Cathedral Organ

"The organ has always been considered, and rightly so, the king of musical instruments, because it takes up all the sounds of creation and gives resonance to the fullness of human sentiments, from joy to sadness, from praise to lamentation. By transcending the merely human sphere, as all music of quality does, it evokes the divine. The organ's great range of timbre, from piano through to a thundering fortissimo, makes it an instrument superior to all others. It is capable of echoing and expressing all the experiences of human life. The manifold possibilities of the organ in some way remind us of the immensity and the magnificence of God."

- Apostolic Journey to Regensburg, 2006


The Cathedral Organ is located in the Choir Gallery in two divided cases on both sides of the stained glass windows. The organ (Opus 54) was built in 2002 by the Lauck Pipe Organ Company of Otsego, Michigan, replacing a small two-manual 1959 Wicks pipe organ. Several ranks of the Wick’s pipework were incorporated into the new instrument. The casework, built from solid tulip poplar, recapitulates the Romanesque architecture of the building.

The organ builder, Jim Lauck, describes the installation in the following terms: “The huge interior, hard surfaces, and ceramic tile floor provide excellent acoustics. With a high gallery and long nave, this room is an organ builder’s dream. The organ is generously scaled and voiced on moderate wind pressures ranging from 3-4 inches, with the Swell reeds (parallel domed shallots) on 5 inches, and the Great Trompette (tapered shallots) on 8 inches. The voicing is transparent and not forced.”

The instrument required over a year to build at a cost of $200,000. It consists of more than 2,000 pipes, 44 stops, 30 ranks, and 4 divisions. It was installed with the provision of adding a Sanctuary organ to be installed under and to the side of the central mural, enabling both organs to be played from the Gallery.

Since its installation, important organists who have performed at the Cathedral have included Simon Johnson (St. Paul's Cathedral, London), Steven Ball (Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City), Christopher Stroh (St. Mary's Basilica, Minneapolis) and Steven Egler (Central Michigan University).

Organ Specifications

Great (II)
16’ Bourdon (ext.)
8’ Montre
8’ Flûte à Cheminée
8’ Flûte Harmonique
4’ Prestant
4’ Flûte Octaviante (ext.)
2’ Doublette
Fourniture IV
8’ Trompette de Fête
4’ Great to Great
16’ Swell to Great
8’ Swell to Great
4’ Swell to Great
16’ Choir to Great
8’ Choir to Great
4’ Choir to Great

Swell (III)
8’ Bourdon
8’ Viole d’Gambe
8’ Voix Céleste
4’ Prestant
4’ Flûte Harmonique
2’ Flûte Ouverte (ext.)
Plein Jeu IV
16’ Basson
8’ Trompette
8’ Hautbois (ext.)
4’ Clairon (ext.)
16’ Swell to Swell
Swell Unison Off
4’ Swell to Swell


Choir (I)
8’ Flûte Couverte
8’ Viola
8’ Viola Céleste
4’ Prestant
4’ Flûte à Fuseau
2 ⅔’ Nazard
2’ Doublette (ext.)
1 ⅗’ Tierce
1 ⅓’ Larigot (ext.)
8’ Cromorne
16’ Choir to Choir
Swell Unison Off
4’ Choir to Choir
16’ Swell to Choir
8’ Swell to Choir
4’ Swell to Choir

32’ Contrebourdon
16’ Contrebasse
16’ Soubasse
16’ Bourdon (Gt)
8’ Montre (ext.)
8’ Bourdon (ext.)
8’ Flûte à Cheminée (Gt)
5 ⅓’ Quinte
4’ Prestant (ext.)
Fourniture (II)
16’ Bombarde (ext.)
16’ Basson (Sw)
8’ Trompette (Gt)
4’ Clairon (Gt)
8’ Great to Pedal
4’ Great to Pedal
8’ Swell to Pedal
4’ Swell to Pedal
8’ Choir to Pedal
4’ Choir to Pedal