William J. Connell, 41, made an initial appearance in Dane County Circuit Court on charges of burglary, arson and misdemeanor bail jumping. The hearing was continued until after court officials determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
He faces up to 40 years in prison on the most serious charge, arson.
Police were called to a Madison grocery store early Tuesday because someone there had information about the fire at St. Raphael's Cathedral. An officer met Connell, who told her he had broken into the church and set the fire, according to a criminal complaint.
Connell gave the officer a few details about how he broke in but declined to say how he started the fire or why he chose the church, the complaint said.
He has not offered any details of the fire since his arrest, the complaint said.
Madison Police spokesman Larry Kamholz said officials waited to announce Connell's arrest to give them time to build the case against him. He said investigators were still trying to determine where Connell got the crow bar that he used to break into the church. Connell told police he found it at a nearby construction site and used it to pry open the doors, according to the complaint.
Firefighters needed more than three hours to get Monday's blaze under control. The fire shut down city traffic around the church, which sits two blocks from the state Capitol.
The church received a new steeple in November as part of a $1 million project, the first step in what was expected to be a multimillion-dollar refurbishment of the cathedral.
Prosecutors said Connell had arrests in Oregon, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin within the last several years. His last Wisconsin arrest was for defrauding an inn keeper. His bail was set at $222,000. If he makes bail, he will be prohibited from leaving Dane County or going back to the cathedral.
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