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April 17, 2019At sunset after Mass on Feb. 16, more than 200 parishioners at Saint Joseph Old Cathedral in downtown Oklahoma City gathered for a celebration of light when they flipped the switch on new LED lights for the cross that tops their church.
The 9-foot by 6-foot cross had remained dark since the 1960s, but installation of a new roof sparked discussion about lighting the cross once again. It was lit from the 1930s until the 1960s.
“Maintenance staff used to scale up there and change out giant light bulbs, which spanned the external perimeter of the cross,” said Father M. Price Oswalt, pastor of Saint Joseph.
New and long-lasting LED lights mean Saint Joseph will again brighten Oklahoma City’s skyline. White bulbs were installed on both the front and back of the cross as well as colored LEDs bulbs on the perimeter.
“We will be able to do special lighting, most likely for liturgical seasons and special events,” Oswalt said.
Saint Joseph was one of the first structures built after Oklahoma’s first land run on April 22, 1889. According to the church’s website, in less than two weeks, parishioners began building a wooden structure at the top of Blue Hill, so called because it was covered in blue wildflowers.
The first cross was placed on July 31, 1889. The new church building was dedicated by Oklahoma's first bishop, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, on Dec. 18, 1904. When Oklahoma Territory was named a diocese by Pope Pius X in 1905, Saint Joseph became the first cathedral in Oklahoma.
The cathedral is home to more than 900 families from the metropolitan area and some from as far away as Enid and Chickasha. The daily Noon Mass also attracts people working downtown.
After the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, the church, which is located next to the bombing site and current national memorial, sustained extensive damage. Initial restoration work took more than 19 months before Saint Joseph was able to reopen. Renovation has been ongoing.
“The whole roof lifted off the church and slammed down on the pillars,” Father Oswalt said. “It has been 24 years. It needed replacing.”
A capital campaign for the roof was implemented. Since the church already was renting a crane, workers asked if the cross should be lit again.
“We only had the crane for four days,” he said. “I’ve always been concerned we’re not shining bright enough. Built on the highest hill in Oklahoma City, we needed to be that shining beacon on the hill.”
Father Oswalt presented the idea to parishioners, who resoundingly approved, donating $28,000.
“The cross of Christ is a beacon to call all people to come and see. It is a bright shining light to say, ‘Come and rest, find the light of faith.’”
Dee Nash is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photo: Saint Joseph Old Cathedral in downtown Oklahoma City. Photo Connor Keef.
