Immaculate Conception and St. John Francis Regis Churches The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was preceded by two churches in Kansas City, then part of the
Diocese of St. Louis. The first Catholic church in Kansas City was St. John Francis Regis, a log structure constructed at Eleventh and Broadway, by Reverend Benedict Roux in 1835. The new church cost $500 At that time, only nine Catholic families lived in Kansas City.Roux left Kansas City later that year and the small church was effectively abandoned. Bishop
John Joseph Hogan selected Immaculate Conception Church as the cathedral for the new diocese. However, he immediately started planning for a larger cathedral. In 1882, he laid the
cornerstone for the second Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Donnelly Hall was dedicated in August 2024. The cathedral is a
contributing property in the
Quality Hill neighborhood, which is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. == Cathedral exterior ==