About the Cathedral

In August of 1881, Jesuit Father Joseph Cataldo converted a carpenter's shop into the Church of St. Joseph, the first Catholic church in the Spokane Township. Like the smallest of seeds, the mustard seed, the Catholic faith here had humble beginnings. Only five people attended the first Mass in that wooden shed which measured just fifteen by twenty-two feet.

Soon the seed sprouted and found sustenance in this soil. Five years later, a large brick church dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes replaced the original structure, and a school opened under the direction of the Sisters of the Holy Names. The seedling's continued growth required an even more significant move. The cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1903. In 1906, the new school was completed. In 1913, this mustard seed became what the Gospels celebrate as the "largest of plants," when Our Lady of Lourdes became the Cathedral for the newly created Diocese of Spokane.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes has witnessed season after season of changes as an inner city parish. Its family of believers has experienced many phases throughout the years: the hardships of pioneer life, affluence in exclusive turn-of-the-century "Browne's Addition"; gradual demographic transition as the city sprawled outward; an influx of young and mobile military families; and a poor and aging inner city population with its complex problems.

The Cathedral community has responded to these changes. Through liturgy and ministry, it faithfully serves and represents the many faces of Christ. The Cathedral's spires dominate the skyline. Its noon chimes fill the air, announcing to residents, workers, shoppers and travelers that the reign of God is in their midst.

From carpenter shop to Cathedral -- the parable lives!