St. Joseph Cathedral restoration

For many years the St. Joseph Cathedral has been undergoing different projects. Within the past ten years there have been three large projects. The chapel that was used for daily mass was converted into a parish hall, the old sacristy was converted into the daily mass/perpetual adoration chapel. I can honestly say that I have no idea what was in the space, which is now occupied by the sacristy. Over the past year and a half, plans have come to fruition to restore the main body of the cathedral to the original intentions of the architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray. Masqueray was the architect for the Basillica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, the Cathedral of St. Paul (in St. Paul) and the chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas on the University of St. Thomas campus.

There is a long list of things to do, which include: bringing color back to the whole church, improving the sound system, re-wiring the entire church, getting the place temperature controlled so that the paint will retain it's beauty. A portion of the restoration was revealed this past Friday. So far two columns have been painted in a way to make them look like marble. The stations of the cross, which were originally done in a relief, are being painted as well. I will post updates and pictures as this process continues.