Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Fort Wayne, Indiana)


The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the primary cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, headed by Most Rev. Kevin Carl Rhoades. The parish was established in 1836, making it the oldest in Fort Wayne. The church was erected in 1860.

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The original church on what is now Cathedral Square was St. Mary's church, opened between 1834 and 1835. In 1840, Rev. Louis Mueller began construction on a new church, the Cathedral of St. Augustine. St. Augustine's served as the church until a fire destroyed it in 1859. In 1859–1860, Rev. Julian Benoit erected a third church and named it the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in honor of the Blessed Virgin. The Cathedral building still stands today, maintained through various renovations over the decades, the most recent by Schenkel and Sons, Inc.
The Cathedral grounds, called the Cathedral Square, includes the Chancery of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, MacDougal Chapel, Cathedral Center for C.C.D. classes, and the Rectory, and the grave of the last Miami Indians chief, Joseph Richardville. Recently, the Cathedral Museum housed in the basement of MacDougal Chapel and diocesan offices located in the Cathedral Center were moved to a new location a few blocks north of Cathedral Square.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Current staff