Cathedrals

Two iconic cathedrals, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, both active parish communities, have served important roles in America’s Catholic heritage. The Basilica, America’s “first Cathedral,” has been the site of many major historical moments in the life of the American Church; and the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen enjoys a long history of being the setting for many Catholic school graduations and other large gatherings, and as a center for numerous outreach programs for families and young people, as well as for the needy and homeless. A portion of your gifts to the Appeal helps preserve these two landmark structures, much beloved by their parishioners and by those who visit them to marvel at their architectural and historical significance.