Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning July 2006 » Sweetest Heart of Mary « Previous Next »
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Professorjackson
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Username: Professorjackson

Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 129.1.117.23
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 5:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have never been to this church's festival, but will be attending this Saturday. The polka band that is playing (Pan Franek and Zosia) is awesome. Anyone have anything to say about this church, its festival, and just why it is still open after all these years?
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 2580
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 4.229.81.200
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 5:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This stunningly beautiful church is Detroit's largest Catholic Church, seating 2,500 (even more than the 2,000 seat Blessed Sacrament Cathedral). That's all I know....
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Hamtramck_steve
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Username: Hamtramck_steve

Post Number: 3155
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.255.162.205
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 6:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It's consistently been one of the best church festivals for almost as long as I can remember.
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Kathleen
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Username: Kathleen

Post Number: 1484
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 6:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

SHM is a beautiful church. Thankfully it is still hanging on as part of the 3-parish cluster so that we can still enjoy it.

Some of the links on this Parish News page might be of interest: http://www.sweetestheartofmary .org/news.htm

Here's a link to the flyer for the Pierogi Festival this weekend! http://www.sweetestheartofmary .org/PDFs/2006/PierogiFestival .pdf
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Hybridy
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Username: Hybridy

Post Number: 12
Registered: 08-2006
Posted From: 206.126.217.221
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 6:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

ummmm
pierogies and kielbasa
POLSKA!
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Paulmcall
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Username: Paulmcall

Post Number: 848
Registered: 05-2004
Posted From: 68.40.119.216
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 7:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It is a gorgeous Polish Church.
The place is jaw dropping beautiful inside.
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Detroitej72
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Username: Detroitej72

Post Number: 53
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 66.184.3.44
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 9:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The church is thriving, thanks to Fr. Mark whose energy and persistance is keeping it as well as neighboring St. Josephat and St. Joseph. He is the pastor of all three parishes. Fr. Mark keeps the Polish Spirit alive and thanks to the strong parish council, they have fund raising dinners once a month.

BTW, anyone seen the movie Polish Wedding which was filmed in HamTown? The interior scenes set at St. Florians were acctually filmed at Sweetest Heart of Mary because it was larger to accomidate the film crew.
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Futurecity
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Username: Futurecity

Post Number: 301
Registered: 05-2005
Posted From: 69.215.246.146
Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 10:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I believe that Sweetest Heart of Mary has the largest stained glass windows in Michigan. They are awesome.
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Professorjackson
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Username: Professorjackson

Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 129.1.117.23
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 6:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sounds like this should be a good one. I'm pleased they keep the church alive, and as a connoisseur of (Polish) parish fests, I look forward to this being a good one.

A link to the Saturday band:

http://www.panfranek.com/
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Kathleen
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Username: Kathleen

Post Number: 1491
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 6:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sweetest Heart of Mary's stained glass windows are a sight to see!! The main window won an award at the 1893 Columbia Exposition:

http://www.sweetestheartofmary .org/pages/astvincent.htm

Full interior: http://www.sweetestheartofmary .org/pages/7wideinside.htm

Main altar: http://www.sweetestheartofmary .org/pages/92frontalter.htm
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Royaloakian
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Username: Royaloakian

Post Number: 77
Registered: 05-2004
Posted From: 152.163.100.8
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 9:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Kathleen, Under Fr Mark the main and side altars, and the stations of the cross have been restored along with many other improvements. He also has had work done in St Josaphats as well. He appreciates the history and the beauty of his churches. He works very hard for his cluster. He has an associate pastor and an assigned deacon, in my experience for a church in the city it is almost unheard of for him to receive such support. The AOD has had several offers to sell the stained glass in that church which thankfully they have turned down. Fr Mark was an associate pastor with then Fr Frank Reiss, now Bishop Reiss, at Cabrini prior to his assignment at SHM. Thats probably a not a bad connection to have either.
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 2605
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 4.229.105.195
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 9:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sweetest Heart Of Mary is in the Gothic "Hall Church" design found in northern central Europe in the 13th-15th century (mainly in Germany and the countries it borders, especially in the Baltic region).

That is where the side aisles are nearly as tall as the central nave, and all the stain glass windows are found mainly in the side aisles.

St. Joseph is also in this style. I can't speak for St. Josephat since I've never been inside of it.
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Hardhat
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Username: Hardhat

Post Number: 161
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.248.14.222
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 10:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thinking about it, it's an odd name for a church, implying that the Blessed Mother has more that one heart.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 1220
Registered: 10-2004
Posted From: 69.242.223.42
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 11:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Just what were the side altars (at any church) for? The Bohemian Catholic parish I attended in Milwaukee had two side altars. However, I really do not remember ever seeing them used.
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Kathleen
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Username: Kathleen

Post Number: 1493
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 11:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

From Charles Borromeo and Catholic Tradition Regarding the Design of Catholic Churches:

"Side altars should support devotional statues and contain reliquaries. "

If you are interested in Catholic Church design, this is an interesting read: http://www.catholicculture.org /docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=6445
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Futurecity
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Username: Futurecity

Post Number: 306
Registered: 05-2005
Posted From: 69.212.61.25
Posted on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 12:22 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Get your pierogi this Saturday!
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Detroitej72
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Username: Detroitej72

Post Number: 100
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 66.184.3.44
Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 12:23 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Anyone go to the Pierogi Festival this weekend? I went past late Sunday afternoon and it was still pretty packed. was to busy to stop stop in though.
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Legsdiamond
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Username: Legsdiamond

Post Number: 39
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 216.222.168.183
Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 12:45 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I went to this on Saturday and had the best time. Thanks to my guide, Fred. The food and the people were great...
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 1994
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 75.10.25.111
Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 9:34 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

While I am biased to the German-Gothic St. Joseph when it comes to churches of this neighborhood, I have to say that SHM is the most opulently built church I've ever seen. Amazing materials and craftsmanship throughout. It is a testament to how much money and effort even the poorest of immigrants would set aside so that they could create a spiritual home and community gathering place that they could be proud of. How times have changed...

I hear that the nearby St. Albertus (basically closed down) is even more lavish, though.

Gistok--St. Josaphat is in a cruciform shape with a basic vaulting style for the ceiling. In my mind it is the least spectacular of the three in the cluster, but still more beautiful than the majority of churches. I would say that SHM is much different than St. Joseph, though, in that St. Joseph doesn't have transepts.
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Pam
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Username: Pam

Post Number: 361
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 67.107.47.65
Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 10:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've been in both St. Albertus and SHM this year and I think SHM is nicer. I can't remember which was really the most ornate but SHM is better maintained since they are still an active parish. St. Al. is open for mass sometimes by the non-profit group that owns it.

Pics of St. Albertus here:

http://www.stalbertus.org/tour /pages/fwideinside.htm
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Ordinary
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Username: Ordinary

Post Number: 38
Registered: 06-2006
Posted From: 70.229.47.189
Posted on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 10:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Pam,
I was reading this thread and I'm glad somebody finally mentioned St. Albertus. My middle child was baptized there in 1988. My wife and I knew the priest there. We were married by him in 1983 at another church.
Is there an old thread about the fabulous churches of Detroit? My favorite is St. Francis of Assisi over by Livernois and Buchanan.
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Detroitej72
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Username: Detroitej72

Post Number: 132
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 66.184.3.44
Posted on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

When my family came to Detroit, in the early 20th century, their church was St. Albertus. I still attend church there on Easter. (wish I spoke Polish)

As I sit in the pews, I think about my past family... I remember them as I knew, or were told... and I think how I am the past reborn...

Long live the churches of Polonia. (Little Poland or Warsaw for the non-Pol's)
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Livedog2
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Username: Livedog2

Post Number: 980
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 24.223.133.177
Posted on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sweetest Heart of Mary is the best maintained but I personally think St. Albertus is the most beautiful of the Trilogy of Polish Cathedrals on Canfield.

Livedog2
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 2027
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 68.248.5.45
Posted on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ordinary, there have certainly been some extensive past threads. Detroit is blessed, no pun intended, with incredible and diverse church architecture. From St. Peter and Paul (the oldest extant building) to sprawling gothic halls like SHM to east-coast storefront style like St. Aloysius, there is much to see.
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Hysteria
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Username: Hysteria

Post Number: 1157
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 152.163.100.8
Posted on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:45 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Detroit is truly 'blessed' in that category. You know, every large/mid-sized American city of the early/mid 20th Century with a significant immigrant population truly seems to have great churches / cathedrals / temples ... Beautiful!!!

Sadly, many of these places of worship have been abandoned in favor of suburban churches resembling pole-barns with super-sized parking lots. :-(

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