Sweetest Heart Of Mary Roman Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church is located at 4440 Russell Street (at E Canfield St) in Detroit, Michigan
in the Forest Park neighborhood on the city's central East side. The Gothic Revival
Cathedral styled Church is the largest of the Roman Catholic Churches in the City of Detroit. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978. St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church
is 4/10 mile east at the corner of E Canfield St and Saint Aubin St. St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church
is 3/10 mile west at the corner of E Canfield St and SB Chrysler Service Drive.
Immigrants into the city in the 19th century; by the mid-1850s, the number of Polish families who had settled in the city was significant. These Émigré
s from Poland
first attended St. Joseph's
, which was at the time a German-speaking church. However, the Polish congregants were dissatisfied, and agitated for a Polish church. In 1871, three hundred or so Polish families organized St. Albertus Parish
and built a frame church at St. Aubin and Canfield Avenue. In 1882, the charismatic Father Dominic Hippolytus Kolasiñski became pastor of St. Albertus. Father Kolasiñski organized the parish to construct the present St. Albertus Church, which was dedicated in 1885. In November 1885, the parish became factionalized; Father Kolasiñski was reassigned.
When a new bishop of Detroit was appointed in 1888, Father Kolasiñski returned to the Detroit and began the Parish of the Sweetest Heart of Mary outside the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. Shortly afterward, the church school on Canfield was built; it still stands today behind the main church.
Kolasiñski negotiated to bring his flock, numbering nearly 4,000 families, into the fold of the Catholic Church. The depression
of the 1890s hit the parish hard. Parish members secured a loan in order to keep the building. Eventually, Rome directed the bishop of Detroit to make peace with Kolasiñski, and on February 18, 1894, the congregation of the Sweetest Heart of Mary was officially received into the Diocese of Detroit.
Father Kolasiñski died in 1898. He was succeeded by Rev. Romuald S. Byzewski (who served as pastor for a single year) and Rev. Joseph Folta, who served the parish until 1919. Father Folta built a second school, constructed a permanent rectory
, and built an ornamental fence
about the church. Folta was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Casimir Plagens, who served at Sweetest Heart from 1919 until 1935, and later became Bishop of Marquette
and then Bishop of Grand Rapids
. Plagens added embellishments the church interior and built a permanent convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph
, who staffed the church school.
During Father Plagens's tenure, the parish flourished. The church schools were filled with almost 1,500 pupils, and the church was the social as well as spiritual center of the community. Over time, with shifting demographics, membership waned. This trend accelerated through the tenures of the next three pastors: Monsignor Michael Grupa (1935 to 1949), Rev. Adam Koprowski (1949 to 1959), and Rev. Boguslaus Poznañski (1959 to 1976). During the 1960s, the congregation numbers fell. Membership waned in the early 1970s.
In 1976, Rev. Bohdan Kosicki, joined Sweetest Heart and began a building restoration and implemented a plan which revived church membership. He reached out and established ties to earlier parishioners, raising funds for the restoration. Sweetest Heart of Mary was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978. It received state historic designation in 1974, and city of Detroit designation in 1981. A state of Michigan historical marker was also erected in 1981. The stained glass windows and organ were restored, and much of the main altar was renovated. In addition, the convent and fencing was restored, the second school building was demolished, and the historic old school building was stabilized. Kosicki's work was carried on through the tenure of Rev. Alphons Gorecki, who served from 1981 through 2002. The interior was completely refurbished, including plasterwork and statues. The electrical wiring was replaced.
From 2002 until early 2010, Fr. Mark A. Borkowski was pastor and continued the restoration and revival of Sweetest Heart of Mary. During this period the Annual Pierogi
Festival greatly expanded to become the largest religious festival in the City of Detroit.
Effective July 1, 2011, Fr. Darrell Roman was appointed the new Pastor. He will also be the Administrator for the other two churches in the cluster, St. Joseph, and St. Josaphat.
In 1890, construction began one "what would become the largest Catholic Church in Michigan." Spier and Rohns
designed the present cathedral structure. Father Dominic Hippolytus Kolasiñski had formed the parish and raised the building funds for the rapidly growing parish. The cornerstone
-laying ceremony was held on June 5, 1892, and on December 24, 1893, after construction costs of over $125,000, the church was officially dedicated. More than 10,000 people attended the dedication ceremony.
Sweetest Heart of Mary is one of the largest and perhaps most impressive Gothic Revival Cathedral Churches in the Midwest. The church is constructed of red brick in a cruciform
shape with a cross gabled roof The facade on Russell boasts a rusticated stone lower level with a triple portal
, a pointed arch
structure, and a stone balustrade atop everything. Two tower
s flank the entrance, topped with identical Spire
s, which are capped with buttresses and detailed with crosses.
The church includes several impressive stained glass
windows built by Detroit Stained Glass Works, the successor to the well known firm of Friederichs and Staffin. The major transept
window illustrates the Holy Family
in Saint Joseph
's workshop. Eight windows lining the nave
portray Christ, Mary and several saints; this set of windows won a major prize at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago
.
There are three related building -- large rectory
, a convent
that could house several dozen nuns and a large school building -- which make up a local historic district
.
The 1893 Austin
Pipe organ
Opus No. 2 (2 manuals
and 20 ranks) is the oldest Austin Organ still in service, and the oldest surviving electric organ
in the state of Michigan.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in the Forest Park neighborhood on the city's central East side. The Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
Cathedral styled Church is the largest of the Roman Catholic Churches in the City of Detroit. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978. St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church
St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church
St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church is a church located at 4231 St. Aubin Street in Detroit, Michigan in the Forest Park neighborhood area on the city's central East side...
is 4/10 mile east at the corner of E Canfield St and Saint Aubin St. St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church
St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church
St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 715 E. Canfield Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1985.- History :...
is 3/10 mile west at the corner of E Canfield St and SB Chrysler Service Drive.
History
The rise of Detroit brought in many PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
Immigrants into the city in the 19th century; by the mid-1850s, the number of Polish families who had settled in the city was significant. These Émigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
s from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
first attended St. Joseph's
St. Joseph Catholic Church, Detroit
Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1855, is a historic German Catholic parish with a landmark church located at 1828 Jay Street in the Eastern Market - Lafayette Park neighborhood area just outside of downtown Detroit on the city's central east side...
, which was at the time a German-speaking church. However, the Polish congregants were dissatisfied, and agitated for a Polish church. In 1871, three hundred or so Polish families organized St. Albertus Parish
St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church
St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church is a church located at 4231 St. Aubin Street in Detroit, Michigan in the Forest Park neighborhood area on the city's central East side...
and built a frame church at St. Aubin and Canfield Avenue. In 1882, the charismatic Father Dominic Hippolytus Kolasiñski became pastor of St. Albertus. Father Kolasiñski organized the parish to construct the present St. Albertus Church, which was dedicated in 1885. In November 1885, the parish became factionalized; Father Kolasiñski was reassigned.
When a new bishop of Detroit was appointed in 1888, Father Kolasiñski returned to the Detroit and began the Parish of the Sweetest Heart of Mary outside the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. Shortly afterward, the church school on Canfield was built; it still stands today behind the main church.
Kolasiñski negotiated to bring his flock, numbering nearly 4,000 families, into the fold of the Catholic Church. The depression
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
of the 1890s hit the parish hard. Parish members secured a loan in order to keep the building. Eventually, Rome directed the bishop of Detroit to make peace with Kolasiñski, and on February 18, 1894, the congregation of the Sweetest Heart of Mary was officially received into the Diocese of Detroit.
Father Kolasiñski died in 1898. He was succeeded by Rev. Romuald S. Byzewski (who served as pastor for a single year) and Rev. Joseph Folta, who served the parish until 1919. Father Folta built a second school, constructed a permanent rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, and built an ornamental fence
Fence
A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...
about the church. Folta was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Casimir Plagens, who served at Sweetest Heart from 1919 until 1935, and later became Bishop of Marquette
Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette is a suffragan diocese of the Roman rite, encompassing all of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the ecclesiastical province of the Archbishop of Detroit. It encompasses an area of 16,281 square miles .Its cathedral is St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette,...
and then Bishop of Grand Rapids
Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Michigan, in the United States. It comprises 102 churches in Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Montcalm, Mecosta, Lake, Mason, and Osceola counties in Michigan. The diocese was created on...
. Plagens added embellishments the church interior and built a permanent convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
, who staffed the church school.
During Father Plagens's tenure, the parish flourished. The church schools were filled with almost 1,500 pupils, and the church was the social as well as spiritual center of the community. Over time, with shifting demographics, membership waned. This trend accelerated through the tenures of the next three pastors: Monsignor Michael Grupa (1935 to 1949), Rev. Adam Koprowski (1949 to 1959), and Rev. Boguslaus Poznañski (1959 to 1976). During the 1960s, the congregation numbers fell. Membership waned in the early 1970s.
In 1976, Rev. Bohdan Kosicki, joined Sweetest Heart and began a building restoration and implemented a plan which revived church membership. He reached out and established ties to earlier parishioners, raising funds for the restoration. Sweetest Heart of Mary was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978. It received state historic designation in 1974, and city of Detroit designation in 1981. A state of Michigan historical marker was also erected in 1981. The stained glass windows and organ were restored, and much of the main altar was renovated. In addition, the convent and fencing was restored, the second school building was demolished, and the historic old school building was stabilized. Kosicki's work was carried on through the tenure of Rev. Alphons Gorecki, who served from 1981 through 2002. The interior was completely refurbished, including plasterwork and statues. The electrical wiring was replaced.
From 2002 until early 2010, Fr. Mark A. Borkowski was pastor and continued the restoration and revival of Sweetest Heart of Mary. During this period the Annual Pierogi
Pierogi
Pierogi are dumplings of unleavened dough - first boiled, then they are baked or fried usually in butter with onions - traditionally stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese, or fruit...
Festival greatly expanded to become the largest religious festival in the City of Detroit.
Effective July 1, 2011, Fr. Darrell Roman was appointed the new Pastor. He will also be the Administrator for the other two churches in the cluster, St. Joseph, and St. Josaphat.
Architecture
Spier and Rohns
Spier & Rohns was a noted Detroit architectural firm operated by Frederick Spier and W. C. Rohns, best remembered for designs of churches and railroad stations...
designed the present cathedral structure. Father Dominic Hippolytus Kolasiñski had formed the parish and raised the building funds for the rapidly growing parish. The cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
-laying ceremony was held on June 5, 1892, and on December 24, 1893, after construction costs of over $125,000, the church was officially dedicated. More than 10,000 people attended the dedication ceremony.
Sweetest Heart of Mary is one of the largest and perhaps most impressive Gothic Revival Cathedral Churches in the Midwest. The church is constructed of red brick in a cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
shape with a cross gabled roof The facade on Russell boasts a rusticated stone lower level with a triple portal
Portal (architecture)
Portal is a general term describing an opening in the walls of a building, gate or fortification, and especially a grand entrance to an important structure. Doors, metal gates or portcullis in the opening can be used to control entry or exit. The surface surrounding the opening may be made of...
, a pointed arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
structure, and a stone balustrade atop everything. Two tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
s flank the entrance, topped with identical Spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
s, which are capped with buttresses and detailed with crosses.
The church includes several impressive stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows built by Detroit Stained Glass Works, the successor to the well known firm of Friederichs and Staffin. The major transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
window illustrates the Holy Family
Holy Family
The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family...
in Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
's workshop. Eight windows lining the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
portray Christ, Mary and several saints; this set of windows won a major prize at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
There are three related building -- large rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
that could house several dozen nuns and a large school building -- which make up a local historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
.
The 1893 Austin
Austin Organs, Inc.
Austin Organs, Inc. is a manufacturer of pipe organs based in Hartford, Connecticut. The company is one of the oldest continuously-operating organ manufacturers in the United States...
Pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
Opus No. 2 (2 manuals
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
and 20 ranks) is the oldest Austin Organ still in service, and the oldest surviving electric organ
Electronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
in the state of Michigan.
Further reading
- Orson, Lawrence, (1981) Polish Detroit and the Kolasinski Affair Detroit: Wayne State University PressWayne State University PressWayne State University Press , founded in 1941, is a university press that is part of Wayne State University. It publishes under its own name and also the imprints Painted Turtle and Great Lakes Books....
. 268 pages. ISBN 0814316719; ISBN 978-0814316719. - Serafino, Frank, (1983) West of Warsaw. Avenue Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-910977-00-5 ISBN 0-910977-00-3.
- Skendzel, Eduard Adam Kolasinski in the Evening News, 1881-1899 ASIN: B000722P40.