St. Anselm (Dearborn Heights)

St. Anselm Parish was established in June of 1954. The parish boundaries were previously part of Sacred Heart, Divine Child and Our Lady of Grace Parishes. Fr. Arthur M . Reckinger celebrated the parish's first Mass on July 11, 1954, at Clara B. Ford School, with 580 in attendance. Fr. Reckinger was the first Sacred Heart parishioner to be ordained to the priesthood. In addition, he was a professor at Mercy College for a decade and St. Anselm's first pastor. 


The first Mass in the current, 800-seat church was on May 8, 1955. Edward Cardinal Mooney dedicated St. Anselm Church on December 4th of that year. The parish also established a parochial school in 1955 and, five years later, a convent was built. For many years, St. Anselm School was the only parochial school in the Archdiocese of Detroit that was tuition-free.
 

A fire severely damaged the church on January 19, 1969. The front section was a complete loss and the fire caused $200,000 damage.


Msgr. James Moloney was installed as Pastor of St. Anselm Parish on January 25, 1978, and remains pastor today. In addition, he was National Vice President of Society of the Propagation of the Faith for three decades.



Daily Mass is at 8:30am Monday–Saturday. Saturday Vigil Masses are at 4:30pm (preceded by Reconciliation at 3:30pm) and 7:00pm. Sunday Masses are at 8:00am, 10:00am, and Noon.


St. Anselm's Shrine, the first shrine in the Dearborn area, is a statue of St. Anselm chiseled from a solid block of white Italian marble. The patron stands in a raised garden in front of the church.


More info: parish website + school website
More photos: AOD Film Services

St. Mary (Royal Oak)

St. Mary Church was built in 1953, in the southern section of Royal Oak.


A Statue of the Blessed Virgin, along with a monogram of the Holy Name of Mary, is suspended over the center door.


Two plaques are suspended on the front facade: a crown surrounded by 12 stars and an olive branch.



A tall, narrow spire stands on the roof and over the altar; the former baptistery is stands in the vestibule 

Madonna and Child in the vestibule.

A baldacchino covers the high altar and tabernacle. A large stained-glass window depicting the blessed Virgin Mary overlooks the sanctuary.


A Chi Rho, as well as Alpha and Omega, are depicted on the facade of the high altar.


A monogram of "Ave Maria" is inlaid in the floor in front of the high altar. 


Side altars to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, respectively.


A portion of the original altar rail remains in front of the Blessed Mother's side altar.


The original baptismal font, which was in storage for decades, returned to the sanctuary last summer.

Periwinkle flowers are engraved on the sides of some of the pews.

Windows in the clerestory depict symbols and titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary.


Left to right: Queen of Martyrs, Tower of David, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary


Lower-level windows are in sets of three. The middle window in each set features a biblical symbol.


A large and colorful rose window overlooks the choir loft.


Stations of the Cross line the walls of the nave and hang in between arches.

Stained-glass windows in the stairwell to the choir loft; a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands in a garden between the church and rectory.

St. Mary Parish operates a K-8 parochial school which, in the 2017-2018 academic year, had an enrollment of 230 students.




St. Mary Parish offers Mass at least once every day. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament occurs four days a week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Exposition starts at 6:30am, Benediction is at 7:20am, followed by Mass at 7:30am. Fridays also have a second Mass at 10:00am. Saturday Vigil Mass is at 4:30pm while Sunday Masses are at 9:00am and 11:00am.



More info: parish website + school website
For more photos: AOD Film Services