Archdiocese of Dubuque history

In 1843, the Sisters of Charity (BVM) were the first women religious to arrive to staff a school built on the Cathedral property.

He oversaw the expansion of the church in the early years of the diocese, first in the Iowa territory, then after 1846 in the new state of Iowa.

In 1850, Pope Pius IX separated territory from the Diocese of Dubuque to form the new Diocese of Saint Paul, serving Minnesota Territory (later Minnesota and the Dakotas).

The cornerstone of the present cathedral was laid on July 5, 1857, and Bishop Loras offered the first Mass on Christmas of that year.

Bishop Loras died February 19, 1858.

Menster became the first priest to set foot on the continent, and later consecrated Antarctica in 1947.

James Byrne was named the next archbishop of Dubuque on March 7, 1962, and was formally installed at St Raphael's on May 8, 1962.

In 1968 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States asked for and received permission to restore the diaconate in this country.

In 1974, the Most Reverend James J. Byrne, then Archbishop of Dubuque, accepted a recommendation of the Priests’ Senate to restore the permanent diaconate in the archdiocese.

The first class was recruited in the fall of 1975.

Classes began in the spring of 1976.

On November 5, 1978, 15 permanent deacons were the first to be ordained in the Dubuque Archdiocese.

In 1983, the winter chapel behind the Cathedral was converted into the Cathedral Center.

In 1986 the archdiocese celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding; Archbishop Kucera received an honorary degree from the University of Dubuque.

William Franklin who was consecrated as a bishop in April 1987.

However, Bishop Kucera eventually dropped the plan after the death of Bishop Dunn in 1989 and Bishop Franklin's nomination as the head of the Diocese of Davenport.

In 2009, five Hispanic men were ordained deacons, who currently serve the needs of their local Hispanic Community.