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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  Archdiocese marks 175 years

by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
May 23, 2008

Detroit — Cardinal Adam Maida called the display of the Archdiocese of Detroit's ethnic and racial diversity "one of the most powerful ways we share gifts and stretch each other to ever-greater appreciation of the mystery of the Trinitarian God and the Church Universal."

Fittingly, then, to mark the 175th year since the founding of the archdiocese, the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament was filled to standing room with Catholics from the world over who have made the Church of Detroit their spiritual home.

Larry A. Peplin | The Michigan Catholic Catholic American Indians take part in the Parade of Nations ceremony, which preceded a May 18 Mass at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament to mark the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Detroit. More than a dozen nationalities were represented in the colorful opening ceremony.

Starting with a Parade of Nations — a colorful opening ceremony in which participants wore traditional clothing from American Indian headdresses to flowing Nigerian robes — Cardinal Maida and more than 60 concelebrants, Cardinal Edmund Szoka among them, celebrated the Archdiocese of Detroit's 175th jubilee Mass May 18.

In his homily, Cardinal Maida called the life of the Church of Detroit "only a shadow of what we will come to enjoy and understand in God's kingdom."

"We are living the mysteries of faith," the cardinal said. "We are part of a larger drama of salvation and we can never completely evaluate, nor can we appreciate our moment in history. And so we learn from the past, celebrate the present, and look to the future with trust and confidence."

After the Catholic community in southeastern Michigan saw its beginnings as part of the Diocese of Bardstown, Ky., and later the Diocese of Cincinnati, it was officially made a diocese of its own in 1833, with Bishop Frederick Rese as its ordinary and St. Anne de Detroit as its cathedral. Michigan didn't even become a state until four years later.

The diocese grew steadily throughout the rest of the 19th century, and in 1937, Pope Pius XII named it an archdiocese as he installed Cardinal Edward Mooney as its sixth bishop and first archbishop.

Attendees of the 175th jubilee Mass took home memorial booklets with an account of the diocese's history and historical photographs.

Larry A. Peplin | The Michigan Catholic Cardinal Adam Maida (right) and Deacon Ron McGuire (center)elevate the hosts and chalice during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. They are joined at the altar by Cardinal Edmund Szoka.

Cardinal Maida also reflected on various parts of the local Church's history — such as the diocese's first church and cathedral, St. Anne, being rebuilt eight times, Bishop Michael Gallagher establishing Sacred Heart Seminary, the chancery and the bishop's residence during the Great Depression, and Cardinal John Dearden playing an instrumental role in taking the Vatican II teachings to the United States.

He mentioned the important role of religious orders, such as the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Felician Sisters of Livonia and the Adrian Dominican sisters. And of those local Catholic leaders whose words and deeds resonated far beyond the diocese — such as Blessed Fr. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap, Msgr. Clem Kern and Fr. William Cunningham.

Larry A. Peplin | The Michigan Catholic Several bishops concelebrated the Mass marking the 175th jubilee of the Archdiocese of Detroit. In the front row, from left: Former Archbishop of Detroit Cardinal Edmund Szoka and Detroit Auxiliary Bishops Daniel Flores, John Quinn and Francis Reiss.

Catholics from across the archdiocese who attended the Mass also took part in a festive reception on the cathedral's grounds following the liturgy.

"It's a wonderful thing that has happened in our lives, that we're able to experience," said Dorothy Wallet, a parishioner of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth Township. "From 1833 to now — isn't that wonderful? Yes!"

Several on hand had spent years serving in the archdiocese as priests, religious, lay ministers and employees.

Mary Erdman, for example, is a parishioner of Prince of Peace Parish in West Bloomfield Township who had worked for the archdiocese for 35 years. She recalled countless meaningful celebrations at the cathedral over the years.

"Every one is so unique," Erdman said. "They're all equally wonderful, high church celebrations, and the music is magnificent."

The current celebration, she added, is a testament to the Church's longevity.

"And we can look forward to it always enduring," she said. "I think that's the best part about it. It's never going to stop. It's always going to be here and we'll continue to celebrate many, many more occasions like this."

Sr. Mary Renetta Rumpz, provincial minister of the Felician Sisters in Livonia, called the 175th jubilee celebration "awe-inspiring."

"It's been an awsome experience, seeing the cultures that are a part of the archdiocese, and also that Cardinal Szoka was here with Cardinal Maida and all the priests and bishops," she said.

Many who were part of the Parade of Nations also enjoyed the reception. Boniface Oparatke, a native of Nigeria and a parishioner of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Detroit, said it was an honor to represent the people from his country.

"I was humbled to be part of the 175th anniversary of this diocese," Oparatke said. "I feel that it's a special event to see that this diocese has grown and become as big as it is. Every little contribution that I make, I feel it's a special thing."

The colorful opening ceremony, he added, was reminiscent of the liturgies he experienced in his youth in Nigeria.

"It was like something that I grew up in," he said. "It takes me back — so it was a special event."

Enjoying the festivities after Mass with some of his parishioners, Fr. Giulio Schiavi, PIME, pastor of San Francesco Parish in Clinton Township, said he was glad to see the diversity at the celebration.

"It was great and wonderful, especially to see so many different cultural groups from different parts of the world — from Europe, from Africa, from Asia."

He added that he was especially proud of the Italian music performed in the tented reception area. He recounted a good-natured argument, too, that he had with Irish Catholics over whose ancestors settled the land first.

Charles Minear, a parishioner at St. Gerald Parish in Farmington, was hard to miss at the liturgy and the reception. A member of the Ojibwa tribe whose American Indian name is Blue Bird Who Sings at the Break of the Day, he donned a full, feathered headdress.

While the recognition given to the American Indians was nice, he said he was happy to be at the Mass celebrating the Paschal mystery.

"The important thing is that Jesus Christ came and delivered the world from darkness, sin an death," Minear said.

Also hard to miss during the liturgy was the color guard of the Knights of Columbus, for which several councils were present. Knight John Hundiak, a parishioner of St. Mary of the Hills Parish in Rochester Hills and a member of Council 13950, said the Knights were happy to see such a vibrant celebration.

"We're just so happy that Detroit is thriving again, especially in the Catholic community," Hundiak said. "And the archbishop, the cardinal, just welcomes us down here all the time.

"The Knights are about unity, and when you come to festivities like this and you see all the clergy united together. That's just fantastic."

Near the end of his homily, Cardinal Maida, who has led the archdiocese for the past 18 years, said he feels "a bit like Moses on Mount Nebo looking toward the Promised Land, knowing that someone else would be leading God's people on the next stage of their journey." Still, he said he has sensed hope for the future of the local Church in various parts of the archdiocese.

Reflecting on the feast of the Holy Trinity, he encouraged the people of the archdiocese to continue the Church's calling to spread God's love to all people.

"As we learn from the Holy Trinity, our attention must always be directed outward," Cardinal Maida said. "If God is missionary in his love and energy, as His Church we must do the same.

"Missionaries brought us the faith, and we must be missionaries to the next generation and the generations to come as our children and grandchildren call forth from us ever-new responses of faith, hope and love."