Cathedral of Saints Simon and Jude (Phoenix, Arizona)

Saints Simon and Jude Cathedral
Saints Simon and Jude Cathedral
	Location in Arizona
	33°31′47″N 112°06′58″W / 33.5298°N 112.1162°WCoordinates: 33°31′47″N 112°06′58″W / 33.5298°N 112.1162°W
Location	6351 North 27th Avenue; Phoenix, Arizona 85017
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
Website	www.simonjude.org
History
Founded	May 15, 1953
Dedication	Saint Simon the Zealot; Saint Jude Thaddeus;
Dedicated	December 11, 1966
Architecture
Style	Modern
Completed	1966
Specifications
Number of spires	One
Materials	Brick
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Phoenix
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted
Rector	Rev. Fernando Camou

The Cathedral of Saints Simon and Jude is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.

History[]

The parish was established by Bishop Daniel James Gercke on May 15, 1953, when it was still part of the Diocese of Tucson. The founding pastor was Reverend Paul Smith, a native of Ireland, who brought with him the Sisters of Loreto. Fr. Smith celebrated Masses in the Maryland School while a temporary church was built. It was dedicated on October 17, 1954. The current building was dedicated on December 11, 1966, and became a cathedral with the formation of the Diocese of Phoenix in 1969, elevated to cathedral status under Pope Paul VI.

The current rector is the Very Rev. Fernando Camou and the cathedral is overseen by the current bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted. The Auxiliary Bishop is Bishop Eduardo Alanis Nevares (ordained July 19, 2010).

Adjacent to the cathedral is the Saints Simon and Jude Catholic School. Other buildings on the campus of the school include the Mary Ward House. Standing in front of the cathedral is a large cross over a dome-like structure that stood over the temporary altar where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass when he visited Phoenix.

In 2016 the Cathedral saw the installation of a new 51 rank pipe organ built by the Peragallo Pipe Organ Company, the first pipe organ to be installed at the Cathedral.^[1]

Rectors[]

Rev. Paul P. Smith, 1953–unknown
Rev. Michael McGovern, unknown–1987
Monsignor Richard Moyer, 1987–1990
Monsignor Michael O'Grady, 1990–2005
Rev. Robert Clements, 2005–2010
Rev. John Lankeit, 2010–2021
Very Rev. Fernando Camou 2021–

School[]

The school teaches kindergarten through eighth grade and is staffed by the Sisters of Loreto.

The school was founded in 1954 by Bishop Daniel J. Gerke of Tucson and Reverend Paul P. Smith. On August 20, 1954, four Sisters of Loreto from the Order of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary arrived from Navan, Ireland to staff the new school.