St. Florian and Polish Village Cafe

We are going to step out of Detroit for a moment, but not for very long. We are still sort of in Detroit, but really in the enclave city of Hamtramck. Hamtramck at one time was 90% Polish, and still holds on to its Polish heritage (people of Polish descent still held a plurality of the population in the 2000 census) despite it now being more diverse.

In 1907/8 the first church was established in the then Village of Hamtramck. This church is St. Florian. By the mid 1920s, St. Florian had become the 2nd largest church in Detroit (Hamtramck's population increased by 1266% between the censuses of 1910 and 1920) and was in need of a new building for worship. Ralph Adams Cram was chosen for the upgrade. In terms of Ecclesiastical Architecture, Cram is kind of a big deal. The lion's share of his work was for Episcopal/Anglican churches (he was a High Church Anglican) which includes the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit. The designs of Cram and the sacrifice of the parishioners paid off and American Architect magazine chose St. Florian's as the Best new church of 1929 according to this here historical marker:

It was the best new Church in 1929, and it remains one of the best in my opinion. I have more pictures, but this is one that should be on your list for seeing in person. They have evening masses during the week, so it could be easily fit into a working person's schedule.

Here is the sanctuary at St. Florian. I visited on January 18th, so of course it was still decorated for Christmas.

This shot of the Sanctuary lamp gives also a glimpse of the detail on the Reredos. I think these reliefs are carved wood.

St. Florian and St. Maximilian Kolbe are on the back wall:

Facade on a snowy night:

St. Florian has produced a book for their 100th anniversary. It looks rather handsome and full of great pictures, but it is pricey at $50. If you are interested in this parish and its history, this may be a nice addition to your library.


While you are in Hamtramck, how could you NOT want to have some Polish food? I naturally headed over to the Polish Village Cafe which is on Yemans street. Once a cellar beer garden in a gentlemen's hotel, it has been the restaurant since 1976. The gołabki are great, but I didn't have any on the night I stopped in. I opted for the fresh sausage in beer sauce. When the waiter asked if I would like horseradish, I nearly burst with excitement. Love me some horseradish. The main course was great, but it really shared billing with the cup of dill pickle soup. You simply must try it.

Quick Links:

• St. Florian Website
• Polish Village Cafe Website
• More Images from St. Florian (Start here and click the right arrow to view the next Keep clicking until they are no longer St. Florian images, or keep going...)

Holy Redeemer and El Comal

At Vernor and Junction in/near the area known as Mexicantown, there is Holy Redeemer of the Southwest Vicariate. This is another huge one, and a must see for anyone interested in churches in the city.

The Parish was founded in 1880 to serve the Irish and Germans in the area. Consulting Make Straight the Path, I see that the Parish was first formed with the arrival of Fr. Aegidius Smulders, CSSR on St. Patrick's day of that year. Mass was held at a general store for 6 weeks, then at Paddy McMahon's Saloon, but finally 4 acres at Dix (now Vernor) and Junction were purchased for the parish.

The parish grew quickly, and the current church building (by the Donaldson and Meier Firm which we have mentioned before) was the third edifice built by the parish. It was dedicated in 1923.

Other tidbits regarding Holy Redeemer.

• In the 1930s Holy Redeemer's Fr. Higgins pioneered ministry to the deaf community. By 1941 Bishop Mooney asked Holy Redeemers Redemptorist Fathers to assume the responsibility for all of the Archdiocese's deaf Catholics.
• Holy Redeemer was the setting for the 1987 film the Rosary Murders starring Donald Sutherland and also contained an uncredited John Gillis playing an Altar Boy. John Gillis is better known by his current name Jack White.
• The main altar (I assume they mean the free-standing one) was originally from Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, installed for the 1987 visit of Pope John Paul II. It was given to Holy Redeemer in 2003. For some reason it had no relics in it, but recently the following relics were installed: Redemptorist Saints Alphonsus Liguori, Clement Hofbauer, and Gerard Majella, and St. Toribio Romo, a 20th century Mexican martyr (more on him later). The Redemptorist relics were a gift from Teresa and Gorman Gillis, and yes they are Jack White's parents. The story was in the most recent parish bulletin. That makes Jack White 2 degrees from St. Alphonsus Liguori right?
  

I went to the 11:15 Mass with Perpetual Help devotions and took a few photos after.

The complex is imposing to say the least. Not seen here is the school (Cristo Rey) or convent.


St. Toribio Romo. I can't say I've seen a caution sign in an Icon before.
It is said that he helps Mexicans make the treacherous trek into the US from Mexico.
That probably has something to do with this peculiar iconography.


Some repairs are needed, such as this torn Station.


HUGE image of Our Lord over the sanctuary.

Now that you have yourself in this predominately Hispanic area, you can imagine that you would be able to find some good Latin American cuisine. I stopped into El Comal, and found Pupusas on the menu. A couple friends went to El Salvador, so I had heard of these little treats, and I was eager to try them. Really good! I suggest you go to El Comal and try the Pupusas, especially the cheese and loroco one!

Quick Links:

• Holy Redeemer
• El Comal
• Southwest Vicariate
  

Old St. Mary's (Greektown) and Golden Fleece

Considering the dearth* of churches named for St. Andrew in the Archdiocese, I decided to go to Old St. Mary's in Greektown on November 30. They have a daily 12:15 Mass. (Confessions are heard before every Mass as well.) Andrew is a name of Greek origin, so it made sense to go to Greektown.

St. Mary's is another historical beauty in the Renaissance Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The parish is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. The current Church building is celebrating its 125th. I really appreciate the fact that they put a pamphlet in the back of the church which a short history and a numbered guide of the sights in the Church. Statues aren't always labeled and sometimes we have no idea at whose image we are looking. If you go to OSM, be sure to pick up the white and blue pamphlet. It goes into great detail into the history of the parish, the building and its effects, and the organ. I used it as a reference for the historical information within this post.

The story starts in 1834 when Fr Martin Kundig founded a parish (the third in the city) to tend for the Catholics arriving from Neustadt, Germany. The first Church was consecrated in 1843 under the title of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Fr. Skolla, a Franciscan, was in charge at that time. In 1847, the Redemptorists took over the care of the parish, but were replaced by Franciscans in 1872. The Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans) began administering to the parish and still do to this day.

The current Church building was completed in 1885. It is a massive structure now in the shadows of the Greektown Casino Hotel. I managed a few pictures during and after Holy Mass.

During the Homily. The High Altar is situated to the East.


It's the ceiling. Fresco of our lady at the intersection of the transepts and nave.


St. Anthony Altar with St. Rita and St. Therese of Lisieux


The Sacred Heart altar was rebuilt after a fire on Good Friday of 1994.
SS. Philomena and Barbara flank our Lord, and to the left is Good St. Joseph.


High Altar again. Communion rail is in use, by the way.
St. Stephen and St. Elizabeth of Hungary flank Our Lady.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the three Grottoes at this church. I'll provide a picture from each.

Gethsemane Grotto


Lourdes Grotto (Remember that the Church was founded under the Immaculate Conception, which was dogmatically defined in 1854. In 1858 Our Lady of Lourdes introduced herself to Bernadette Soubirous as the Immaculate Conception)


Grotto depicting the Baptism of Our Lord.

There are plenty of options in Greektown for food. I stopped at the Golden Fleece, mostly because of the name. Who doesn't like a place named after Jason's quest? The souvlaki was decent, but kind of pricey for what it was. For a cheaper meal, go to Plaka which is more like a Coney Island. There are also Pegasus, Pizzapapalis, Fishbones, etc. etc. If coffee and a pastry are more your thing, you might want to go to Astoria Bakery.

*There is 1: St Andrew's in Rochester whose mass was too early for when I woke up. There is also SS. Andrew and Benedict which most likely refers to St. Andrew Svorad and his disciple Benedict and St. Andrew Kim who is also not the apostle.

St. Aloysius and State Deli

St. Aloysius (named for the Jesuit Aloysius Gonzaga) is a bit of an oasis in downtown Detroit nestled among the skyscrapers of Washington Street. St. Aloysius was founded in 1873 when Bishop Borgess purchased "Westminster Presbyterian Church" which was constructed in 1860. In 1877 St. Aloysius supplanted SS. Peter and Paul as the Cathedral for the diocese of Detroit. This was likely an easy transition for Bishop Borgess who lived across the street. The site of Bishop Borgess's home is "now occupied by the Book building." (Make Straight the Path, 72)

In March of 1916, the Church started a noon daily Mass to accommodate the workers of this business district, and this Mass continues to this day. It was on Tuesday of Thanksgiving week that I met a friend who works nearby for Mass and a meal.


This picture hardly does St. Aloysius justice. St. Al's has 3 levels, the loft you can see and the main floor, but behind the daily mass altar there is a semicircular hole looking down to the crypt level of the church. Above the high altar is a large mosaic of Christ the Good Shepherd.


The church as it stands today was constructed in 1930 by the Donaldson and Meier Firm who did the Chancery building to the left 4 years previous as well as Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

The parish has been under the care of the Franciscans since 1992.

After 12:15 Mass you can head next door to the State Deli and Grocery for a Deli Sandwich or even a burger and fries. If it's nice out Washington Street is a really nice area to sit outside and eat. You could also head down to Michigan and Lafayette and go to American or Lafayette Coney Island, but I didn't want to ignite any debate by choosing sides, so I've left that choice up to you, dear reader.

The book I referenced heavily for this post is Make Straight the Path: A 300-year Pilgrimage, Archdiocese of Detroit. This 12"x12" coffee table book is filled with the stories of the Churches of the Archdiocese and contains many beautiful pictures. The link above is to Amazon, and is the one the AOD provides, but you can probably find it in area Catholic Bookstores. There is a book store next to St. Aloysius in the former Chancery building. How convenient!

SS Peter and Paul (Jesuit) and Jacoby's

The church I visited today is the answer to the trivia question, "What is the oldest continuously used church building in Detroit?" The edifice has been standing since 1848, and it was at that time the Cathedral, the Seat of Bishop Peter Paul Lefevere. (Did he name it after himself?)

See the full history of Sts. Peter and Paul Jesuit here. The church has been run by the Jesuits since it was handed over to them by Bishop Borgess in 1877 in return for starting what is now the University of Detroit-Mercy. The law school is still adjacent to the church.

Daily Mass is celebrated at the side of the church upon a roll-away altar. I came today hoping to celebrate the Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilicas of SS Peter and Paul (white text on black... sorry),but it was instead the Optional ( in the US) Memorial of St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne. She seems pretty awesome. Ora Pro Nobis!

So I suppose you are wondering what it looks like.

The High altar, the stand-alone altar and tabernacle not in use for daily mass.
The altar is flanked of course by Peter and Paul. Above the Altar
and around the entire Church is the name of Jesus in several languages.
Jesuits like that guy.


Side Altars. Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary "Behold your Mother"
This is apparently before the proliferation of St. Joseph altars
on the right-hand side (facing the high altar). Anyone know the
history of Side Altars dedicated to St. Joseph? The shift must have
happened in the latter half of the 19th Century...


Here is where they celebrate daily Mass. The Eucharist
is reserved here at the side of the Church.


Sts. Mark, Andrew and Philip. You can see also the
continuing multi-lingual names of Jesus.

Ste. Therese of Lisieux in the Marble Vestibule.

After Mass you could head across St. Aubin St. to visit Nathan's Deli, but I decided to walk a couple blocks and head to Jacoby's, a 106 year-old German Restaurant and Bar. In addition to to German cuisine you get your burger and fries here too. I got the Sausage Soup and a bowl of Oma's recipe Saurkraut. Not bad for a $6 dollar meal. (tax and tip to 7.50) This would definitely be a good place to go with a crowd of up to 8 or 10 for dinner and beers. They have some counter-top-type tables with plenty of stools. They also have rock acts upstairs sometimes. I saw The Pizazz there once. Jacoby's is around the corner from St. Andrew's Hall and a short walk from Greektown and probably worth a stop in with their good eats and large selection of taps.

St. Joseph and Supino Pizzeria

St. Joseph at 1828 Jay street is my parish. The 12:10 Wednesday mass is followed by Novena prayers to St. Joseph, Benediction, and veneration of a relic of this just man. St. Joseph is a powerful intercessor, perhaps you should foster a devotion to him?

St. Joseph is a historically German church located just south of Eastern Market. It is visible, but not accessible from Gratiot. The Parish website has an excellent page describing the history of the parish and the Church's architecture. The Church was dedicated 133 years ago yesterday, but it went under a few upgrades since then as you can see in the linked page. A fellow parishioner runs a blog about St. Joseph. I linked it in the side bar. Check it out!

I took some pictures today.


Memorial of Pastor Friedland shows the original and 'current' churches.


All masses at St. Joseph are said Ad Orientem
Fr. Czarnota said Mass (Novus Ordo English) today
and was assisted by Deacon Stimpson.


The St. Joseph Altar


One of my favorite features is the stained glass.
Behind the altar are pairs of bishops with pithy
pro-Papal sayings. Ubi Petrus Ibi Ecclesia
Where Peter is, there is the Church.


I like to sit under my name sake.


Here is the high altar after Mass.
Yes, we do use the communion rails. :)

The pictures make this long, but I do want to mention the meal part! After Mass I went to Supino Pizzeria on Russel at the south end of the Eastern Market. Staffed by hipsters sporting ironic mustaches and t-shirts (The African-American gentleman who served me wore this t-shirt.), they serve up some delicious thin-crust New York style pizza. I got 2 slices of cheese 'za and a pop for $6.10. One of their specialty pizzas is the Bizmarck which has fried eggs and Prosciutto on it. Anyone want to get one with me? I definitely want to go back. The decor is pretty cool too. I was sitting on a stool at a refurbished work bench. There was also a giant spoon made out of spoons. This would be a great spot after Mass at St. Joseph, St. Josaphat, or Sweetest Heart of Mary, but they are closed on Sunday. Perfect for a stop after a noon weekday Mass since the lunch rush is over. Not sure what the name is about. I didn't have to lie supine to eat my pizza.

The Grandmammy of them All - Ste. Anne de Detroit

Grandmammy in 2 senses. St. Anne of course is the mother of Mary, which makes her the Grandmother of Jesus Christ our Lord. Ste Anne de Detroit is the oldest parish in Detroit being that it was founded in 1701. The current building however was erected in 1886 making it younger than the Church which I will discuss tomorrow.

Ste. Anne is the 2nd oldest continuously running parish in the United States, so naturally there is a lot of history here. One of her most famous pastors was Fr. Gabriel Richard whose body lies in the chapel where they have daily mass which I attended on November 16th. Featured in the chapel is the altar which Fr. Gabriel Richard used. I doubt the swimming Jesus resurrectifix was around in Fr. Gabe's day. Among other things he founded the University of Michigan and coined the city's motto: Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus. We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes. He should know. The church of Ste. Anne burned down in 1703, 1714 (on purpose), and 1805. Check the wikipedia link above or the parish web site for history.

The 5:15 Mass time would naturally be followed by dinner. After Mass you have several options for a meal, and if you are into Mexican or other Latin cuisine, you are in the right place. Mexican Town is just down the street. I however went the Guatemalan route and went to Pollo Chapin on Junction Street Between Vernor and Toledo. They are best known for their fried chicken, but their other dishes are pretty good as well. I recommend the macaroni and cheese and the cabbage and jalapeño salad. I also recommend that you do not fear the jar on the table. Enjoy the pickled vegetables! I put them in the soup and would eat it plain. For $2.50 you can take some home! All the meals are served with a hearty chicken noodle soup, and at least today was followed by sopapillas with honey and cinnamon.

YUM!