1634:
Catholic Beginnings

1919:
Thomas O'Neill gives an amazing bequest

1925:
The location of the new Cathedral1954:
Ground is broken for the cathedral1954:
Pope Pius XII issues a decree that affects the naming of the Cathedral1955:
The cornerstone is laid on the first Feast of Mary Our Queen1959:
The new Cathedral is consecrated

1995:
Pope John Paul II visits cathedral

 
First Mass in Maryland

Jesuit Father Andrew White (1579-1656)
Father White celebrated the first Catholic Mass in Maryland, offering it as a thanksgiving God for their safe landing.

To reach American, he had found a job working for Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, who enlisted him to help find Catholic families who would settle in his new colony, Maryland. In November 1633, he and his fellow priests and nine servants began the long voyage on the ship Ark Father White kept a journal of this voyage, entitled, Voyage into Maryland:

"On 25 March, 1634, we celebrated Mass for the first time in the island (St. Clement's). This had never been done before in this part of the world."

Download an excerpt from his book.

Read a short biography of his life at "Exploring Maryland's Roots".

To find out where this is in our cathedral, see it in the Virtual Tour.