St. Joseph Oratory Facts for Kids

This page is about the church in Detroit. For the church in Montreal, see Saint Joseph's Oratory.

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

St. Joseph Shrine
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district


Location	1828 Jay Street Detroit, Michigan
Built	1870-1873; 152 years ago (1873)
Architect	Francis G. Himpler; Donaldson and Meier
Architectural style	Late Gothic Revival; German Hall Church
NRHP reference No.	72000670 (original) 91002013 (increase)
Added to NRHP	December 08, 1972
Boundary increase	January 28, 1992

St. Joseph Shrine is a beautiful and historic Catholic church in Detroit, Michigan. It was started way back in 1855 by German immigrants. You can find it near the Eastern Market area, just outside downtown. The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it's considered very important, especially for its amazing stained glass. Later, in 1992, other buildings nearby like the rectory (where priests live) were also added to the list. Today, St. Joseph Shrine is a special place for traditional Catholic worship. It is cared for by the canons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Architecture and Design
Traditional Worship and Music
Current Status and Growth
Gallery
See also

Architecture and Design

The rear of the church nave.

The Church of St. Katharina in Wallerfangen, which inspired St. Joseph Shrine.

The church's design is called Gothic Revival. This style looks like the grand churches built in Europe many centuries ago. The idea for St. Joseph Shrine came from a church in Germany called St. Katharina.

Construction on St. Joseph Shrine began in 1870. It was finished and opened in 1873. This makes it one of the oldest churches still standing in Detroit. The architect, Francis G. Himpler, was from Germany. He designed a building that is considered one of the best examples of Victorian Gothic architecture in the Midwest.

What makes this church really special is how well it has been kept. It looks almost exactly as it did when it was first built. Inside, you'll see incredible stained glass windows with detailed designs. The beautiful woodwork, statues, and the original main altar are also very impressive. Because of its unique beauty and history, St. Joseph Church was recognized nationally in 1972.

Traditional Worship and Music

The high altar and tabernacle in St. Joseph Church.

For many years, St. Joseph Church has kept its traditional ways of worship. Even after some changes in the Catholic Church in the 1960s, it continued to use Latin in its services. It also used German and English.

In 2007, the church brought back the traditional Latin Mass. This type of Mass was very common before 1969. Many people appreciate this older form of worship.

St. Joseph Shrine is also famous for its music. On special Sundays and holidays, you can hear orchestral Masses. These are like concerts with music by famous composers such as Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert. The church has a powerful tracker organ. This organ was first built in 1873. It has been updated over the years and still sounds amazing in the church's excellent acoustic space.

Current Status and Growth

In 2013, St. Joseph Church joined with two other nearby churches. They formed a new larger parish called Mother of Divine Mercy Parish. However, this arrangement changed a few years later.

In 2016, the Archbishop of Detroit decided to make St. Joseph Church a separate place again. It became St. Joseph Oratory. It was placed under the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. These priests are dedicated to celebrating the traditional Latin Mass.

The first Mass under their care was held in October 2016. Before this, the church was almost going to close. But after the new priests arrived, the church saw a lot of growth. Many young people and families started attending. In March 2020, the church was given the special title of "shrine." This means it's a very important place for prayer and pilgrimage.

In 2022, The New York Times newspaper wrote an article about the church. It talked about the traditional Latin Mass in the United States.