Saint Christopher - Detroit

Above the entrance of Saint Christopher Catholic Church is a stained glass window depicting the history of travel. Look close and you will find a bicycle, an airplane and of course an automobile. The window relates to us the history of mankind through images of mankind's modes of travel. Inside the church, during Mass and through the reading of scripture we learn about another history; the history of salvation.

Mass on this damp weekday morning was anything but dreary. As the congregation sang our voices cut through the mist and rain outside and our hearts did lift up to God. And then, during the homily, the priest asked us a question. He looked out across the flock scattered amongst the pews and asked "why are you here?"

I was shaken when I heard the question. "Why are you here"? He was asking us why we attend Mass. Days and weeks after being asked that question I am still thinking of the many answers. Is there only one reason why we attend Mass? Is this reason different for each person? Do we attend Mass solely to glorify God or do we also attend Mass because some days we despair and some days we are joyous and even some days just bored. I am not sure I could ever truly answer this question and perhaps that's the reason the priest asked us this. The question is not meant to be answered.

Saint Bartholomew - Saint Rita - Detroit

At this stop on my Year of Faith journey, I reflected on the importance of song in the Catholic worship service. During Mass we sing at both the beginning and the end of the service. We also sing during the procession of the gifts, we sing during communion and in many churches we sing the Psalms and the Lords Prayer. And why are we singing? Is it because song is so pleasing to God? or is it because our hearts are so filled with joy that all we can do is sing?

In our daily lives we all have songs that we just can't help but sing aloud to. We can't help but lift our voices when that favorite song plays on the radio while we are driving or in the shower. We sing because we are filled with great happiness. And it is no different when we are participating in Mass, we are singing because we are so very happy.

At Saint Bartholomew-Saint Rita we sang three hymns that I adore; O' Sons and Daughters, On Eagles Wings and Christ the Lord is Risen Today. Oh how I sang during that Saturday evening Mass. But the best was yet to come. At the end of Mass the priest acknowledged the birthday of a parishioner and we all joined together singing Happy Birthday- in Polish. (someone had to help me with the words, but it sure was fun)

Assumption Grotto-Detroit

My Year of Faith journey continued with an evening Latin Mass at Assumption Grotto on Detroit's East side. Did I mention that this was the Tridentine Mass? Attending (I am reluctant to use the word participate) the Tridentine Mass made me suddenly understand Vatican II.

In today's Catholic church the Body of Christ, the congregation, participates in Mass. We recite prayers aloud as one body, we lift our souls to God as one body, we interact with each other as one body. During the Tridentine Mass, one is merely an observer, watching the priest inaudibly say the prayers and consecrate the host. As an observer of Mass I realized how important it is to be a participant. The holy Mass is just too important to just watch and God really does call us to participate. The next time you attend Mass be sure to seek out your neighbors hand during the Lords Prayer and perhaps sing just a little bit louder because we are all in this together.

Church of the Madonna- Detroit

The Church of the Madonna holds a special place in Detroit's recent history. It was in the basement of this church that Focus: Hope was started.  Focus: Hope, though not affiliated with the Catholic church, now occupies a large campus across the street from Church of the Madonna and continues the work of solving hunger, economic inequality and racial injustice.

This beautiful church has a quiet dignity about it. Founded to serve those in the Italian and Maltese communities it now serves a mostly African-American congregation, reminding us that the good news is universal.

During the weekday Mass I attended, the congregation gathered around the alter table and joined hands during the consecration of the Blessed Sacrament. I felt then and there that we are all called to God's table. We held hands and recited the Lord's prayer and took communion as one family around our family table.

Saint Thomas Aquinas- Detroit

My father recently mentioned that he instinctively nods his head each time the name of Jesus is recited during a Mass service. This instinctive nodding he told me is from attending Catholic school where the nuns and priests ensured that each child new the importance of nodding their head at the name of Jesus.

Tucked away at the far corner of Detroit on the Dearborn border, Saint Thomas church stands at the busy intersection of a major thoroughfare and a highway. I almost missed finding the church, the building is severely plain and tucked back from the road. Inside I found a church as plain inside as outside and a priest wearing the most beautiful vestments I have seen in a long time. I came to Saint Thomas for the rosary and stayed for the Mass dedicated to Our Lady Of Perpetual Help followed by Eucharistic adoration. That week I had need of help and found solace as I recited the prayers with those around me. During the Mass as the priest knelt to add incense to the burner I glimpsed cowboy boots beneath those ornate vestments. And all through Mass and the adoration I watched as he nodded his head when the name of Jesus was recited. I couldn't help but to think of my dad.

Corpus Christi- Detroit

Corpus Cristi solicits "God sightings" on its website. After attending Mass there I am certainly responding to their solicitation. Lately, I have been anxious about the merging of the parish I attend with a nearby church and then the possibility of another merger and loss of the parish that is just around the corner from where I live.

 Corpus Cristi is a recent faith community resulting from the merger of two parishes. They are a new creation, a theme of Lent 2013. What I saw was indeed a new creation, and when I spoke with the parishioners I saw immediately that the Holy Spirit is at work in this place of worship. It wasn't just the beautiful renovation that incorporated elements of both churches. The baptismal font that reused marble from the original communion rail or the reorientation of the alter to draw the community together around the table of the Lord. What struck me was that God is always renewing and God is renewing the Church. Corpus Cristi is a great example of this renewal.

Saint Joseph - Detroit

Saint Joseph is a testament to the history of the City of Detroit. A masterpiece of German Gothic architecture, this church is recognized internationally by historians and architects alike. If you have never toured Detroit's architectural masterworks, you must begin here. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a building "of national importance".
Maybe someday tourists will flock to Detroit to tour the grand cathedrals as many do in other countries. Saint Joseph is filled with precision craftsmanship unrivaled anywhere in the world. Filled with sacred art and ancient religious relics.

 

I attended the celebration of the Feast of Saint Joseph at this namesake church. Inside I prayed before relics of the saint and a relic of the true cross. My parents were with me and after touring the church we participated in the holy rosary. As the three of us kneeled in the pew and prayed the rosary together I wondered when the last time was that we did this and why we don't do this more often.