Cathedral Restoration Work Progresses

Cathedral restoration enters final phase

PATERSON  The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Paterson skyline, has been shrouded in scaffolding for more than a year as it undergoes an historic restoration both to its exterior and interior. The Cathedral, dedicated on July 31, 1870, was closed following safety concerns in late fall 2010.

“We are very happy with the Cathedral restoration,” said Bishop Serratelli, “It’s proceeding with great attention to every detail of the structure of the building. When finished, our Cathedral will be a beautiful expression in art of the faith and generosity of the people the Diocese of Paterson.”

On Dec. 9, 1937, the Catholic Diocese of Paterson was established by Pope Pius XI and on that same day, the parish church of St. John the Baptist became the Diocesan Cathedral or seat of the Bishop, making the Cathedral an integral part of the Diocese’s history. Throughout the years, the major events of the Diocese of Paterson have taken place in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Many of the diocese’s priests were ordained there.

The Cathedral, located in the heart of Paterson, is also home to a vibrant and active parish community. When it opened, it was home to Irish immigrants. Continuing the tradition a century and a half later of serving immigrants, the cathedral welcomes mostly Hispanics to its parish community under the direction of Msgr. Mark Giordani, rector, who said, “We are looking forward to the re-opening of the cathedral just as Joshua and his people looked forward to entering the Promised Land.” Since its closure in 2010, parishioners have celebrated Mass Bishop Rodimer Center, adjacent to the Cathedral on Grand Street. The St. John’s community holds the distinction of having the most baptisms in the Paterson Diocese taking place there, a sign of the parish community growing for generations.

The Cathedral’s restoration was one of the major case elements in the Diocese’s 2012-2013 Partners in Faith Capital and Endowment Campaign. Work on the cathedral ceased while the campaign was being conducted. Some 75 percent of the expenses for the restoration are for safety issues with 25 percent for the interior changes. Partners in Faith successfully raised more than $61 million in pledges through the generosity of the faithful across the Diocese.

Tim Potter, diocesan director of development, said, “The work going on in our Cathedral symbolizes the activity that is happening throughout our entire Diocese in parishes, schools and various diocesan ministries and departments. Partners in Faith continues to demonstrate the enormous good that is accomplished when the faithful in our Diocese come together for a great cause. Our pastors led the way at the start of Partners in Faith by encouraging the sacrificial support of parishioners, and this leadership continues today through the generosity of all who participated in Partners in Faith, and especially of those who continue to fulfill their pledge commitment. We are so grateful for this ongoing support, which is critical to our mission to serve Christ by serving others.”

Work on the cathedral has been done in three phases with the first two phases expected to be completed by the end of this year. Some of the issues addressed in the restoration in its first phase entailed repairs to the heavy timber trusses that support both the ceiling and the roof in the attic, the footings, foundation and floor joists in the crawl space and the entire brown stone façade of the cathedral’s exterior. This phase also included the installation of catwalks and the cleaning of the attic debris from prior projects.

The second phase, which was the most prominent to outsiders due to the scaffolding, was work done to the façade of the cathedral. This included the tower repointing, additional stone repairs, including the partial chimney demolition to the roofline and capping it and grouting at top decks of the bell tower.

The final phase, which began in late summer and is the most complex according to the restoration team, focuses on the interior renovations and is moving at a steady pace. The protective glazing abatement has been completed allowing Botti Studio’s, the studio who worked on the stained glass windows at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City, to increase their pace of work. Additionally, progress is being made offsite on the restoration of the organ, the Stations of the Cross and other statues and the chandlers.

Dennis Rodano, diocesan business and facilities project manager, and Rebeca Ruiz-Ulloa, diocesan architect, have been overseeing the Cathedral. “We are in the process of scheduling sessions in each of the three counties of the Diocese where priests will be invited to learn about the progress and witness, through photos, the issues that have been uncovered and have been addressed during this project,” Rodano said. When the Cathedral is completed Ruiz-Ulloa said, “People can expect to see a design that respects the historic fabric, incorporates the present modern needs and is the center of the community for the spiritual life of the Diocese and the parish of our Mother Church.”

Msgr. James Mahoney, vicar general and pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, said, “As a pastor and vicar general of the diocese, seeing the Cathedral gradually move into completion has been a frustrating, challenging, wonderful, and spiritual process. When the Cathedral itself had to be closed in 2010 due to the collapsing structure, it was just discouraging. The Cathedral is among the most active of all our parishes. No other parishes could absorb the people. In addition, the Cathedral is our Mother Church, standing as a beacon of our faith to everyone in the city of Paterson and the entire diocese. The story of our Diocese begins with the story of our Cathedral. Due to the goodness of the people of our diocese, this story can continue with hope and a facility to meet our needs for the next century.”

“Witnessing the actual work that has already been completed, the dangerous conditions that have been uncovered, it is rewarding to know that the diocese took the proper action to take the time and do it right,” Ruiz-Ulloa said. “After all the years of preparation, it is personally fulfilling to see this project coming to fruition. Those who have been on site, witnessed the work, the large amount of workforce in place, and have seen the Cathedral project updates on the diocesan website are amazed at the amount of detail and effort that is being exerted and they cannot wait to see the end result.”

To keep parishioners and the faithful of the Paterson Diocese informed about the work on the Cathedral, the restoration team posts monthly updates with restoration details and photos of the work in progress on the diocesan website, www.rcdop.org.