St. John’s Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno California. The parish was established in 1882. In 1878, Catholic settlers in the area recognized the need for a church and began to raise funds. The Central Pacific Railroad donated two lots and Bishop Francisco Mora Borrell of the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles who purchased two adjacent lots. Construction on the sanctuary began early in 1880 and the structure was completed in November. Bishop Mora dedicated the church to St. John the Baptist in May 21, 1882. It was a brick structure with a 90 ft (27 m) steeple and served the five Catholic families in the area.