The history of St. Joseph's began in 1913. At the time the city's main
Franco-Albertan church, St. Joachim’s, was no longer able to cope with the booming population of English speaking parishioners. A large basement was excavated and concrete was poured. The church functioned as a
crypt church from this time until the building was finally completed in 1963. In 1917, St. Joseph's Parish came into being by a separation of the English and the French parishioners of St. Joachim. Construction of the church was halted until 1924 due to
World War I (the cathedral's architect,
Roland Walter Lines, was killed serving in the conflict). In 1917, St. Joseph's became a separate parish when the English speaking and French speaking parishioners at St. Joachim’s were given their own parishes. The French speakers remained at St. Joachim's. The English speakers moved to St. Joseph's. Construction resumed in 1924, and Archbishop
Henry O'Leary designated the unfinished St. Joseph's as the cathedral for the diocese. However, construction was again halted during the years of the
Great Depression and the
Second World War. In 1951 St Joseph's became the first parish in Canada to hold
perpetual adoration. Planning for a new design began in 1954. Construction of the superstructure began in 1960 and the completed cathedral was officially opened on May 1, 1963, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. St. Joseph's Cathedral was named a minor basilica shortly before
Pope John Paul II visited Edmonton in 1984. This was in part because of the papal visit but also to recognize the efforts of early
missionaries and the people of the diocese. It was the first church west of Manitoba to receive this honour. ==Notable persons associated with St. Joseph's==