St. Patrick's Cathedral

During the installation as Archbishop of New York – which took place on April 15, 2009 – I said:“The Church is at her best, faithful to her mission, when she invites people to open the door and ask Jesus in. That’s precisely the invitation this Archdiocese of New York extends; that’s the proposal the Church makes to the world.” This is why St. Patrick’s Cathedral is so important. Every year, more than five million people of every different nationality and faith enter this Cathedral. Some come just as a tourist, but many more come to participate in the life of the Church. Regardless of why people visit this magnificent Cathedral, everyone who crosses our threshold is invited to open their hearts to God. The cornerstone of St. Patrick’s Cathedral was laid in 1858 and her doors swept open in 1879. It was over 150 years ago when Archbishop John Hughes announced his inspired ambition to build the “new” St. Patrick’s Cathedral.