St. Josaphat Steeple Damaged in Storm - Church Building in Jeopardy?

**Kathleen** · November-19-13, 10:26 AM

Just heard from a friend about the damage suffered by St. Josaphat Church during the storms on Sunday night. And rumors are spreading that the church building might have to be torn down.

The Michigan Catholic posted this article with photo:
http://themichigancatholic.com/2013/...at-in-detroit/

Deadline Detroit added some historic perspective in their coverage:
http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/artic...ng_in_the_wind

**motz** · November-19-13, 10:31 AM

I saw this and it made me real sad. That church is gorgeous and losing it would be absolutely terrible. Hopefully the community can band together and figure out how to get this situation fixed. That wind on Sunday was absolutely ridiculous to say the least...

**WaCoTS** · November-19-13, 10:44 AM

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/11/...etroit-church/

im frankly amazed that more of our historic steeples are not damaged/destroyed more often since few have received any maintenance since....uhhh....whenever.

go look up at Sweetest Heart of Mary's steeples. they have had an odd twist to them for years....

i guess we can be thankful that no stained glass windows have been reported to be blown in [[yet). god knows we lost a couple windows at Historic Fort Wayne.

**rb336** · November-19-13, 10:59 AM

Didn't Sacred Heart lose its steeple a few years ago?

I always thought the oddness of Sweetest Heart of Mary's steeples was a perspective trick on the part of the architect

**ghettopalmetto** · November-19-13, 11:04 AM

I would expect the church to call their insurance company. Based on that photo, though...I think the folks working in the rumor mill might want to find some hobbies--you don't tear down an entire church just because one steeple is leaning.

**jt1** · November-19-13, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by WaCoTS

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/11/...etroit-church/

im frankly amazed that more of our historic steeples are not damaged/destroyed more often since few have received any maintenance since....uhhh....whenever.

Why would they repair these when the Detroit ArchDiocese can ship millions to build a museum in DC or send millions and millions to the Vatican to settle lawsuits and keep the Vatican leadership pampered in the style they 'deserve'

**illwill** · November-19-13, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

I would expect the church to call their insurance company. Based on that photo, though...I think the folks working in the rumor mill might want to find some hobbies--you don't tear down an entire church just because one steeple is leaning.

I agree with you. I've seen much, much worse damage to much older church steeples and they were reconstructed/repaired.

**jackie5275** · November-19-13, 11:25 AM

I have a colleague that attends church there. He said last summer when they were merging SHM, St. Joe's, & St. Josaphat, there was talking of only keeping the St. Josaphat building open as it was the one that was most structually sound.

**WaCoTS** · November-19-13, 01:57 PM

yeah there is no danger of having to demolish the church. what will happen is, they will say "ok, we dont have money for a new steeple, so we're capping it off with a flat roof." done.

**p69rrh51** · November-19-13, 02:33 PM

Losing a steeple is not new. St. Albertus lost a steeple 100 years ago.

**WaCoTS** · November-19-13, 02:43 PM

St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral on Woodward has an awkward looking flat roof where a huge steeple was supposed to be.

they never got the money together to finish it.

**p69rrh51** · November-19-13, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by WaCoTS

St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral on Woodward has an awkward looking flat roof where a huge steeple was supposed to be.

they never got the money together to finish it.

Image of Cram's original drawings for the Cathedral of St. Paul Episcopal Church circa 1905.

**WaCoTS** · November-19-13, 04:42 PM

yeah, i think they have those framed, hanging in their modern lobby wing.

but i think the bigger issue here is, what will all the suburbanites do now, without this landmark to guide them and tell them they are on the right track to get downtown? i have already been contacted by several panicky friends from Oakland County who will be totally helpless without this "recognized aid to navigation" present.

**townonenorth** · November-19-13, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by WaCoTS

yeah, i think they have those framed, hanging in their modern lobby wing.

but i think the bigger issue here is, what will all the suburbanites do now, without this landmark to guide them and tell them they are on the right track to get downtown? i have already been contacted by several panicky friends from Oakland County who will be totally helpless without this "recognized aid to navigation" present.

While it will be a shock to some folks, I'm sure that the spire will not be missed THAT badly. If your friends are despairing that much, perhaps they can donate to restore that steeple to it's original height, to point their way downtown?

To be quite honest, I'm sure that a replica can be constructed and placed on the church quite easily with a helicopter. If they have the original plans, even better. It is made with wood and clad with shingles, after all. Relatively inexpensive to create, I'd think.

**WaCoTS** · November-19-13, 05:00 PM

uhhh....i was just kidding.........

**Gannon** · November-19-13, 05:18 PM

This is the church with that horrid mural of WWI, right?!

I'd help them tear that down.

**townonenorth** · November-19-13, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by WaCoTS

uhhh....i was just kidding.........

Use the sarcasm font next time? Or this?

**Kathleen** · November-19-13, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by WaCoTS

...what will all the suburbanites do now, without this landmark to guide them and tell them they are on the right track to get downtown? i have already been contacted by several panicky friends from Oakland County who will be totally helpless without this "recognized aid to navigation" present.

Not so farfetched....

Many folks enjoy driving down I-75 and seeing how St. Josaphat church lines up with the Renaissance Center. Many photographers have taken the shot.

Check out gsgeorge's Gods and Automobiles posting with photo!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsgeorge/327826652/

**WaCoTS** · November-20-13, 10:22 AM

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

theyre confirming that it will have to be removed and capped.

parishioners will be sent to Sweetest Heart & St Joe's til further notice. im waiting to hear about a fundraiser to cover the repair cost....those 3 parishes dont exactly have a lot of members.

**detroitbob** · November-20-13, 12:45 PM

The original entry on this threat sounded like a lead in for a fox news lead in: Th St. Josaphat Steeple Damaged in Storm - Church Building in Jeopardy?

**canuck** · November-20-13, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

Image of Cram's original drawings for the Cathedral of St. Paul Episcopal Church circa 1905.

The flat-out design probably had to do with the Episcopalians' not wholly trusting God's benevolent hand in protecting his residence from nature's wrath...

**DetroitHabitater** · November-20-13, 08:05 PM

St. Boniface also lost a steeple

And then it was demolished in the mid 90's

**DetroitPlanner** · November-21-13, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitHabitater

St. Boniface also lost a steeple

And then it was demolished in the mid 90's

Wasn't that the one Tom Manahan ripped down by tiger stadium to make more from parking? Why thats something evey good catholic architectural buff does!

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-21-13, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by jt1

Why would they repair these when the Detroit ArchDiocese can ship millions to build a museum in DC or send millions and millions to the Vatican to settle lawsuits and keep the Vatican leadership pampered in the style they 'deserve'

Don't like the Church? Don't be a Catholic. Very simple. I don't belong to any group I dislike.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-21-13, 03:20 AM

Sad as I find it, there are too many Catholic Churches in Detroit [[even after other rounds of closings) relative to the number of parishoners. I worship weekly at Old St. Mary's, but occasionally visit a half dozen others around downtown and environs. I know quite a few people do that [[I see some faces at more than one church). Where possible it would be nice to see physically stable church buildings remain in service to the community in some way, whether as houses of worship, small schools, community centers, businesses. But old churches have expensive maintenance and operation costs. I have a feeling 20 years from now there will be far fewer church structures [[and not just Catholic churches) around town. I would love to be wrong on that.