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November
7, 2005 
VOL.
43, NO. 19Oakland,
CA
Restored historic
Cathedral reopens
near state Capitol in Sacramento
Following 27 months of restoration work, Sacramento
Bishop William K. Weigand will rededicate the restored Cathedral of the
Blessed Sacrament in the state capital during a special Mass on Sunday,
Nov. 20.
Some 30 bishops from across the United States are expected at the invitation-only
Mass. Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., current president of
the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, will be the homilist.
The 116-year-old cathedral has undergone a $34.5 million restoration,
including restored artworks and brighter colors, new liturgical elements,
and a reopening of its 175-foot-high dome, which was blocked from view
in 1932.
Working from century-old newspaper descriptions and a handful of historic
drawings, the architects and artists created an all-new reconstruction
of the dome’s ornate decoration.
The Cathedral “is now more than ever the spiritual heart of our
city, a place of extraordinary beauty that enables people to rise above
the drudgery of daily life,” Bishop Weigand said.
“I pray that it will continue to be a powerful witness to the Catholic
faith in California’s capital.”
He said that restoring and preserving “one of the three most significant
historic buildings in Sacramento” wasn’t an option. “It
had to be done.”
Consecrated in 1889, the Italian Renaissance-style cathedral was described
by the Sacramento Bee in 1908 as “the richest and most imposing
church edifice on the Pacific Coast.”
The cathedral’s interior was meant to be a Victorian interpretation
of French Renaissance style, had it been completed, Bishop Weigand said.
“Over the years the interior was further changed – ‘modernized,’
if you will – and by the 1970s it had become a hodgepodge of styles
that lacked a unifying theme.”
The challenge, said architect Jim Shepherd, was “to transform the
interior while preserving its impact as an historic space.”
Foremost among the hidden improvements is a seismic retrofit. There are
also new restrooms, stairway, ramps and an elevator. The main and lower
levels were redesigned to meet the accessibility standards of the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
Several public events are planned to celebrate the cathedral’s reopening:
• A Solemn Mass of thanksgiving commemorating the silver anniversary
of episcopal ordination of Bishop Weigand will be celebrated on Monday,
Nov. 21, at 11 a.m. in the Cathedral.
Bishop Richard C. Hanifen, retired bishop of Colorado Springs, Colo.,
will be the homilist. A reception will follow immediately after the Mass
in the Cathedral Hall.
• A Solemn Vespers service and reception will be held on Monday,
Nov. 21, at 5:30 p.m. Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles will preach.
The service will be followed by a reception in the Cathedral Hall. Community,
government and religious leaders are expected to attend.
• “St. Cecilia Sing,” a choir festival, will be presented
on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Cathedral.
• Bishop Weigand will preside at a Mass of thanksgiving for the
rededication of the Cathedral on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24,
at 10 a.m. The Cathedral Choir and the Cathedral Brass will participate
in the Mass.
Workers apply the finishing touches to the interior of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament as a 27-month, $34 million restoration draws to a close. The religious and civic landmark has been returned to its 19th-century style and transformed with new design elements.
LUIS GRIS ELIZARRARAS/HERALD PHOTO
