Building Glory

The parish pastor, Father Paul Turner, and over 100 members and guests participated in the event, following a Mass in honor of St. John Francis Regis, the patron of the original log cabin church, built in the same area in 1834. The Center is named for John Joseph Hogan, the first Bishop of both the Diocese of St. Joseph and the Diocese of Kansas City. 

A glass bridge joins the new two-story, 17,000 square foot building to the historic cathedral. After more than five years of parish and diocesan planning, design and fundraising, the Bishop Hogan Center now houses the parish offices, a choir rehearsal room, a gift shop, meeting rooms, and emergency services for Morning Glory Ministries, which serves the needy of the downtown neighborhood. 

Most of the Hogan Center’s second floor is an expansive event space with chairs for 300 people and a fully functioning catering kitchen. That hall is named after the founding pastor, Father Bernard Donnelly, who served from 1845 to 1880. It will host activities for the parish and the diocese, including receptions for weddings, anniversaries, and ordinations, as well as musical performances, meetings, and lectures of interest to the broader community.

An open house was also held on June 28 when Father Paul, flutist Michael Gordon, and Cathedral choir director Mario Pearson entertained another 100 guests with live music. The expansive glass windows and high ceiling created a perfect acoustic for the concert.

On the first weekend of July, the cathedral welcomed Fr. Enda Murphy, who hails from the Diocese of Kilmore, Ireland, the same place where Father Bernard Donnelly was born. Fr. Murphy currently serves as a head of office for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. His address to priests earlier in the week demonstrated the excellence of the sound system inside Donnelly Hall.

Become a Part of History

The Building Glory Capital Campaign has raised more than $13 million for the new Bishop Hogan Center and now is in process of raising an additional $3 million for needed upgrades to the historic cathedral church, dedicated in 1883. The parish has received a $1 million challenge grant, which it needs to match by the end of the year. If you would like more information on becoming part of this Catholic legacy renovation, please contact the parish office at info@kcgolddome.org or call 816-842-0416.