Mother Church of the Diocese of Joliet
St. Raymond's began in 1917 as a single parish carved out of St. Patrick's in Joliet, and within a generation it had become the seat of a new Catholic diocese. The Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus is now the mother church of the Diocese of Joliet, a community of roughly 2,100 families drawn from across Will County. Each year the parish hosts more than two dozen diocesan liturgical celebrations, including Adult Confirmation, Ordination, the Chrism Mass, and the annual Marriage Anniversary Mass. The Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese, Most Reverend Dennis E. Spies, has his cathedra - that is, his chair - in the sanctuary of the Cathedral.
The current Cathedral on Raynor Avenue was built specifically to serve as the seat of the new diocese. When Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Joliet in 1948, the original 1917 church on Douglas Street could seat only 540 people. Bishop Martin D. McNamara, the first bishop of Joliet, directed that the architects of the new building eliminate steps from sidewalk to entrance, add numerous and ample exits, install accurate acoustical correction and sound amplification, design a spacious sanctuary so that everyone could see and follow the liturgy, and create an interior of dignity suffused with a devotional and religious atmosphere. Ground was broken on March 23, 1952, the cornerstone was laid on June 28, 1953, the first Mass was celebrated on December 8, 1954, and the formal dedication took place on May 26, 1955, with Samuel Cardinal Strich, Archbishop of Chicago, officiating.
Mass Times, Reconciliation, and the Deaf Community
Mass is offered throughout the week. The Saturday Vigil Mass is at 4:00 p.m., and Sunday Masses are at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Daily Mass is celebrated at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Reconciliation is heard on Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 3:00 p.m., or by appointment. Eucharistic Adoration fills the Saturday morning hour from 8:30 to 9:30, and a monthly St. Peregrine Devotion is held on the third Monday at 6:00 p.m.
Sign-interpreted Masses welcome the deaf and hard of hearing, celebrated with Fr. John Abulag at 10:30 a.m. on the first and fourth Sundays of the month and at 4:00 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month. Parishioners may request a Mass intention for a particular person or need, with a customary offering of $10. A weekly bulletin and a regular newsletter through Flocknote keep families connected to the Cathedral's rhythm of prayer.
Inside the Cathedral
The Cathedral's cruciform plan places the altar at the very heart of the building, approached from three sides. With the addition of chairs, the nave seats about 1,000 people. The ceiling rises 70 feet overhead, covered in marble and patterned with a fishnet motif that recalls the call to be fishers of men. The 12 large mosaic windows along the nave unfold the twelve articles of the Apostles' Creed, and three rose windows high on the walls depict the Trinity: God the Father to the south, the Lamb of God over the choir loft, and the Holy Spirit dove to the north.
Twenty-five varieties of imported marble accent the interior. The crucifix above the altar is 16 feet tall, with the body of Christ carved from a single block of Portuguese onyx marble chosen for its flesh color, set against a 36-foot reredos of Rose Breccia marble. A large gold dove surrounded by grape leaves and wheat shafts rises above the crucifix, symbolizing the Holy Spirit and the Eucharist. Below, relics of St. Francis Xavier, St. Raymond, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Pius I, and St. Jucundus are sealed in a temperature-controlled box in the altar, marking the continuity between Christ's sacrifice and that of his faithful.
The octagonal Baptismal Font sits at the rear of the nave as a reminder that the entire space is holy. Water flows over each of its eight sides, the marble carved in Russo Levanto near Pisa, Italy. The eight sides recall the eighth day, the day of new creation and resurrection. Nearby the ambry holds the Holy Oils used in Baptism, Confirmation, the Anointing of the Sick, Ordination, and the dedication of churches and altars. The Paschal Candle, adorned with the Alpha and Omega and five grains of incense representing the five wounds of Christ, is blessed each year at the Easter Vigil. The original communion rail, once at the front of the church, has been moved behind the last set of pews so that the symbolism of the holy place is felt from the moment one enters.
Outside, the campanile rises 190 feet above Raynor Avenue, supporting a chime of five cast bronze bells - Catherine, Msgr. Hoover, Slim Hoover, Nicholas, and Franciscus. The largest weighs two tons. The bells sound the Angelus daily and can be rung by electrical control from the sacristy. Black granite from Pennsylvania forms the exterior base course, with Indiana limestone trimming the red brick walls. The coats of arms of Pope Pius XII and Bishop McNamara ornament the eastern side of the church.
The organ in the choir loft is a Wicks three-manual, 58-rank pipe organ with more than 5,000 pipes, installed in 1954 at a cost of $53,000. At the time it was the second-largest organ in Illinois, and it still has the largest set of swell shades ever built by the Wicks Organ Company. A new console was added in 1989.
The Patron Saint and His Statue
St. Raymond Nonnatus was a Spanish Mercedarian priest born in 1200, named for the Caesarean delivery that brought him into the world after his mother's death. The Latin word Nonnatus means "without birth." Raymond joined the Order of the Mercedarians, dedicated to ransoming Christians held captive by the Moors, and eventually exchanged his own freedom for that of a slave in Algeria. While captive he preached so effectively that his captors drove an iron stake through his lips to silence him. He was ransomed in turn, named a Cardinal by Pope Gregory IX, and died on his way to Rome on August 31, 1240. He is the patron saint of women in childbirth and Caesarean deliveries, and his feast day is celebrated at the Cathedral every August 31. His statue, complete with the holes through his lips, stands to the right of the sanctuary near the ambo.
Becoming Catholic, Returning Catholics, and Adult Faith
The OCIA process, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly the RCIA), welcomes those exploring the Catholic faith, those preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, and Catholics returning to the practice of their faith. The OCIA team, led by Deacon Darrell Kelsey, accompanies inquirers through the discernment process, and adults are received into the Church at the Easter Vigil each year.
Throughout the school year, the Sundays After Mass series offers adult formation on the Catholic faith. Recent sessions have covered the Eucharist, Confession and the Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and the Priesthood, Mary and the Saints, Catholic Moral Teaching, Catholic Social Teaching, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Discipleship and Mission, Life in the Parish, and Life of Prayer. Past topics have included the Acts of the Apostles, the Old Testament Prophets, the Old Testament Covenants, the Gospels, and the Sacred Liturgy, drawing on the Hallow app and resources such as Bishop Robert Barron's video on the Sacred Liturgy. Kevin O'Donnell, the pastoral associate, and Fr. Bill Dewan lead many of the sessions.
A Caregiver Resource Discussion Night, facilitated by parishioners Sue Batis and Candace Berta, brings together those who assist loved ones struggling with age, illness, or disability.
Children, Youth, and the Parish School
St. Raymond School is a ministry of the Cathedral, partnering with families to provide a Christ-centered environment for students in preschool through eighth grade. The school enrolls more than 300 students, including second- and third-generation families, and emphasizes the integration of faith, life, and academic rigor. The principal, Marjorie Hill, leads a faculty and staff that parents describe as dedicated, supportive, and loving. School families are deeply involved, volunteering their time, talent, and treasure to keep St. Ray's a place of academic excellence.
The Cathedral Religious Education Program, directed by Katie Choudhary, serves more than 150 students from preschool through eighth grade. Catechists are needed each year; training and materials are provided, and the commitment runs from September through March. Classes meet during the school year for children whose families choose parish-based faith formation.
Junior High Youth Ministry, for students in grades 6 through 8, meets one Sunday per month in the parish gym from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. Parents can drop their children off in time for the 8:00 Mass, then enjoy a free coffee bar in the library, or attend the 10:30 Mass right after. High School Youth Ministry, for students in grades 9 through 12, meets twice a month on Friday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the library, gym, or bell tower. The high school program begins each year with a barbecue and kickball game in the east parking lot, a tradition that sets the tone for the months of fellowship, faith sharing, and service that follow.
Music and the Liturgical Arts
Music plays a vital role in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy at the Cathedral. Stacy Sienko, the Director of Music, leads the parish music ministry with responsibility for the adult choir, youth ensembles, and cantor formation. A graduate of North Park University with a Bachelor of Music Education and more than 16 years of experience in Catholic and public school music, she brings reverence and skill to the role.
Other liturgical ministries form the backbone of the Sunday celebration. Altar Servers, students from fifth grade through high school, assist at the altar under the coordination of Linda O'Connor. Lectors proclaim the Word of God and prepare carefully with a workbook before being scheduled, usually about once a month. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Body and Blood of Christ to the assembly, with families often scheduled together. Mass Greeters welcome people, especially at the monthly Family Mass on the first Sunday at 10:30, and Ushers seat guests, take up the collection, and record attendance. The Art and Environment Ministry dresses the Cathedral with flowers, banners, candles, drapery, and seasonal color for the major liturgical seasons. The Altar Linen Ministry washes and irons the smaller cloth items used at Mass, while the Wedding Coordinators assist couples with rehearsal and ceremony, and Bereavement Ministers help families plan the funeral liturgy.
Feeding Joliet: The Micro Pantry, Daybreak, and Promised Land Gardens
Outreach is woven into the life of the parish. The Micro Pantry, located at the Rectory entrance off Raynor Avenue, follows a simple rule: take what you need, leave what you can. The pantry is stocked with non-perishable items such as rice, pasta, canned vegetables, tuna, soup, peanut butter, oatmeal, crackers, and personal-care items including diapers, soap, and toothpaste. Donations can be dropped off directly in the pantry, in baskets at the church entrances, or in the parish office.
Three times a month, the parish sends a team to Catholic Charities' Daybreak Shelter to prepare and serve meals. Volunteers of any age or skill level are welcome, from a single parent with young children to a high school service group to a master chef willing to lead a kitchen crew. The team often prepares components at home and brings them to the church for the trip to the shelter, and a collection of recipes for prep-at-home meals - chicken and vegetable rice, chicken and turkey white chili, baked oatmeal, egg bake, sloppy joes, and potato soup - circulates among volunteers. Junior high students, accompanied by parents, regularly serve lunch at the shelter, an experience that several parents have called invaluable and rewarding.
The Promised Land Gardens at the south end of the Cathedral campus are tilled each spring and tended through the growing season. The produce is donated to local food banks, shelters, soup kitchens, and other sites that feed hungry people. Gardeners do not need to be experienced: master gardeners are on hand to help, and the only requirement is a willingness to grow. Harvests are reported through a shared log, then delivered to the receiving sites.
Each November, a non-perishable Thanksgiving food drive supports the Sacred Heart Parish soup kitchen in Joliet and the Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County. Each Advent, the Christmas Giving Tree Ministry partners with Agape Missions, Trinity Services, Sacred Heart in Hopkins Park, and the Warren-Sharpe Community Center to provide gifts and necessities to neighbors in need. The Respect Life Ministry, working in conjunction with the Joliet Diocesan Respect Life Office, promotes a consistent ethic of life from conception to natural death. Every January the ministry hosts a "Baby Shower" for Birthright of Joliet, and members gather monthly to pray the rosary, attend the Diocesan Respect Life Mass in October, and coordinate the parish spiritual adoption program.
St. Vincent de Paul and the Homebound
The St. Vincent de Paul Society at the Cathedral is a Catholic lay organization with opportunities for volunteers in many of its ministries. The Society welcomes new members at its monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of the month, alternating morning and evening times in the Bell Tower.
The Homebound Ministry brings Holy Communion to parishioners who can no longer attend Mass in person and visits those who would simply enjoy company. Priests visit the homebound for the Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites when requested. Bereavement Ministers offer spiritual support and assist families with the planning of a funeral Mass, helping with the choice of readings and music.
The Prayer Connection is a phone-chain ministry of parishioners who pray for special intentions. There are no meetings and no dues, only a willingness to receive a request, pray intensely, and pass it along.
Seniors Club and Parish Fellowship
The Cathedral Seniors Club, one of the longest-standing ministries in the parish, gathers men and women 55 and older on the third Thursday of each month, September through May, in the Parish Commons. A short meeting is followed by lunch and entertainment, and annual dues of $10 help offset the cost of events. The year often closes with a Christmas dinner at a local restaurant. The club welcomes both regulars and occasional visitors.
The Parish Council, appointed by the Rector and meeting monthly from August to May, assumes responsibility for the strategic pastoral planning of the parish and serves as a consultative body to the pastor. The Finance Council oversees the financial well-being of the parish. The Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Ministry includes a special group of volunteers who care for the church and its landscape, and Offertory Counters work in teams on a rotating basis to open, sort, count, and deposit the Sunday collection.
From St. Patrick's to the Diocese of Joliet
Joliet's Catholic roots go back to 1838, when the first resident priest, Father John Plunkett, arrived to minister to canal workers during a malaria epidemic. St. Patrick's Church was established that year to serve the first settlers, and through the Civil War and into the 1870s and 1880s, Joliet became a manufacturing hub producing steel, windmills, bricks, bicycles, boots, shoes, chairs, harnesses, saddles, stoves, tile, doors, agricultural implements, wagons, carriages, paint, lime, cigars, engines, and clocks. Catholic immigrants from Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Ireland, and Hungary came to work in the city's industrial economy. By 1917, St. Patrick's was overwhelmed with parishioners, and Archbishop George Mundelein appointed Father Francis Scanlan to lead the newly formed parish of St. Raymond Nonnatus, the twelfth Catholic parish in Joliet. Father Scanlan ministered to 287 families with 600 members.
The cornerstone of the original St. Raymond Church at 705 Douglas Street was set on April 28, 1918, and the first Mass was celebrated on December 8, 1918, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The school opened in September 1918 with 190 children under the care of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate. By Christmas 1919, the parish complex was complete. The parish has been the home of generations of Will County families since.
Following World War II, the post-war housing boom and the growing Catholic population in the seven counties made a new diocese a practical necessity. In 1948, the Diocese of Joliet was formed from the Archdiocese of Chicago and the dioceses of Rockford and Peoria, with Bishop McNamara as its first bishop, and St. Raymond's was designated the Cathedral. A $2,000,000 fund drive by the 72 parishes of the new diocese financed the construction of a fitting Cathedral on Raynor Avenue. The Mazzucco Construction Company of Joliet served as general contractor, and the Chicago firm of McCarthy and Smith drew the architectural plans.
The school grew in stages, with a second building in 1949 and a third in 1966. By 1980 the 1918 building was structurally unsound, and 1,300 families contributed to a capital campaign that completely rebuilt the school from within. When the new school was dedicated in November 1982, it had a new entryway, a more functional floor plan, classrooms with recessed entrances, carpeting, and handicapped access. The old church portion of the building facing Douglas Street became the current junior high building and the Joyce Parish Center, used for sporting events, receptions, large meetings, and social events.
The Cathedral itself was substantially renovated in 1991. Large pieces of exterior stone were crumbling, the boiler system needed repair, and asbestos had to be removed, with the total cost running more than $3 million. The narthex ceiling was repainted in cream and gold, replacing the original rose and pink, and the doors between the narthex and the nave were changed from glass to sculptured oak to cut glare. Sixteen custom chandeliers of brass and opaque glass were added to replace inadequate recessed lighting. The baptismal font was moved to its present place at the entrance, the altar was extended 30 feet into the worship space and rebuilt in rectangular form so it could be approached from all sides, and a new ambo was made to match. The 5,000 square feet of translucent mosaic glass windows were dismantled, cleaned, and repaired, with some green glass replaced by amber and blue German antique glass.
The Rectors of the Cathedral
Father Francis Scanlan, the founding pastor, served from 1917 until his sudden death on July 30, 1941, while on vacation in Maine. His vision for the parish is preserved in a quote that still defines the Cathedral: "Untold and yet unborn generations will bless our memory and foresight in the purchase of this property. For someday there will arise on it a Cathedral!"
Monsignor Edwin V. Hoover became the second pastor in 1941 and the first Rector when the diocese was created in 1948. He was instrumental in raising the funds and securing the bell tower and pipe organ for the new Cathedral, and he saw the parish grow to a flock of 1,468 families with 5,335 members. He resigned in 1969 due to throat cancer and died in 1970.
Father Thomas O'Keefe, the third Rector, served from 1969 to 1985. He had first been assigned to St. Raymond as an assistant in 1943, when he founded the Knights of the Altar, the first time youngsters were allowed to take an active role in the Mass. During his tenure he built a new marble main altar and pulpit, relocated the organ and choir for the diocese's Silver Jubilee in 1973, and oversaw the construction of the Joyce Center and the renovation of the 1917 school building.
Bishop Roger L. Kaffer was named administrator and then rector in January 1985, only to be appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese four months later. He was ordained to the episcopacy at the Cathedral on June 26, 1985. Father Stanley A. Orlikiewicz, the fourth rector, served from 1985 to 2002 and led the 1991 renovation, the formation of the Joliet Ecumenical Clergy Association, and Tuesday night dinners for local clergy. Father James Burnett, the fifth rector, served from 2002 to 2008 and oversaw construction of the Commons that links the Cathedral and the school. Father Bradley Baker, the sixth rector, served from 2008 to 2018 and led the construction of the Cathedral North Parking Lot, the Centennial Archway, the Mother Teresa Garden, and the restoration of the Cathedral front and tower.
Father William G. Dewan, the current Rector, was raised on the South Side of Chicago, earned an undergraduate degree at Villanova University and a graduate degree at Catholic Theological Union, and spent 13 years in formation with the Augustinians. Ordained to the diaconate in November 1985 and to the priesthood in June 1986, he first served at St. Raymond during the final phase of his formation. He went on to assignments as parochial vicar, then as pastor of St. Joseph in Bradley and Holy Family in Shorewood, before being named Vicar for Priests in 2007. He also serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Joliet, where he has been since 2016. Father Luis Ron serves as Parochial Vicar, supported by Deacons Ralph Bias, James Batis, Karl Hueber, Ed Petak, and Darrell Kelsey.
Giving, Stewardship, and Legacy
Stewardship at the Cathedral is framed as the return to God of the gifts entrusted to each person: time, talent, and treasure. Online giving is available, with options for weekly or monthly contributions, one-time donations, and special collections, paid by credit card or direct bank debit. Offertory envelopes are mailed every other month to registered parishioners, each with a unique number that allows the parish to track contributions. The Cathedral also accepts gifts of stock or mutual funds, employer matching gifts, and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs for those 70 and a half and older. Including St. Raymond in a will or estate plan is encouraged, and a free online tool from Catholic Legacy is available to help families prepare their wishes.
Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The office is closed on Sunday. The parish address is 604 N. Raynor Ave., Joliet, IL 60435, and the main phone number is (815) 722-6653.