A petition to remove the Steeples from Sweetest Heart of Mary Church

[p69rrh51]

There is a meeting of the Historic District Commission Wednesday July 12, at 5:30PM.
On the agenda is a request by Mother of Divine Mercy parish. The parish is petitioning to remove the steeples from Sweetest Heart of Mary church.

[archfan]

There is a meeting of the Historic District Commission Wednesday July 12, at 5:30PM.
On the agenda is a request by Mother of Divine Mercy parish. The parish is petitioning to remove the steeples from Sweetest Heart of Mary church.

That will really change the look of the church. I have to assume they know something about the structural integrity of the steeples that we don't - and about the cost to fix them.

The other church in the parish is St. Josaphat, whose steeple was damaged by a storm in 2013. They had a very successful fundraiser to repair the steeple then. I'm surprised they aren't going that route now.

[Meddle]

There is a meeting of the Historic District Commission Wednesday July 12, at 5:30PM.
On the agenda is a request by Mother of Divine Mercy parish. The parish is petitioning to remove the steeples from Sweetest Heart of Mary church.

So, do you have a question or opinion? Or did you post for posterity? If the owners want to remove them, I don't see where the city or anyone else has anything to say about it. If they're damaged or there are structural problems that can't be fixed at reasonable cost, demolition may be a best option. If denied and they fall injuring some one, will the city pay? Yeah, no need to answer that one.

On another point, how on Earth is 15037 Auburn a Historical District? It looks like a typical 50s-60s house just down the street from where I used to live at one point. Nothing special about it or the neighborhood in any way.

[archfan]

On another point, how on Earth is 15037 Auburn a Historical District? It looks like a typical 50s-60s house just down the street from where I used to live at one point. Nothing special about it or the neighborhood in any way.

15037 Auburn was built in 1937, and it's inside the Rosedale Park Historic District.

[mikeg19]

I really hope they don't remove them as it would drastically alter the appearance of the church. I remember walking into that church when my wife and I were looking for a church and immediately was awed by its beauty. We didn't need to even see another church after that and got married there in 14'.

[Honky Tonk]

There is a meeting of the Historic District Commission Wednesday July 12, at 5:30PM.
On the agenda is a request by Mother of Divine Mercy parish. The parish is petitioning to remove the steeples from Sweetest Heart of Mary church.

Good Morning p69rrh51, More info please.... Why, how come, what's up with that? Thanx.

[jcole]

This was linked on the Historical Detroit Architecture page:
There is a meeting of the Historic District Commission Wednesday July 12, at 5:30PM. On the agenda is a request by Mother of Divine Mercy parish. The parish is petitioning to remove the steeples from Sweetest Heart of Mary church. A link to donate to save the steeples. https://www.motherofdivinemercy.org/support-1/

[Honky Tonk]

This was linked on the Historical Detroit Architecture page:
There is a meeting of the Historic District Commission Wednesday July 12, at 5:30PM. On the agenda is a request by Mother of Divine Mercy parish. The parish is petitioning to remove the steeples from Sweetest Heart of Mary church. A link to donate to save the steeples. https://www.motherofdivinemercy.org/support-1/

Hi Jcole, I'm getting "Blank Page" clicking on your link.

[Scottathew]

Hi Jcole, I'm getting "Blank Page" clicking on your link.

Try this one: https://www.motherofdivinemercy.org/support-1/

I refuse to give money to a massive religious organization that systematically covered up child molestation at the highest levels. I do like the building and it would be a shame to see the steeples go, but no thanks.

[1953]

I hope this is squashed [[to meddle: Detroit is a zoned community, and all sorts of building elements are regulated).

Also, I hope they get help with organizing a fundraising campaign, because they don't seem very good at these things.

1953

[Richard]

Try this one: https://www.motherofdivinemercy.org/support-1/

I refuse to give money to a massive religious organization that systematically covered up child molestation at the highest levels. I do like the building and it would be a shame to see the steeples go, but no thanks.

It is kinda of a double edge sword,if I were to donate, it would be more based on preserving the cities architectural over all appearance as a whole or the bigger picture aspect verses weather or not I agreed with who the occupants are.

The building did not do anything to anybody,and the craftsman that built it,as it shows,put a lot of dedication into it.That is what one is preserving.

Detroit has an intercontinental mix of architecture that is hard to find in other cities and a level of detail that in other cities you may find one or two.

That really is an asset to the city,maybe not today, but in the future,you really should be proud that you have something that will never be replicated anywhere else in the country again.

[jcole]

Hi Jcole, I'm getting "Blank Page" clicking on your link.

Fixed; thanks

[hybridy]

driving in this am i did notice the south steeple seems to be tilting outward...

[emu steve]

driving in this am i did notice the south steeple seems to be tilting outward...

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...rt_river_index

[Lowell]

driving in this am i did notice the south steeple seems to be tilting outward...

You are confusing Sweetest Heart with the nearby St. Josaphat whose three steeples, including the now curved central steeple, that famously align with RenCen.

As for Sweetest Heart, it would be a travesty to remove the steeples of that lovely building that are both beautiful and so iconic to the Detroit landscape.

Consider what happened when Messiah Episcopal was taken apart stone by stone and moved from downtown to E. Grand Blvd. and reconstructed minus its steeple in 1901. So bland.


https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3503...7i13312!8i6656

[Gistok]

Few people realize that Sweetest Heart Of Mary is the largest Catholic Church in Detroit, with seating for about 2,500... larger even than the 2,000 seat Cathedral.... Blessed Sacrement, on Woodward.

[Meddle]

I'm pretty sure the country/city inside Rome populated by old men in red or white pajamas and funny hats has more than enough money to resolve this.

[jcole]

I'm pretty sure the country/city inside Rome populated by old men in red or white pajamas and funny hats has more than enough money to resolve this.

But they won't; that money doesn't support the Catholic church in America and the dioceses and archdiocese in America don't support the parishes. That's why so many parish churches and schools have closed. They used to give loans, but I don't know if they do any longer because they've been burned before

[hybridy]

But they won't; that money doesn't support the Catholic church in America and the dioceses and archdiocese in America don't support the parishes. That's why so many parish churches and schools have closed. They used to give loans, but I don't know if they do any longer because they've been burned before

i gather the diocese has plenty of $$$. look to other midwest dioceses.

The most important issues about the church cover up of sex crimes in Milwaukee remain unanswered and unresolved, especially the disturbing pattern of financial fraud and mismanagement by church officials. The most obvious example is the transfer of nearly $60 million dollars by former Archbishop Timothy Dolan into a so-called “Cemetery Trust” before the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy. Evidence has repeatedly surfaced in court showing a pattern of financial corruption, most glaringly a letter from Dolan to the Vatican seeking permission to create the Cemetery Trust in order to keep US courts from compensation victims such as ourselves.

http://fox6now.com/2015/11/09/federa...nkruptcy-plan/

[jcole]

i gather the diocese has plenty of $$$. look to other midwest dioceses.

Of course they do; they just don't give it to parishes. It has to be loaned and paid back.

[EastsideAl]

i gather the diocese has plenty of $$$. look to other midwest dioceses.

"The most important issues about the church cover up of sex crimes in Milwaukee remain unanswered and unresolved, especially the disturbing pattern of financial fraud and mismanagement by church officials. The most obvious example is the transfer of nearly $60 million dollars by former Archbishop Timothy Dolan into a so-called “Cemetery Trust” before the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy. Evidence has repeatedly surfaced in court showing a pattern of financial corruption, most glaringly a letter from Dolan to the Vatican seeking permission to create the Cemetery Trust in order to keep US courts from compensation victims such as ourselves."

I still find it extremely galling that Dolan was rewarded with a cardinalship, the diocese of New York, and a leadership position in the American church for finagling his previous diocese into bankruptcy to prevent recompence to the victims of the systematic sexual assaulting of powerless deaf kids by church-protected priests. As beautiful as Sweetest Heart of Mary and many other churches are, frankly I think it would be a service to humankind if every edifice of this massively corrupt, exploitive, and uncaring institution were to crumble to the earth as soon as possible.

[Gistok]

I still find it extremely galling that Dolan was rewarded with a cardinalship, the diocese of New York, and a leadership position in the American church for finagling his previous diocese into bankruptcy to prevent recompence to the victims of the systematic sexual assaulting of powerless deaf kids by church-protected priests. As beautiful as Sweetest Heart of Mary and many other churches are, frankly I think it would be a service to humankind if every edifice of this massively corrupt, exploitive, and uncaring institution were to crumble to the earth as soon as possible.

Having a pissy day?

Your logic makes as much sense as tearing down all the old downtown movie palaces, because the African-Americans had to sit in back of the balcony for decades... Also not one of the better moments in a buildings history...

[hybridy]

I still find it extremely galling that Dolan was rewarded with a cardinalship, the diocese of New York, and a leadership position in the American church for finagling his previous diocese into bankruptcy to prevent recompence to the victims of the systematic sexual assaulting of powerless deaf kids by church-protected priests. As beautiful as Sweetest Heart of Mary and many other churches are, frankly I think it would be a service to humankind if every edifice of this massively corrupt, exploitive, and uncaring institution were to crumble to the earth as soon as possible.

Thank you Al. We were victims of Dolans 'patronadge'. I have 4 brothers and a very religious mother who made sure we all were altar boys from 6-16. Fr so-&-so would come to our house after mass for Sunday brunch all in white in his Lexus none the less. All of the 5 childhood priests we had a kids were defrocked in the peophile scandal and my rural childhood parish merged with 2 others and then closed. All churches + rectories were renovated + updated via the not rich but faithful small town congregations. They now travel 20+ minutes to larger new churches in neighboring cities. I'm not too faithful these days.

[Richard]

At $650,000 per spire I am in the wrong state for contracting,it would be interesting to read the breakdown for that estimate.

[emu steve]

At $650,000 per spire I am in the wrong state for contracting,it would be interesting to read the breakdown for that estimate.

What is interesting about this compared to other real estate matters is how Catholic dioceses and parishes handle this stuff.

In addition to the parish's pastor, they [[the parish) would have a parish finance council and must also consult and get approval from the local bishop for major expenditures. Any building or repair projects need to be approved by the bishop even things like replacing a roof, repaving a parking lot, etc.

I believe this is standard operating procedures across the U.S. as the Catholic bishops [[USCCB) seek uniformity across dioceses.

I realize this is a repair and and not a typical building project [[e.g., build a school, new church, parish center, etc.) but I understand most dioceses require that the parish have 50% of the proposed expenditures cash in hand before beginning work. I understand from a local Priest that our [[not Detroit's) diocese requires 50% cash in hand and 10 years to pay off the debt to the diocese for borrowing money from the diocese for building projects.

There is a potential conflict here between the city of Detroit and the Catholic diocese of Detroit if they do not agree of what should be done.