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 very old and important Catholic church in Detroit, Michigan. It was started in 1855 by German immigrants. You can find it at 1828 Jay Street, near downtown Detroit.

The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it's a special place in American history. People thought its beautiful stained glass was very important. Later, in 1992, other buildings nearby, like the rectory (where priests live) and the convent (where nuns lived), were also added to the list.

Today, St. Joseph Shrine is a special place for worship. It is known for celebrating a very old form of the Catholic Mass, called the Tridentine Mass. This Mass uses the Latin language and follows traditions from before the 1960s.

Amazing Architecture: A Look Inside and Out
Music and Tradition: A Special Way to Worship
St. Joseph Shrine Today
Gallery
See also

Amazing Architecture: A Look Inside and Out

The back part of the church, called the nave.

St. Joseph Shrine is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like the grand churches from the Middle Ages. The church's design was inspired by a church in Germany.

Workers started building it in 1870, and it was finished in 1873. This makes it one of the oldest churches still standing in Detroit! A German-born architect named Francis G. Himpler designed this amazing building. Many people think it's one of the best examples of Victorian Gothic architecture in the Midwest. It's special because it still looks almost exactly as it did when it was first built.

What makes the church really stand out is its stunning stained glass. The windows have very detailed designs and are used all over the church. Inside, you can also see beautiful woodwork, statues, and the original main altar.

Music and Tradition: A Special Way to Worship

The main altar and tabernacle in St. Joseph Church.

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

In 2007, after not being used for 37 years, the church brought back the traditional Latin Tridentine Mass. This older form of Mass was mostly replaced in 1969.

The church is also famous for its music. On some Sundays and special days, you can hear orchestral Masses. These are musical pieces written by famous composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert. The church also has a traditional choir and a powerful organ.

The organ at St. Joseph is very old and special. It was first built in 1873 when the church was new. Over the years, it was changed a few times. In 1973, for the church's 100th birthday, a new organ was built using many parts from the original one. It has 29 different sounds it can make!

St. Joseph Shrine Today

In 2013, St. Joseph Church joined with two other churches to form a new parish called Mother of Divine Mercy. However, in 2016, the Archbishop of Detroit decided to make St. Joseph Church a separate place again. It became "St. Joseph Oratory."

It was put under the care of a group of priests called the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Their main job is to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass. Since these priests arrived, the church has grown a lot. Many young people and families have 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 devotion.

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