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.                                     

Gesu- Detroit

Gesu is located across from the University of Detroit and both the church and university are part of the Jesuit community. Recently the Church's first Jesuit pope was elected ( and the first Latin American pope, and the first pope to take the name Francis. This is a pope of firsts which many see as a renewal of the church). The church is universal and our first Latin American pope is a sure sign of this. An even bigger sign of the universality of the Church and the universal message of God's love for the world is found inside the churches I visit. Inside the church are the parishoners, the body of Christ. When time comes to pray the Lord's Prayer and we all hold hands I always take a moment to glance around and appreciate the people from many nations together as the one body of Christ.

Gesu church has a strong mission for social justice. This parish lives the universality of the church with outreach and service to the city around them.

 

Mass at Gesu is joyful and filled with songs of praise. The choir wasn't just lifting their voices, the whole congregation was lifting up songs to the Lord.

Martyrs of Uganda - Detroit

My goal is to visit the Catholic churches of Detroit during the Year of Faith. At each parish I visit I have met wonderful people that always invite me to return for parish events and Mass. At Gesu, I attended the Friday Lent soup supper, meditation and stations of the cross. Most of the evening was spent talking to those sitting near me when I should I have been paying attention to the services. And this is exactly why this faith journey has been so rewarding. Every church I visit seems filled with old friends and long lost family even though we only just met for the first time.

Martyrs of Uganda church I discovered while driving the scenic route home from a visit to downtown Detroit. Although closed for many years,I could still hear the chatter and laughter of the Catholic family that once called this place home.

 

Sacred Heart Major Seminary- Detroit

Oliver! the musical and seminarians live on stage! This is what brought me to Sacred Heart Major Seminary for the first time. Listed in my church bulletin was a notice for a production of Oliver, staged by our local seminarians as a fundraiser. I couldn't pass this up. The musical had me singing along and tapping my toe in time to the music, boy could those seminarians belt out a song.  During intermission we had a chance to explore the chapel and came under its spell of quiet beauty.

Shrine of the Little Flower

Shrine of the Little Flower is not in Detroit proper though plays an important role in the history of the faith in Detroit. The national shrine is dedicated to Saint Therese Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus. Saint Therese died young though touched the lives of millions with her book "The Story of a Soul".

The shrine is an Art Deco masterpiece and features sculpture by one of Detroit's master sculptors, Corrado Parducci. Perhaps my favorite sculpture in the interior of the church is that of Saint Perpetua.





 

Book Selection - Fearing the Stigmata

During the Year of Faith I have been making a effort to read more books about our faith in addition to visiting every Catholic church in Detroit. Like the many beautiful churches in Detroit, there are many beautiful books about the Catholic faith.

Fearing the Stigmata by Matt Weber

Matt Weber is a CatholicTV producer and writes about faith. His book "Fearing the Stigmata" is a quick read about being christian in our contemporary society. What strikes me most about the book is his reflection on how the faith continues to surprise the self. Weber also discusses living the faith in public, a topic that appeals to all ages. The book made me laugh and ponder and I hope another book is in the works.

Old Saint Mary's Greektown Detroit

The first church visit on my Year of Faith pilgrimage was meant to be at Saints Peter and Paul Jesuit Church. I mixed up the mass time, 11:45am not 12:00pm as I thought. Walking around downtown Detroit as I decided what to do next, I remembered Old Saint Mary's.

A few years back I attended a Latin Mass at the church with my parents. Growing up post Vatican II, kneeling at a communion rail was a new experience for me. I remember taking my place at the rail and suddenly trembling. I thought to myself, "this is the Lord", this is what Mass is all about, we take Christ inside us, we are all part of Christ, we are the body.

Mass is held daily at Old Saint Mary's at 12:15pm sharp. What struck me about this Mass was watching the downtown Detroit workers coming in on their lunch hour to attend the service.  Inside the church was a sea of calm while outside its doors was the rush of lunchtime workers.

Daily Mass is always an enjoyable moment for me. The service is often quiet and provides a respite from the busy life we live each day. We are pulled in so many directions and connected in so many ways with smartphones, computers and the such, that daily Mass truley refreshes by allowing us to unplug for just a moment and be with God.

Old Saint Mary's- Detroit