Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Fiorenza while serving as Archbishop of Galveston-Houston selected Rohn & Associates Design, Inc. to develop the new Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral in downtown Houston. This colossal yet gracious contemporary neo-Italian Romanesque space is a 37,000 square-foot marvel that has seating for 1,820.
Above the entrance a 20-foot stained glass Resurrection window of Jesus Christ greets downtown visitors from the highway.
The exterior of the Co-Cathedral and campanile rise nearly six stories tall. The interior yields a surprising lightness and traditional feel. Rolf accented the minimalist and spacious interior with 30,000 square feet of well-lit marble finishes and furnishings.
Rolf donated the gilding of the three 18’ crosses of the roof and campanile, which have two layers of 23-karat gold applications.
Above the majestic 16’ doors is a three 20-ton white Carrara marble upper door transoms reflecting the early missionaries and bishops of the Houston Archdiocese between a sculptured image of Christ the King.
The inlaid marble flooring is in Italian beige and green marble leads to a welcoming sanctuary of precious marbles with solid oak pews.
The building’s cruciform form visually elevates the altar at the center of the crossing, providing a direct line of focus of liturgical celebrations and worship. Behind the altar is a 9’ Passion of Christ carved in antiqued Linden wood and mounted on an 18’ cross.
8’ statues of Saint Joseph & child Jesus, St. Elizabeth Seton, St. Anthony, St. San Juan Diego, St. Martin de Porres and St. Therese of Lisieux. 4’ x 7’ x 18” high relief Stations of the Cross were designed and fabricated in Rohn’s Pittsburgh studios. At the far end of the transepts are full-round, floating 10’ white Carrara statues of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Conception. Each of these impressive pieces weighs over 20 tons.
Altar, ambo, tabernacle base, and details are fabricated from Ethiopian Rosa Diaspora marble which was transported by boat to Italy for fabrication. The Cathedra Chair and other furniture are constructed of superior Northern Oak with bronze accents.
The interior crossing of the vaulted ceilings features a 100’ diameter dome comprised of hand-painted glass of the 12 Apostles topped with an inspiring 8-foot oculus backlight depicting the Holy Spirit with the seven gifts in stained glass. There are 108 stained-glass windows.
· A new world-class Pasi Opus XIX pipe organ (whose 5,499 pipes range in size from ½ inch to 32 feet and with four keyboards, one foot pedal and 75 stop knobs) was installed.
Mason Contractor: Dee Brown, Inc.
Architect: Ziegler-Cooper Architects
General Contractor: Linbeck Group
Suppliers: Evans Limestone ; Stone Panels, Inc. ; P. Patterson & Associates
Owner: Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
The new Cathedral is constructed in traditional cathedral configuration utilizing defined narthex, nave, sanctuary, and transept areas. Also, a freestanding 137 foot tall stone-clad belltower is a prominent structure placed just southwest of the cathedral. The exterior is of modern design, and uses impressive height to inspire onlookers in the tradition of “looking to the heavens”. Built with a 500 year lifespan in mind, the cathedral’s exterior would obviously have to be sustainable as well as beautiful and in keeping with tradition.
Indiana limestone was the main exterior stone selection, with smaller quantities of Calcutta Gold marble and Fatima Beige limestone serving as accents to the Indiana limestone. For longevity, stone was fabricated at a substantial thickness of 3 inches for typical veneer, and thicker where utilized as trim and coping. Job-specific anodized aluminum anchors were employed as the means of attaching typical stone panels, with custom fabricated stainless steel anchors used at unique connection points.
On-site construction of the new cathedral began in May 2005 and was completed in September 2007. Erection of exterior stone spanned approximately 9 months, with the stone erector completing work within the required timeframe of the project schedule. A survey of the project’s exterior yielded a total of 89,000 square feet of Indiana Limestone, 1,000 square feet of Calcutta Gold marble, and 8,800 square feet of Fatima Beige limestone. Citation
Grotto Design 
