Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church facts for kids
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Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church
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| Location | 4440 Russell Street Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1893 |
| Architect | Spier & Rohns |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Polish Cathedral |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001523 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 31, 1978 |
The Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church is a beautiful church in Detroit, Michigan. You can find it at 4440 Russell Street. This church is built in the Gothic Revival style. It is one of the biggest Catholic churches in Detroit.
The church was recognized as an important historic place in Michigan in 1974. It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. For many years, it served the large Polish community in Detroit. Other churches like St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church and St. Josaphat Roman Catholic Church also helped this community. In 2013, Sweetest Heart of Mary joined with St. Josaphat Church. They formed a new parish called Mother of Divine Mercy.
Contents
History of Sweetest Heart of Mary Church
Polish Immigrants in Detroit
Many Polish immigrants came to Detroit in the 1800s. By the mid-1850s, many Polish families lived there. These families first went to St. Joseph's parish. This church spoke German at the time.
The Polish churchgoers were not happy. They wanted their own Polish church. In 1871, about 300 Polish families started St. Albertus Parish. They built a simple wooden church.
Father Kolasinski and a New Parish
In 1882, a very popular priest named Father Dominic Hippolytus Kolasinski became the pastor of St. Albertus. He helped the parish build the current St. Albertus Church. It was finished in 1885.
Later in 1885, the parish had some disagreements. Father Kolasinski was moved to a different church. When Reverend John Foley became the new Bishop of Detroit in 1888, Father Kolasinski came back. He started the Parish of the Sweetest Heart of Mary. This new parish was outside the official church rules at first. Soon after, they added a school building behind the church. This building is still there today.
Joining the Catholic Church
Father Kolasinski worked to bring his large group of followers back into the Catholic Church. There were almost 4,000 families. The Panic of 1893, a big economic problem, hit the parish hard. Church members had to get a loan to save their building.
Finally, the leaders in Rome told the bishop of Detroit to make peace with Father Kolasinski. The Sweetest Heart of Mary congregation officially joined the Diocese of Detroit. This happened on February 18, 1894.
Pastors and Parish Growth
Father Kolasinski passed away in 1898. Father Jan Romuald Byzewski took over for a short time. Then, Father Joseph Folta became the pastor in 1899. He served until 1919. Father Folta built a second school and a permanent rectory (the priest's house). He also put up a decorative fence around the church.
Father Joseph Casimir Plagens was the next pastor, from 1919 to 1935. He later became a bishop. Father Plagens added beautiful decorations inside the church. He also built a permanent convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph. These sisters taught at the parish school.
During Father Plagens's time, the church was very busy. The school had almost 1,500 students. The church was a social and spiritual center for the community.
Changes and Restoration
Over time, the number of church members slowly went down. This continued through the next few pastors. By the 1960s and early 1970s, fewer people attended the church.
In 1976, Father Bohdan Kosicki became the new priest. He started a plan to fix up the church buildings. He also worked to bring back former members. He raised money for the restoration. Sweetest Heart of Mary was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It also got state historic status in 1974 and city status in 1981.
Many parts of the church were restored. The beautiful stained glass windows and the organ were fixed. Much of the main altar was repaired. The convent and fence were also restored. The second school building was taken down, and the old school building was made stable.
Father Alphons Gorecki continued this work from 1981 to 2002. More work included cleaning the inside of the church, fixing plaster and statues, and updating the electrical system.
From 2002 to 2010, Father Mark A. Borkowski was the pastor. He kept up the restoration work. During this time, the Annual Pierogi Festival grew very big. It became the largest religious festival in Detroit. In 2011, Father Darrell Roman became the new administrator. He also managed St. Joseph and St. Josaphat churches.
Architecture of the Church
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Construction on the church began in 1890. It was designed by the architects Spier and Rohns. This church would become the largest Catholic Church in Michigan. Father Kolasinski had started the parish and raised money for the growing community.
The first stone of the church was laid on June 5, 1892. The church was officially opened on December 24, 1893. It cost over $125,000 to build. More than 10,000 people came to the opening ceremony.
Building Design and Features
Sweetest Heart of Mary is one of the largest Gothic Revival churches in the Midwest. It is very impressive. The church is made of red brick. It has a cruciform shape, like a cross, with a cross gabled roof.
The front of the church on Russell Street has a stone lower level. It has three main doorways and pointed arches. A stone balustrade (a row of small columns) is on top. Two tall towers stand on each side of the entrance. They have identical spires on top. These spires have buttresses and crosses.
The church has several amazing stained glass windows. They were made by Detroit Stained Glass Works. One large window shows the Holy Family in Saint Joseph's workshop. Eight windows along the main aisle show Christ, Mary, and several saints. These windows won a major prize at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Other Buildings and Organ
There are three other important buildings connected to the church. These include a large rectory (priest's house), a convent for many religious sisters, and a big school building. Together, they form a local historic district.
The church also has an Austin pipe organ from 1893. It is called Opus No. 2. This organ is the oldest Austin Organ still being used. It is also the oldest working electro-pneumatic organ in Michigan.
See also
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Architecture of metropolitan Detroit
Images for kids
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Exterior view of the church.
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Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church.
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The church sanctuary.
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A stained glass window depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary giving the Rosary to Saint Dominic.
