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Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Crookston, Minnesota)

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Country
  
United States

Website
  
crookstoncathedral.com

Dedication
  
Immaculate Conception

Capacity
  
1,000

Denomination
  
Roman Catholic

Founded
  
1830

Opened
  
1990

Phone
  
+1 218-281-1735

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Crookston, Minnesota)

Location
  
702 Summit Avenue Crookston, Minnesota

Address
  
702 Summit Ave, Crookston, MN 56716, United States

Diocese
  
Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston

Similar
  
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The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic cathedral in Crookston, Minnesota, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Crookston. The present Cathedral was dedicated September 25, 1990 and is designed in the modern style. Prominent within the cathedral is the magnificent organ which is Opus 2132 of the Reuter Organ Company of Lawrence, Kansas. It is a two-manual, 31-rank instrument that contains approximately 1789 pipes. The cathedral's west bell tower features a shrine to the Holy Family. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel located in the southwest corner of the church, houses the cathedral's Tabernacle, as well as the cathedral's reliquary, and shrine to Our Lady of Guadeloupe.

It replaced the previous cathedral of the same name which had been built in 1912 at the intersection of North Ash Street and Second Avenue.

The earlier Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is unusual for having three spires on its Neo-Gothic facade, whereas most Neo-Gothic churches have two. Architect Bert Keck designed this church, along with the former Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Duluth, Minnesota. None of these buildings serve as churches any longer. Keck's design included two balconies, on the north and the south side of the church, for antiphonal choir responses. It also has a large choir balcony in the rear of the church for the choir and organ. Bishop Timothy J. Corbett, the first bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Crookston, organized the construction of the cathedral. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1989.

After the Diocese dedicated the new cathedral, it transferred ownership of the former structure to a homeless shelter which used the rectory for additional space. The shelter removed the stained glass windows from the sanctuary and gave some to parish members, with the rest sold to provide funding for its programs. In 2001, a windstorm caused severe damage to the remaining stained glass, causing air and rain to leak into the building. The north sacristy became home to a flock of pigeons, which covered the floor in droppings before their access points were closed. The Prairie Skyline Foundation has drafted plans to restore the cathedral and turn it into a performing arts space.

References

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Crookston, Minnesota) Wikipedia