WHAT IS A CATHEDRAL?

A cathedral is the seat of the bishop and a centre of worship and mission. The Right Rev. Michael Buerkel Hunn is the Bishop of The Diocese of the Rio Grande. The primary purpose of a cathedral is to be a place of Christian worship but it is also often one of the oldest buildings in continuous use in its surrounding area and of significance to the heritage, culture and community life of the area it serves.

  • Cathedrals are open in times of national crisis and celebration and act as focal points in their communities. They provide unthreatening spiritual spaces for people.

  • Cathedrals also offer opportunities for adult learning. The Cathedral of St. John offers contemplative prayer, multiple small group Bibles and book studies, and the gorgeous resource of the illuminated St. John’s Bible.

  • Cathedrals are the main sustainers of the Anglican/English Choral tradition, running choirs involving adults and children. The English Choral tradition is a unique part of Anglican worship but one which has suffered decline in recent years as choirs in parish churches have become less common. Cathedrals maintain the tradition and produce music of very high standard week in and week out. For those participating, cathedral music is a unique educational experience; singing as part of a professional team develops many transferable skills. 

More about our Cathedral's history

The Cathedral of St. John is built on land that once was occupied by the Ancient Puebloan or Anasazi people. They were farmers with advanced irrigation systems and complex building structures. For roughly 1600 years they lived in various places in New Mexico and Arizona. They left behind amazing ruins and other remnants of their culture. The Pueblo peoples that inhabit New Mexico are descendants of the Anasazi. Our Cathedral is built on land once cultivated by Pueblo people. It is an important reminder that the land that we claim to be ours, has a legacy of ownership that is complicated and uncomfortable. The Cathedral community wishes to recognize that past history and develop better relationships with the peoples who have lived here much longer than we.


St. John’s was established in the 1880’s. It became the Cathedral for the Diocese of the Rio Grande in 1920. The original St. John’s was taken down in 1951. The new larger sanctuary was built on the same site using some of the stained glass and stone from the old St. John’s. The first services at the new Cathedral building were held in 1952.


One of the historic roles of the Cathedral was to be a resource for the downtown Albuquerque community and its surrounding neighbors. Over the years, as the downtown area became less affluent and more problematic with crime, the leadership at the Cathedral chose to remain, even as other faith based organizations moved out. The clergy and leadership has changed many times, but that priority remains: we are a source of Christ’s love at the center of downtown Albuquerque. This can be seen in the on-going ministries of the Food Pantry, the Thrift Shop, Angel Tree and other outreach to our neighbors.


Rectors and Deans of St. John’s Church and Cathedral


St. John’s Church

1881-1883 The Rev. Henry Forrester

1884-1885 The Rev. William Y Sheppard

1886 The Rev. William L Githens

1888-1889 The Rev. Andrew T. Sharpe

1890-1892 The Rev. Henry Forrester

1993-1995 The Rev. William L Githens

1896-1899 The Rev. Frederick T. Bennett

1900-1903 The Rev. Robert Renison

1904 The Rev. E. Jay Cooke

1905-1906 The Rev. Alfred G. Harrison

1908-1909 The Rev. Fletcher Cook

1910-1915 The Rev. William E. Warren

1916-1918 The Rev. Earnest N. Bullock

1919-1920 The Rev. Wilfred H. Ziegler


St. John’s Cathedral Church

1920-1922 The Very Rev. Wilfred H. Ziegler

1923-1924 The Very Rev. William B. Allen

1925-1930 The Very Rev. Henry R. A. O’Malley

1931-1944 The Very Rev. Douglas Matthews

1945-1954 The Very Rev. Lloyd W. Clarke

1956-1958 The Very Rev. Edwin A. Skipton

1958-1961 The Very Rev. Frederick A. Croft

1962-1970 The Very Rev. Kenneth W. Kadey

1971-1989 The Very Rev. John B. Haverland

1992-2001 The Very Rev. David F. K. Puckett

2003-2005 The Very Rev. Alan G. Dennis

2007-2017 The Very Rev. J. Mark Goodman

2019-present The Very Rev. Kristina Maulden



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