveyBut for all its artistic value, the Cathedral Basilica is no museum piece—it is a spiritual field hospital, a refuge for souls, and an invitation, through beauty, to contemplate the Divine. The might and grace of soaring arches and the delicate and intricate beauty of the mosaics serve a far greater purpose, and the very walls of this building are nothing short of an encounter with the sacred.
Every corner of this church speaks Christ. Each and every soul that enters the Cathedral Basilica is met with an invitation into a greater relationship with Our Lord.
“All men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece.”
– Pope St. John Paul II
Spectacular as the Cathedral Basilica’s mosaics may be, they are a mere reflection of an even greater, living mosaic—the community that calls it home.
More intricate and dazzling than the mosaic that adorns the walls, this vast and varied body of the faithful celebrates at weddings and baptisms; mourns at vigils and funerals; rejoices at the relief and peace of God’s mercy in confession; and rests in the light of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. Here, against the discord that plagues our society, the city finds harmonious sacred music; against the frenetic pace of life, it finds restorative calm; against the indiscernible relativism of our age, it finds eternality, monumentality, and truth.
By securing the future of the church building, we are ministering in a very real way to souls who call it home, and to all who cross its portals. Beauty is a fundamental component of hospitality, of evangelization, and of faith; preserving beauty with charity bears witness to Christ.
“. . . Like living stones, let yourselves be built* into a spiritual house”
– 1 Peter 2:5
If the Cathedral Basilica is “a sermon in granite,” the faithful who make up the Mystical Body of Christ in St. Louis are truly “living stones.” The construction of a new archdiocesan center will meet the needs of this Mystical Body in a very direct way.
Located adjacent to the Cathedral Basilica — at the physical and spiritual heart of the broader archdiocese — this new space will serve as a greatly-needed resource for the revitalization of Catholic life that has found such fertile soil in St. Louis. It will provide a central meeting place for apostolates and lay groups from across the archdiocese (and, indeed, across the nation). It will allow us to extend greater hospitality to the pilgrims who journey to St. Louis each year to share in the treasure that is our Cathedral.
More than a mere event center, though, the new center will provide a fitting place to nurture our community, which has grown around the wellspring of beauty that is the Cathedral Basilica. This beauty can be carried out of the Cathedral and nourished in the center; it can be carried from the center into the homes of parishioners; it can transform the lives of all who enter and all they encounter. This is bearing witness to the Gospel in its simplest, steadiest sense.
Catholic communities throughout our nation look to St. Louis and see a vibrant Catholic identity. By nurturing our community, we can strengthen, encourage, and inspire the work of other Catholics around the nation.
The Cathedral Basilica has already withstood over a century of St. Louis weather — no easy feat! With proper care, this magnificent building can last for centuries to come. But today, there is work to be done.
This is necessary, practical work. In particular, we must complete repairs on the roof of the building. This first line of defense against the elements is vital to the integrity of the building. Moreover, completing the work on the roof preserves the restoration work that we have accomplished in the Cathedral Basilica’s interior and on its facade.
Equally practical is the need to plan, in prudence, for future maintenance. By setting aside a small portion of our resources now, we can ensure that the Cathedral Basilica will weather whatever storms the next century brings with grace, beauty, and strength.
Take the Survey
– Matthew 5:14
Even as we are called to practical maintenance of this architectural treasure, we also recognize that this call to stewardship is a spiritual charge. We have an opportunity to announce the Cathedral Basilica—and the Gospel for which it stands—to all St. Louis.
By updating the outdoor lighting of our spiritual home, we honor the work of those who came before us and celebrate the beauty of this unique and holy space. But more importantly than any of this, we have an opportunity to lift up the Cathedral as a figurative and literal reflection of the light of Christ, a visible and undeniable symbol of Our God’s enduring love for His people.
God is calling each of us to similar, heroic faith. We must rise to this divine challenge with the same unshakable generosity, grit, and hope that has characterized St. Louis since its founding. We must look toward eternity to pass on a Holy Church that is more vibrant than the one we inherited. And all the while, we must grow in greater love for Christ and each other. Let us begin!
As a community of faith, we must rely on each other--for prayer, for support, and for counsel. By offering your insight through the survey below, you will help us discern our next steps as we seek to pass on the Cathedral Basilica to our children, our city, and our nation.