St. Agnes Cathedral

St. Agnes Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York, on Long Island. It is the seat of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The Most Reverend John Oliver Barres is the ordinary bishop of the Diocese and pastor of the Cathedral parish. The Saint Agnes Cathedral School is on campus with the cathedral.HistoryThe Parish of St. Agnes was founded in 1887, when the first Mass was celebrated at Walter Johnson's blacksmith shop with an anvil as the altar. By 1890, the blacksmith shop could no longer accommodate the parishioners so a small group rented the Gildersleeve's Hall in the local Institute Building. In 1905, a white marble stone church was built, to serve the Catholic population of Rockville Centre. Due to the increasing number of parishioners, the small marble church grew insufficient for the needs of the parish, so demolition began in 1933, under the direction of Msgr. Peter Quealy.In 1935 the current building was completed and in 1957, Pope Pius XII announced the formation of the Diocese of Rockville Centre and appointed Most Rev. Walter P. Kellenberg to be its bishop. 1981 saw a major facelift for the aging building and while the Cathedral was being renovated, daily Mass was celebrated in the Episcopal Church of the Ascension located across the street. In 1986, Mother Teresa visited the Cathedral and spoke at a prayer service.