Saint Mary

History of the Cathedral

St. Mary's parish was founded in 1880, before the Catholic Diocese of Fargo even existed. After North Dakota became a state in 1889, the Holy See erected the Diocese of Jamestown under Bishop John Shanley, who moved his residence to Fargo in 1891 and renamed the see in 1897. Shanley purchased property for a cathedral, but its construction was halted when a catastrophic 1893 fire destroyed much of downtown Fargo; the bishop donated most of the cathedral funds — much of it raised through preaching parish missions — to help the city rebuild. The brick Romanesque Revival cathedral, designed by St. Paul architect Edward P. Bassford and built under the supervision of the Hancock brothers, was finally dedicated on May 30, 1899. Until 1917 it was the only Roman Catholic church in the city of Fargo, and its interior has been remodeled and redecorated numerous times since.

Architecture

The cathedral is a Romanesque Revival brick structure on a modified basilica plan, with the apse at the western end. The nave is divided into three aisles and six bays separated by buttresses, and the barrel-vaulted ceiling is joined by a cross vault at the transept. The southern facade features two unequal towers: the larger rises 172 feet (52 m) and houses the cathedral's single bell, while the smaller tower has a niche statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The large arched facade window is flanked by statues of St. Peter and St. Paul. The interior is notably airy and bright, with graceful columns and high-quality stained glass — restored in 2014 by Orchard Studio, which disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled each window with new leading and outer protective windows.

Worship and Liturgy

As the mother church of the Diocese of Fargo, the cathedral offers an unusually full daily schedule: sixteen Masses each week, including Saturday's 5 p.m. anticipatory Mass, three Sunday English Masses (8 a.m. incense-free, 10 a.m., and 12 p.m.), a 12 p.m. Latin Mass at Shanley Chapel (5600 25th St. S), and two weekday Masses (7 a.m. and 12:10 p.m.) Monday through Friday, plus an 8 a.m. Saturday Mass in the chapel. Confessions are heard every weekday morning from 6:30 to 6:50 a.m., again from 11:00 a.m. to noon, and on Saturdays from 3:00 to 4:45 p.m. A Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is prayed each Tuesday after the 12:10 p.m. Mass.

• Saturday Vigil Mass — 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday Masses — 8:00 a.m. (incense-free), 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m.
• Sunday Latin Mass — 12:00 p.m., Shanley Chapel
• Weekday Masses — Mon–Fri 7:00 a.m. and 12:10 p.m.
• Saturday morning Mass — 8:00 a.m. in the chapel
• Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help — Tuesdays after 12:10 p.m. Mass

Sacramental Life and Faith Formation

The cathedral serves as the principal parish and diocesan church for the full sacramental life of the faithful in Fargo. Baptisms are scheduled after parents attend a preparatory class with the parochial vicar (Fr. Edwin); First Reconciliation is celebrated in 2nd grade, while First Holy Communion and Confirmation are received together in 3rd grade, the restored order established by Bishop Folda across the Diocese of Fargo. Engaged couples contact the cathedral at least six months before their wedding, and at least one party must be a practicing Catholic. Those seeking to enter the Catholic Church join the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults/Children (OCIA/OCIC), coordinated through Mary Hanbury of the diocesan staff.

• Baptism preparation with the parochial vicar
• First Reconciliation — 2nd grade
• First Holy Communion and Confirmation — 3rd grade
• Holy Matrimony — 6-month notice; Catholic practice required
• OCIA / OCIC — Becoming Catholic, Mondays and Saturdays by appointment

Music and Choir Ministry

The cathedral maintains a choir and music ministry that supports both the Ordinary Form Sunday Masses and the broader liturgical life of the parish, including special liturgies presided over by the bishop.

Diocese of Fargo and the Bishop's Cathedral

The Diocese of Fargo was erected on November 12, 1889 as the Diocese of Jamestown, originally encompassing all of North Dakota. It was renamed for Fargo in 1897 when Bishop Shanley moved his residence there. Today it is a suffragan diocese of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The Cathedral of Saint Mary is its mother church. Bishop John Folda, ordained a bishop at this cathedral in 2013, is the ordinary; Bishop Msgr. Joseph Goering serves as rector. Cathedral Square, between 6th and 7th Streets N and 6th and 7th Avenues N, contains the cathedral, the parish rectory, the Wanzek Center parish office (619 7th St. N), the former St. Mary's grade school (now offices), and the bishop's residence.

Cathedral Renovation — "Finish the Race" Campaign

The cathedral parish is currently raising funds to renovate the barrel-vaulted ceiling and to install new artwork, a campaign titled "Finish the Race." This continues a long history of beautification — the 2011 southern-vestibule expansion for ADA access and the 2014 stained-glass restoration by Orchard Studio are recent milestones in the cathedral's ongoing preservation.

Visiting, Hours, and Contact

The parish office at the Wanzek Center, 619 7th St. N, Fargo, ND 58102 is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cathedral church is open for the full daily schedule of Mass and confession; the adoration chapel is open around the clock. Visitors can write to [email protected] or call (701) 235-4289. The mailing and office address differs from the church address (604 Broadway N, Fargo, ND 58102).