The second Cathedral Basilica Gala is planned Saturday, Aug. 17 as part of an effort to raise funds for the preservation and restoration of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.

Restoration and preservation needs include updating the air conditioning and heating system, continuing upkeep of the building and bringing the cathedral basilica better into compliance with the Americans With Disability Act, according to planners of the event.

Pat and Mark Sauerburger are co-chairs of the Gala. “I feel very blessed to be part of this project,” Pat Sauerburger said. “There’s so much that needs to be kept up.”

St. Louis Catholics are fortunate to have such a treasure, she said. It’s known for its interior mosaics telling the story of the faith from creation to the last judgment. The work took nearly 80 years to create, using more than 41 million pieces of glass tesserae. Cardinal John Glennon began construction of the building in 1907 to provide an uplifting environment for Catholic worship and an inspiring place for private prayer.

The cathedral basilica, in the city’s Central West End, is considered by travel guides such as worldsiteguides.com as a masterpiece of art and history, rivaling the grandest cathedrals in the world.

The Friends of the Cathedral and a few donors have helped with the upkeep in recent years, such as restoring the pews, cleaning the mosaics, replacing and repairing windows, restoring the doors and more. Additional funds are needed for other costly repairs and upkeep.

At the Gala, the Msgr. Joseph D. Pins Award will be presented to Ellen and Darryl Ross, St. Joseph in Clayton parishioners who were co-chairs of the inaugural event. The Rosses have been involved in numerous Church and civic efforts in St. Louis. Msgr. Pins was rector of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis Parish for more than 10 years when he died in 2015 at age 70. He had served early in his priesthood as associate pastor of the parish.