Editor’s note: This is the sixth of several historical articles that were published in the April 16 issue of the AD Times in a special section for the 65th Anniversary of the Diocese of Allentown. To see the special section, click on AD Times at the top of AD Today, then Editions at right, then 04/16/26.
The Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena is the “mother church” of the Diocese of Allentown and serves as the central hub for major liturgical celebrations. It’s also a building full of history, beautiful art, interesting architecture, and religious symbolism of the Diocese.
This 65th Anniversary year in the Diocese is a good time to take a closer look at the Cathedral and learn some interesting facts and “things to look for” the next time you are there.
The St. Catharine of Siena Parish dates back to 1919, when the region was still part of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. A home and a carriage house were the first rectory and church, and soon a building was erected to serve as the church on the first floor, the school on the second, and the convent on the third. Today, it’s the main building of St. John Vianney Regional School, the red brick structure to the right of the church.
When the current church was built in 1952, Bishop Joseph McShea, then Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, blessed the cornerstone. Nine years later, when he was chosen as Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Allentown, he chose St. Catharine as the Cathedral for the Diocese.
The church architecture is a unique combination of two styles: Georgian Colonial on the outside and Baroque inside. Originally, the décor inside also was Colonial – with blue walls and blonde-colored wood. The Baroque interior was added in 1972 when Bishop McShea renovated the Cathedral.
It’s called a “cathedral” because it houses the “cathedra,” or Bishop’s Chair. Above the cathedra, which is at the front left, is the Bishop’s coat of arms. It’s a wooden carving that is changed with the coming of each new Bishop.
There’s a relic of the True Cross enshrined in a small gold reliquary in front of the relief statue of “Mary, Mother of the Church,” which is on the wall near the Bishop’s Chair. The True Cross is the wooden cross on which Jesus was crucified.
A relic of St. Catharine is preserved in the reliquary in front of her relief statue, which is on the right side of the church at the front. She was the youngest of 25 children and grew up in the Italian city of Siena.
Look for the small plaques above the windows. On the left side of the church, they depict the oldest parishes in each of the five counties of the Diocese. Starting closest to the altar, they are: Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally, the oldest parish in the Diocese and the fourth-oldest parish in the original 13 Colonies; St. Patrick, Pottsville; St. Bernard, Easton (now part of Our Lady of Mercy); Sacred Heart, Nesquehoning (now part of St. Joseph, Summit Hill); and Immaculate Conception BVM, Allentown.
Above the windows on the right side of the church are scenes from the history of the Diocese. The plaque closest to the choir loft depicts the Cathedral. Others, moving toward the altar, are: Bishop McShea signing the decrees of the First Synod of Allentown; the founding of Holy Family Manor, Bethlehem; the installation of Bishop McShea as the first Bishop of Allentown; and the founding of the Diocese by Pope John XXIII in 1961.
Where are the Stations of the Cross? They are the small medallions between the columns that flank the church windows. These intricate scenes of Our Lord’s Crucifixion and Death include fine details in relief that are highlighted with soft shades of tinting.
The murals contain some familiar faces. In 1980, Bishop McShea commissioned Easton artist Dana Van Horn to paint the large murals that adorn each side of the sanctuary. Van Horn painted them on canvas at the New York farm of Jack Beal, a notable American realist painter. They were then brought to Allentown and affixed to the walls.
The mural on the left side when facing the altar portrays St. Catharine at the Papal Court, exhorting Pope Urban to remain in Rome and bring reform to the Church to avoid a schism. The stairs are filled with her followers, and on the balcony are the Cardinals.
Look closely at the Cardinal leaning over the railing: It’s thought to be a likeness of Bishop McShea. Other people in the mural are thought to be Monsignor Aloysius Callaghan, who was Bishop McShea’s secretary, and the priests who were assigned to the Cathedral at the time.
In the mural on the right side, St. Catharine is leading Pope Gregory XI back to Rome from Avignon, France. The Pope had left Rome because of the squalid conditions of the city and moved the Papal Court to Avignon.
Factions in the Church arose as the papacy increasingly came under the influence of the French kings, and Catharine recognized that the Pope’s return to Rome would heal these wounds of disunity. Catharine holds the reins of the Pope’s horse with firm resolve, while the Pope is holding back, seemingly hesitant to follow her lead.
The Christmas Creche that is displayed during the Octave of Christmas is a beautiful and rare 18th century Neapolitan collection of more than 100 Baroque figures in a typical village square of 18th century Naples. The creche scene was in the collection of Bishop McShea, and he presented it to the Cathedral upon his retirement.
The sanctuary was modeled after the Church of Santa Maria in Piazza Campitelli in Rome. Its current look dates to the remodeling in 1972. The sanctuary is the area of the church that contains the Tabernacle, altar, murals, cathedra, and statues in the front area of the church.
The vestibule or narthex area is reminiscent of the ancient churches of Rome, which normally had a porch or courtyard that served as a meeting place for the faithful. The coats of arms of both the Diocese and Bishop Schlert are also located in the vestibule.
The baptistery was originally located on the north side of the church, which is now the sacristy. The Baptismal Font at the left near the front of the church was moved to its current location with the 1972 renovations.
Near the baptismal font is the ambry cabinet containing the Holy Oils used in Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick.
The four large wooden candlesticks on the floor around the altar include a carving of Bishop McShea’s coat of arms.
The statues that adorn the side wings near the front of the Cathedral include Our Lady of the Rosary on the north side and the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the south side. There is a statue of St. Catharine of Siena in the rear niche on the left. These statues are of a unique multi-colored marble design, which was thought during the Baroque period to render a more lifelike appearance.
The stained-glass windows are different from the more traditional stained-glass styles seen in other churches. They are original to the church and are reminiscent of the Williamsburg Colonial style of architecture. Their simple clear panes surround colored glass scenes of significant moments in the history of our faith and the Diocese.
On the left at the front, the window depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary. Notice the red, white, and blue crown of stars. These patriotic colors represent the Blessed Mother, under the title of the Immaculate Conception as the Patroness of the United States.
On the remainder of the left side the window themes are: Christ Present at the Creation of the Universe, the Creation of Adam and Eve and Their Sons, Christ Present in Spiritual Birth at Baptism, Christ Blessing the Meal of a Family at Table, and Christian Education and Teaching of the Faith.
On the right side, moving from the choir loft toward the altar, the themes are: Development in Christ through Education and Teaching of the Catechism; Christ in Religious Life and a Life of Vocation; Christ With Us in Our Everyday Labor and in the Workplace; Christ is Always With Us in Our Need, as in the Anointing of the Sick; and Christ’s Promise is Fulfilled. The large window closest to the sanctuary depicts St. Catharine and various scenes of her faith.
The floor is laid in Mercer tiles, arranged in a mosaic design of varied colors. The hand-made tiles were produced in Bucks County and are expressive of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. Mercer tiles are also found in other noteworthy locations, including the floor of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg.
Note: This article is based on a narrative “tour” of the history, art, and architecture of the Cathedral given by Monsignor Donald Cieniewicz, Pastor, and Father Aaron Scheidel, Assistant Pastor, as a prelude to the Dec. 28, 2025, closing Mass of the Jubilee Year of Hope.
By Paul Wirth. Small plaque photos by Norm Steinruck.
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