About Sacred Heart · Winona, Minnesota
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, located at 360 Main Street in Winona, Minnesota. Built in 1952 as a Gothic Revival limestone cathedral, it was formed by the merger of St. Thomas (established 1857) and St. Joseph (established 1862) parishes. It now serves as the seat of Bishop Robert Barron and is clustered with the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Mary's, and St. Anne's parishes in the Winona area. The cathedral was rededicated after a major renovation in 2007 and remains the principal liturgical and administrative center of the diocese.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Fr. Patrick Arens
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart offers the rare privilege of worshiping in the mother church of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester under the cathedra of Bishop Robert Barron, in a beautifully renovated Gothic Revival limestone cathedral with daily Mass, perpetual adoration in its dedicated chapel, and Saturday confessions. As a clustered parish with the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Mary's, and St. Anne's, it serves the full spiritual and cultural life of Winona's Catholic community through daily and Sunday Mass, livestreamed liturgies, faith formation, and outreach — making it both a local parish home and a destination for visitors exploring the diocese's heritage.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday at the Cathedral, 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM (before daily Mass)
- Saturday at the Cathedral, 4:30 PM (before vigil Mass)
- Tuesday and Wednesday at the Cathedral before the 12:10 PM Mass (see bulletin)
Adoration times
- Perpetual adoration available in the cathedral's adoration chapel (added in the 2005–2007 renovation); consult the parish bulletin for current exposition schedule.
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is the mother church of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, located at 360 Main Street in downtown Winona, Minnesota, along Minnesota State Highway 43. Built in 1952 in the Gothic Revival style with a limestone exterior, the cathedral serves as both the liturgical seat (cathedra) of the diocesan bishop and an active parish clustered with the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Mary's, and St. Anne's parishes. The cathedral was rededicated on June 5, 2007 following a major renovation that added a perpetual adoration chapel and a gathering space.
History
The cathedral parish was formed in 1952 by the merger of two of Winona's oldest parishes — St. Thomas (1857) and St. Joseph (1862) — that had stood only four blocks apart but were historically separated by language and nationality. Bishop Edward Fitzgerald consecrated the altar and celebrated the first Mass on October 25, 1952. The cathedral was updated in 1979–1982 to reflect Vatican II liturgical norms and again in 2005–2007, with the rededication on June 5, 2007.
Origins: St. Thomas and St. Joseph Parishes
Minnesota's first bishop, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Cretin, celebrated the first recorded Mass in Winona in 1856 and sent the Rev. Thomas Murray to organize the city's first parish, St. Thomas, in 1857. St. Thomas built two successive churches, the second completed in the early 1870s; it became the pro-cathedral when the Diocese of Winona was established in 1889 and its pastor, the Rev. Joseph Cotter, was named Winona's first bishop. St. Joseph parish, founded in 1862 for Winona's German Catholics, also built two churches, with its second completed in the early 1880s.
1952 Founding and First Mass
A cathedral fund drive launched in 1944, and on June 15, 1950 the Holy See approved the merger of St. Thomas (about 600 households) and St. Joseph (over 300 households). The new Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was completed and dedicated in 1952, with Bishop Edward Fitzgerald consecrating the altar and celebrating the first Mass on October 25, 1952.
Vatican II Renovation (1979–1982)
Liturgical directives of the Second Vatican Council required an updating of the cathedral that began in the fall of 1979 and concluded in February 1982. Improvements included acoustic work, installation of a new pipe organ, sanctuary remodeling, relocation of the cathedra and the shrines of Mary and Joseph, and a smaller, forward-positioned main altar.
Jubilee and 2007 Renovation
Bishop Bernard Harrington, installed as the seventh Bishop of Winona in January 1999, guided the cathedral into its second half-century in the Jubilee Year 2000. A second major renovation beginning in 2005 remodeled the worship space, added an adoration chapel and a gathering space, and concluded with a rededication on June 5, 2007.
Architecture
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a Gothic Revival structure built of limestone and completed in 1952. Its interior has been shaped twice — in 1979–1982 for Vatican II reforms (new organ, sanctuary remodel, relocated cathedra and Marian/St. Joseph shrines) and in 2005–2007, when the worship space was reworked and an adoration chapel and gathering space were added.
Mass and Sacrament Schedule
The cathedral celebrates daily Mass, a Saturday vigil, and a livestreamed Sunday Mass, along with regular confession times and perpetual adoration in its dedicated chapel. Visitors are encouraged to consult the parish bulletin or website for any time changes, especially around holy days and special diocesan events.
- Tuesday 12:10 PM (Cathedral)
- Wednesday 12:10 PM (Cathedral)
- Friday 7:00 AM (Cathedral)
- Saturday 8:00 AM (Cathedral, daily Mass)
- Saturday 5:00 PM (Cathedral, vigil)
- Sunday 10:00 AM (Cathedral, livestreamed)
- Confessions Saturday 8:30–9:30 AM and 4:30 PM at the Cathedral; also before Tuesday/Wednesday 12:10 PM Mass
- Perpetual adoration in the adoration chapel
Clustered Parishes
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is clustered with neighboring parishes for collaborative ministry across the Winona area. These include the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka (which itself has its own daily and Sunday Mass schedule), St. Mary's, and St. Anne's. The historic parish of St. Casimir — founded in 1905 from St. Stanislaus Kostka — has also been clustered with Sacred Heart.
Clergy and Leadership
The cathedral is led by a rector and parochial vicar, with the diocesan bishop's cathedra located in the sanctuary. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is currently led by Most Rev. Robert Barron, and the cathedral's current rector is Fr. Patrick Arens with Fr. Michael Churchill serving as parochial vicar.
- Most Rev. Robert Barron — Bishop of Winona-Rochester (cathedra at Sacred Heart)
- Fr. Patrick Arens — Rector
- Fr. Michael Churchill — Parochial Vicar
Visiting and Contact
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart welcomes visitors at 360 Main Street, Winona, MN 55987, along Minnesota State Highway 43 near downtown Winona. The parish office can be reached at (507) 452-4770, and current information — including Mass times, confession schedules, and any changes for the week — is published on the cathedral website and in the parish bulletin.
- Address: 360 Main Street, Winona, MN 55987
- Phone: (507) 452-4770
- Website: https://cathedralwinona.org
- Diocese: Diocese of Winona-Rochester (https://www.dowr.org)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Murray1857–
Sent by Bishop Cretin to organize Winona's first parish, St. Thomas, in 1857.
- Rev. Joseph Cotter
Pastor of St. Thomas when the Diocese of Winona was established in 1889; named the first Bishop of Winona.
- Bishop Edward Fitzgerald1952
Consecrated the altar and celebrated the first Mass in the new Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on October 25, 1952.
- Bishop Bernard Harrington1999–
Installed as seventh Bishop of Winona in January 1999; oversaw the 2005–2007 renovation and 2007 rededication.
- Most Rev. Robert Barron
Current Bishop of Winona-Rochester; cathedra located at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
- Fr. Mark McNea
Listed as rector on Wikipedia infobox.
- Fr. Patrick Arens
Current rector per diocese directory.
- Fr. Michael Churchill
Current parochial vicar per diocese directory.