It started eight years ago when the stove broke in the basement kitchen at the Cathedral of Perpetual Help, Rapid City, and it grew into an $8.8 million renovation. That kitchen had been used for more than a half century — serving official diocesan and parish dinners, luncheons, Knights of Columbus pancake breakfasts, Wednesday night education suppers and Lenten Soup dinners. It served the 3,400 members of the parish during many occasions in addition to the ones just listed.

Then-Father Steven Biegler, now Bishop of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was the pastor of Cathedral parish and he organized a committee to figure out what to do. As the committee studied the situation, things escalated, and they determined the 1963 kitchen was totally outdated. Then, they considered what to do about the lack of meeting rooms at the cathedral. Also, there were no bathrooms on the main floor and that made handicap access difficult.

When Bishop Biegler was named to Cheyenne, in March 2017, Father Christensen was assigned as pastor of Cathedral and took up the work already begun. In 2018, the Diocese of Rapid City began the “Living the Mission” fundraising campaign to build a new chancery and two Newman Centers. Parishes that met their quota could get a portion of the overage returned. “Inspired by the words of Bishop William T. McCarty, from his speech during the dedication of the Cathedral in 1963, the parish campaign committee chose the theme: “‘In Steel and Stone,’ wood and concrete, a church stands as an architectural witness of God’s dwelling with man.” said Fr. Christensen.

The initial feasibility study priced the new hall and other components at $4.2 million. By 2019, when the contract for construction was first presented, the costs had risen to $6.4 million. Then in 2020, the churches in western South Dakota were closed for the Covid-19 Pandemic. Cathedral staff had to scramble to figure out a way to minister to parishioners sheltering in their homes. Through trial-and-error, Mass began broadcasting on Facebook and the “In Steel and Stone Campaign” was put on the back burner for a couple of years. During the pandemic and following it, a new term became a part of the vernacular: “supply chain shortages.” It was blamed for everything from empty toilet paper shelves to increases in prices across the board as manufacturers struggled to keep up with demands and recoup losses.

Pope Francis declared a Year of St. Joseph beginning December 8, 2020. On December 8, 2021, the late Bishop Peter Muhich consecrated the Diocese of Rapid City to St. Joseph. By then construction material prices had skyrocketed and the new addition and remodeling the cathedral basement would cost more than $8.8 million dollars. Father Christensen decided to ask St. Joseph to be the patron of the project. Existing donors were asked to increase or extend the pledges. New donors were encouraged to join the campaign.

The Cathedral raised $1.6 million for the diocesan campaign, Living the Mission. From “Living the Mission” the diocese returned $320,000 to the cathedral. The Knights of Columbus Council 1489 had a free-standing hall on E. Minnesota Street; they donated the hall to the Cathedral parish. “Eventually, the hall was sold for $540,000 and the money was added to the cathedral construction fund. Council 1489 donated an additional $160,000 for a grand total of $700,000!” said Father Christensen.

Construction began on May 7, 2022. The first thing the parishioners noticed was the bulk of the south side parking lot was fenced off. They began parking across the street at the St. Thomas More Middle School and on side streets leading to the cathedral. A wooden ramp was erected for handicap baptistry, encircled in stained glass windows, was removed piece by piece from the south side for reconstruction on the north side of the church.

St. Joseph Hall construction continued until this spring and the ribbon cutting was held May 7 — the 61st anniversary of the cathedral dedication. Throngs of Catholics gathered in the new parking lot to see Father Christensen use three-foot scissors to cut the blue ribbon. Diocesan Administrator, Fr. Dan Juelfs blessed the building and gave the homily at the celebration of Mass. Afterwards, people were welcomed into the hall, with a brand-new kitchen, and bathrooms on the same level as the narthex.

Construction continues this summer in the basement, building permanent walls for classrooms and meeting spaces. The much-used kitchen is being turned into a Knights of Columbus room. “While the Cathedral parish raised $6.8 million — from 520 donors — over the last five years, more is needed to cover the inflated costs of this amazing and historic project. A new capital campaign, “In Grace and Gratitude,” will launch this summer,” said Father Christensen.

To donate to the campaign, contact the Cathedral Finance Manager, Beth Stain, at 605-342-0507.