Dear Friends of the Cathedral Heritage Foundation,
We have made it to April, the snow has melted, hope springs eternal,
our taxes will be filed, and we find new energy to tackle projects and
spring cleaning. We have created a video montage celebrating
workers who have kept our Cathedral standing over the generations.
The Cathedral of Saint Paul staff had the church shining beautifully for
the Easter Triduum, and next, the pews will fill with students from
around the Archdiocese, making their confirmations, attending high school
commencements and participating in the college baccalaureate
Masses. And we can’t forget about all the extra visitors the Cathedral
welcomes tours during spring breaks and class field trips, and the
slate of concerts the Cathedral recently hosted. I encourage you to
visit the Cathedral on any day, find a quiet pew, and you will see the
activity I have described.
Thanks to donations from supporters like you, the Cathedral Heritage
Foundation has completed several projects over the past 18 months.
Here’s a sampling:
$85,882: Exterior doors were refinished and outfitted with new
hardware and security systems. The Dayton and Selby doors will
be next.
$21,620: Enhanced sanctuary lighting to help celebrants read
their texts more easily.
$10,700: Additional marble floor restoration work.
$7,925: Restoration of “The Entombment” painting by Théodule
Ribot.
$43,111: Support for Cathedral music programming.
$19,500: Support for Archives and Museum programs.
$1,175: Added equipment to improve Wi-Fi connectivity around
the Cathedral, supporting the mobile app featuring the “Official
Cathedral Tour.”
The Cathedral Heritage Foundation’s Board of Curators is working
diligently to identify and prioritize the ongoing restoration needs of the
Cathedral and build the governance leadership necessary to support a
campaign to fund those restoration needs. For projects large and
small, we depend on our donors’ generosity. We thank each of you for
your continued support for the Cathedral of Saint Paul—a masterpiece
of art and architecture, an icon on Saint Paul’s skyline, and the
spiritual home for Twin Cities Catholics.
Gratefully,
Mary E. Schaffner, Chair
Cathedral Heritage Foundation
and the Board of Curators