Since the first sprinkling of holy water on the walls of Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament 112 years ago, this church of soaring towers has heard the whispered prayers of the powerful, the poor and the disenfranchised with equal grace.

Built in 1889 by the first bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, Patrick Manogue, the Italian Baroque church was purposely constructed at the corner of 11th and K streets in downtown Sacramento, just one block north of the state Capitol building.

“Bishop Manogue built the cathedral right in the heart of the city as a counterpoint to the state Capitol,” said Father Steven Avella, who is writing a history of the Catholic Church in Sacramento. “In the middle of downtown there is a place carved out that harkens people to God’s presence among us.”

Harry Hallenbeck, right, coordinator of renovation of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, and Bishop William K. Weigand pause on the roof while touring the cathedral’s dome. Steve German/Herald photo

Today 200,000 people visit the cathedral annually and some 2,300 parish families go there to celebrate the sacraments of their faith. While there have been repairs and some structural change to the church over the years, the roof has developed a few leaks and water has been known to invade the basement.

To restore the Sacramento landmark to its original beauty, the diocese, as part of its $50 million capital campaign (“Preserving Our Past, Building Our Future”) will direct $10 million toward repairing and refurbishing the cathedral. Though the final cost may reach $20 million, only $10 million will come from the campaign and the diocese will contribute the rest.

“This historic structure provides a very real connection with those who planted the faith in our region with all our sisters and brothers living today,” said Bishop William K. Weigand of the mother church of the diocese, which now serves more than 500,000 Catholics.

Overseeing the ambitious restoration project is Harry Hallenbeck, vice president and director of planning and design services for Vanir Construction Management. Selected by Bishop Weigand in 1997 to head up an assessment of the project, Hallenbeck said he relishes the opportunity to improve what he views as “the finest cathedral on the West Coast” for new generations of people.

To authentically replicate the original design of the 45,000-square-foot church with its 217-foot central tower, the project team has made an exhaustive search for early interior and exterior photos and plans extensive testing of materials such as original paint colors.

“The building will absolutely come to life in color and brilliance,” Hallenbeck said, explaining that originally blues prevailed and will again.

The most significant change structurally will be to restore the cathedral’s original dome.

Discovering the existence of the inner dome skeleton left in tact when a false dome was installed in 1932, Hallenbeck says, was incredible good fortune.

“We will be able to open it up so there will be natural light coming through, a wonderful space going up 120 feet to look up into. It will have a significant impact on the spiritual sense of the building,” he noted.

Because original artwork was destroyed when a false dome was installed, plans also call for new fresco painting around the dome.

In addition to seismic retrofitting and repairing water damage, other interior changes include a proposal to lower the floor and move seating under the dome to make liturgies more inviting and accessible to all. Hallenbeck says perhaps the greatest challenge will be to create a more intimate environment within the church’s sizable sanctuary.

In addition, the choir location will be evaluated with a view to improving the performance and acoustics of the musicians. A new organ of high quality may be installed.

“This is a lifetime opportunity to better achieve the actions and rituals of our faith for the next 100 years,” he said.

To create a stronger sense of place for the cathedral, a revitalized Cathedral Square is envisioned at the extension of 11th Street. New entry portals with trellises, outdoor furniture and multiple ramps, says Hallenbeck, “will make the cathedral a place to be in rather than a place to go through.”

Renovation of the lower level to accommodate parish, diocesan and community gatherings will feature an assembly area, meeting space, new bathrooms and enlarged kitchen facilities.

Father James Murphy, rector of the cathedral, says renovation cannot begin too soon.

“For parishioners, it’s about time for this to happen,” he said, referring to practical problems that come from having a leaky roof.

He said changes to Cathedral Square creating a European style plaza and a newly-designed lower level parish hall will give new life to the whole area.

To ensure input from Cathedral parishioners and others throughout the diocese on the restoration and renovation, steering and liturgical design committees have been established with diverse representation.

Liz Abad, a member of the liturgical design committee, is a parishioner and Sacramento native. Abad is looking forward to improvements to the church’s lower level, which is a meeting place for small faith groups, and better accessibility for the handicapped.

“The cathedral has always had open arms for people in every walk of life, all races and economic levels,” she said. “You may sit next to a couple in love or someone who is homeless and people respect each other’s story.”

Through the years the cathedral has been the chosen venue for milestone events such as weddings, baptisms and ordinations, as well as major concerts and cultural activities. But for countless Catholics like Thomas Waddock, the cathedral is about family roots and spiritual heritage.

Waddock, his parents, sisters, grandparents and an uncle, all grew up attending 8 a.m. Sunday Mass there. As an eight-year-old, he remembers gazing up at the pastor speaking in Latin from an elevated pulpit, hoping to avoid a parental ear tweak encouraging silence. And as a teenager he felt a secret delight at being tapped to pass the collection basket.

“I think everybody to a degree follows the patterns of their youth,” he said. “The cathedral will always be for me a natural place to go back to. It represents a continuity between the past and present, a focus for a new generation of young people.”

Plans are to begin design development of the project in October and selection of the contractor in January. Construction is to begin in September 2002.

“This will be the first time the cathedral has been systematically gone over to express the unity of the building,” said Father Avella, who grew up in Sacramento but is now a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wis. “We’re the generation with an opportunity to bring what it means to Sacramento to the fullest expression.”

Copyright © 2001 Diocese of Sacramento - All Rights Reserved

[Catholic Herald - Cover Page]