This historic photo shows the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine's rectory as it has stood since 1965. | Diocese of St. Augustine
Published on June 18, 2024 at 3:44 pm
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The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine has stood prominently downtown since the late 18th century. And while the cathedral has been renovated in recent years, its living space for church clergy has barely been touched up since the 1960s.
Until now.
Originally built in 1965, the nearly 15,000-square-foot rectory has housed many bishops, pastors and visitors to the historic church. Nowadays, the three-story building has office space and rooms for visitors and three clergymen, including the Very Rev. John Tetlow.
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“I love being here,” Tetlow told Jacksonville Today. “This is a beautiful piece of history.”
That said, Tetlow looks forward to how things will look once the space is fixed up. The renovation will include the office space, gut aging pipes and moldy insulation, and even remove asbestos in the ceilings.
While the structure is not as historic as the nearby cathedral, Tetlow said it has a history worth saving.
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“We honor the passing of time and the history of things,” he said. “This does have a great history to it, and we want to continue that history.”
It’s a big undertaking, he said. Construction has only begun and it’s expected to take eight months and more than $4 million.
So far the church has raised around $2.7 million, Tetlow said, and they’ve received support in the form of both donations and housing for the clergymen whose house will be under construction for nearly a year.
Construction won’t affect visits to the cathedral, Tetlow said. Visitors and parishioners will still be able to visit the cathedral as usual while the rectory is fixed up.
