The Basilica Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark is located in the state of New Jersey. Consecrated in 1954, it adopts an Anglo-Irish Gothic style of architecture that was relativized during construction in favor of a more French style through the addition of rosettes, and carved doors, and by reducing the height of the towers.
The initial project of building a cathedral in the city of Newark dates back to the year 1859. Although the idea for the cathedral was conceived by Bishop Bayley, the construction of the building was more the responsibility of his successor, Bishop Michael Augustine Corrigan. Work did not begin in earnest until 1899, two years after a fund-raising event was organized by Bishop Winand Michael Wigger. It is the project of the architect O’Rourke who is chosen and it is he who is in charge of the coordination of the works. However, O’Rourke was quickly judged incompetent, mainly because of the instability of the foundations, and was dismissed from the position. The work was stopped and the project of the future Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Newark was analyzed in detail before being resumed in 1913. The Anglo-Irish style was then abandoned in favor of a French Gothic style. The size of the towers had to be reduced and the bell towers were removed to lighten the weight of the building.
Although still under construction, the cathedral held its first service in 1928. It was Bishop Joseph Thomas Walsh who made this decision. But it was finally on October 19, 1954, that the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart was consecrated by Archbishop Boland and became the seat of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. Archbishop Boland ordained six bishops and many priests there. In 1974, he even appointed his successor, Fr. Peter L. Gerety of Portland.
In 1995, during the visit of Pope John Paul II, the cathedral was consecrated as a basilica by the holy man. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark is the fifth-largest cathedral in the United States. Throughout the year, the public can attend free concerts.
The city of Newark is located about 10 miles from Manhattan. It has a population of 285,000, but in the 1940s the city had as many as 440,000 residents. Newark is famous for having been the city that offered the best social protection to its inhabitants. This attracted many people from low-income backgrounds, which resulted in high expenses for the city and lower-than-expected tax revenues. The resulting deficit led the city of Newark to declare bankruptcy. It was the first city to do so in U.S. history and it led to the 1960 riots.
Photo Credit of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark: Nexis4Jersey09
