Saint Raphael's Cathedral (Madison, Wisconsin)

In March 2005, the Cathedral building located at 204 West Main Street was heavily damaged in a fire and was demolished.

Governor James Duane Doty, a close friend of Father Samuel Mazzuchelli donated the land upon which the parish buildings and a later parking lot would be built.

On January 9, 1946, Pope Pius XII created the Diocese of Madison for an 11-county area in the southwestern part of the state.

The Madison architecture firm John Flad & Associates and Rambusch Decorating Company of New York City were responsible for the plans.

[4] On March 14, 2005, a fire caused extensive damage to St. Raphael's Cathedral, affecting not only those who attended the church, but the entire diocesan community.

"Billy" Connell was arrested for setting the fire and charged with burglary, arson, and bail jumping.

[9] On June 10, 2007, Bishop Morlino announced his intention to have the structure demolished and replaced with a new and larger church capable of seating 1,000 people.

[10] The Diocese of Madison announced on March 13, 2008, that St. Raphael's would be demolished by June of that year and that some items from the old Cathedral would be saved, including the spire, the three bells from the steeple, three mosaics from the sanctuary, the marble sanctuary appointments, one large undamaged stained glass window, three smaller undamaged semicircular stained glass windows, some ornamental stonework from around the doorways, and some other stone from the building.

[11] The demolition plan sparked debate among some in the city who felt portions of the structure should be preserved or declared a landmark.

In January 2023, the bishop proposed that he petition the Holy See to name St. Bernard's Church in Madison as the diocesan cathedral.

Bishop Hying held a press conference on January 24, 2024, to officially make public the decision of the Holy See to name St. Bernard's as the new cathedral for the Diocese of Madison.