Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Roman Catholic Cathedral in Las Cruces, United States.
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the mother church of the Diocese of Las Cruces, built in a contemporary Southwestern style. Construction started in September 1965 and was completed in May 1966; the parish it serves was erected in 1953, and its school opened in 1957.
The first Immaculate Heart of Mary was a chapel built on the outskirts of Las Cruces in 1947; it became a parish in 1953 and its school opened in 1957. Construction of the present church began in September 1965 and it was dedicated in May 1966 in a contemporary Southwestern style. When Pope John Paul II erected the Diocese of Las Cruces in 1982, the parish church became its cathedral.
The parish was founded in 1953, when workers from White Sands Missile Range began attending the chapel built in 1947 on the city's outskirts. Its name refers to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a Catholic devotion to Mary's heart as a symbol of her love; the church keeps that dedication in its liturgy and in the school opened in 1957.
The building sits on South Espina Street and is accessible to visitors throughout the week, with regular Masses held at scheduled times. Check ahead for specific service times and dress respectfully when attending ceremonies.
The cathedral's raised status dates from 1982, when Pope John Paul II created the Diocese of Las Cruces and the parish church became its mother church. The building itself had been dedicated only in May 1966, after construction started in September 1965.
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