History of the Cathedral Basilica
On June 11, 1899 at the laying of the cornerstone for the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Bishop Bernard McQuaid spoke of Newark's great Cathedral as "a fitting monument to the faith." It is this key thought which permeates all aspects of the Cathedral project, from its inception in 1859 by the Most Rev. James Roosevelt Bayley, Newark's first bishop, to its dedication in 1954 by Archbishop Thomas A. Boland. For a Cathedral is more than stone and mortar...much more than multi-colored glass and delicate woodcarving. In the words of the late Pope Paul VI: "The secret of a Cathedral is an expression of the unity of believers." In its totality, a Cathedral is a symphony of praise to Almighty God!