Exploring an Abandoned and Naturally Decaying Catholic Mega-Church in Detroit

This church was once a beautiful beast of a church. It's a very sad testament to Detroit to see something in this condition. The school that was connected has a squatter living in it. The school was physically barricaded from the church and there was no way to travel between the two.
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[@sandraosheasandra0197]

it breaks my heart to see a church of God in ruins. it just don't seem right. i wonder if God cries a tear to see this. sad.

[@jimmybuccini7377]

I think God understands that it's more important to follow his example, live faithful lives, and do justice. I do mourn the loss of some beautiful architecture - especially the midcentury architecture that people are so quick to dismiss as ugly. I think it is also a sad waste of resources that some of these places remain vacant when they could be used for good... though, many of them cost too much to upkeep and resources could be better spent elsewhere. So, I'm with you - it breaks my heart too. And yet, I think God's tears are shed for the bigger stuff: war, terrorism, exploitation, abuse, neglect, rape, murder, slavery, white supremacy...

[@laddy819]

This is a beautiful church. I hope someone buys it and brings new life to it. I really hate to see this go to waste.

[@wendyhayes9234]

This my church growing up. My parents were married here, my Grandps was an usher. I made my first communion and confession here. Attended the school for 8 years. Due to a declining congregation, the archdiocese closed it. I did go to the last mass in 20o6 where there was a ceremony to deconsecrate the church. The contents were distributed among other churches but I don't know why they left the cross. This makes me really sad.

[@40intrepid]

My church too, I lived nearby on Rochelle St., The cross was left because it's built into the wall, non-removable.

[@deniseboldea1624]

I'm glad they are trying to preserve it, but that roof is going to make it a tough sell. If the worst happens, I would hope they could salvage those stained glass windows, the Cross and that marble. Stained glass like that is almost a lost art.

[@DetroitEXP]

The fact that the building was 99% marble was incredible by itself.

[@KateriBurnett]

What a shame to still see Jesus on the cross still up there on the wall wish they would have taken it or sold it or given it to some other church in need of one. It was a huge church. I hope they do fix it up. I’m sure because so many left the Detroit area there weren’t enough people going to keep it going.

[@DetroitEXP]

The ceiling is the worst part. It would be very difficult to repair the damage that's already done.

[@nobusmanrbbj]

The green roof on this church is copper and is considered a lifetime roof. So either the roof was stolen for being valuable copper or was vandalized to destroy this place. For a modern bldg. this was deluxe with real mosaic art. A real copper roof, that was travertine marble(the best) on the walls and stained glass in abundance.

[@jimmybuccini7377]

Yeah, that's a huge mistake. The diocese should have removed all sacred artifacts before they deconsecrated it!

[@buddyanddaisy123]

sad-but you must remember, Detroit went from 2.1 million people (1965) to less than 650,000 today. There simply are no people to support and use these buildings. As to why the city declined, the answer is complex-basically the auto industry left.

[@DetroitEXP]

Yeah this church was likely packed full of people every Sunday. Such a shame.

[@saoirsepaddy]

We can blame it on the Mayor Coleman Young and the Democrats making Detroit into a Shit Hole / War Zone City

[@jimmybuccini7377]

@@saoirsepaddy Dude, that's now how this works. Are you just trolling? There are deeper structural factors than just one political party. Look at the sociohistoric context of postindustrial, rustbelt cities. Look at the baby boom and then decline. Look at the impact that the two world wars had on the population and migration. Look at the immigration patterns over the last 150 years. If you're an actual person who lives there, I guess it makes sense you would be angry at the condition of your city and lash out somewhere... but I think it's more likely you're a troll.

[@Miss1Lyss]

It must’ve been so beautiful in its glory days, I can imagine it all done up for christmas or easter mass. Great work as always guys.

[@DetroitEXP]

Thank you very much for the support. Absolutely gorgeous church, I'm glad to see it so time capsuled. Such a shame with the roof.

[@LisaMarie51968]

The Stained glass window is so beautiful, Jesus should not have been left there. Someone needs to get it and all the stained glass, it’s worth a fortune. Proceeds could go to charity or another church.

[@yooperlooper]

I'm glad noone has busted out those beautiful stained glass windows. Someone up above must be watching over it.

[@DetroitEXP]

Absolutely gorgeous glass. Glad to see it's in tact. Thanks for watching.

[@ShardyShardWagner24]

Oh wow this is in Detroit? Oh I would love to see a growing mega church needs to but this beautiful building

[@shanonsmichigan4120]

I wish you uploaded a lot more videos 💚💚

[@Multi0703]

Everything is decaying in Detroit, not just the churches.

[@CesarGarcia-nd5xz]

So sad

[@bambipardis1105]

Hopefully it can be done many prayers to you all.amen

[@jimmybuccini7377]

Not exactly a "megachurch". I suppose large Roman Catholic parishes could be considered "megachurches" numerically.. you'll find them everywhere though and they don't meet other criteria. If you do a little research, you'll find there are several reasons why church buildings have been closing: a shift in demographics of neighborhoods is a huge part of it. These churches were once in predominantly Catholic neighborhoods, many settled by Catholic immigrants. The neighborhoods now inhabited by protestants, pentecostals, and other evangelicals from different parts of the world, as well as nonchristians. At one time most of the neighborhood made up that parish, and often shared the same ethnic identity. One reason that Catholic schools existed alongside most parishes was that families could continue to communicate in their native language and assimilation wasn't immediately required. The new inhabitants often attend smaller congregations, and the congregations are more numerous: perhaps a few Baptist, maybe a few Church of Gods, an AME or CME or two, maybe still a few mainline denominations holdouts too that have turned to serve the different cultures... .but most not large enough to need such a large space, or to be able to support the upkeep of such a space either. Sometimes, these neighborhoods have just declined and the number of residents has declined altogether. Urban sprawl and suburbanization is a huge factor and has been for five or six decades, if not more. Go to what was once farmland where now a suburb stands, and you'll find at least one or two large parishes. Another reason is that there are fewer men going into the priesthood. A parish that once used this building might have had at least three priests and several deacons. Where there are large, often consolidated parishes, you'll only have a handful of priests serving them, and laypeople running much of the church. Finally, Catholics are having smaller families and using contraceptives (shhh)! This leads to smaller family sizes in once-large parishes.

[@bambipardis1105]

The entry of your church is the warming of the welcome your father gave you of his house of worship. The benediction is good bye have a good day hope to see you all come back again .

[@yomangull2538]

Looks like a bad roof design helped in its demise.

[@DetroitEXP]

Absolutely. The roof looks too expensive to repair. I don't even know how to repair this.

[@bubblesangel555]

Nice explore, how sad when a church goes to ruin. It would be nice to see the pew's, and those beautiful window's saved. I would love a house, with one whole wall a stained glass church window, not very practical I guess...

[@bambipardis1105]

My dad I my sister my brother worry about this kind of stuff saving the history

[@bambipardis1105]

Remembering his cousin ernie's cousin Charlie gerrianger left-hand paw baseball hall of gamer back then Detroit tigers baseball league

[@murdermittenman]

What church and what cross streets ?

[@bambipardis1105]

You have a good governor now who wants to clean up the Detroit area since great depression one .these great depression go by the 3 wars of this world 123

[@markrocovich2234]

At least they got their wonderful pipe organ out of there before the scrappers got to it...

[@bambipardis1105]

He always remember his GRAMMA hertler his aunt Katherine he was only 5 years old.after his dad passed away in a carwreck while work I g as a Bill collector

[@bambipardis1105]

Whatever exempt is I do not do crossword puzzles

[@bambipardis1105]

He was a dedicated mason of his Masonic bible I have from 1950's here in billings Montana he grew up as a little boy Ann arbor area.great depression one .To his certificate of his painters trade

[@George50809]

My guess is it was closed because people moved away....

[@loditx7706]

Did you ask the archdiocese of Detroit if there still is one? Is there still a rectory? Was a school associated with it?

[@DetroitEXP]

There was a rectory that appears to have somebody living in it. It wasn't filmed because a dog was released as we were trying to approach it, so we booked it out. Very interesting.

[@wendyhayes9234]

There was a convent, rectory and elementary school

[@wendyhayes9234]

Oh yeah there was also an activities building and a gymnasium which was actually the original church. The school was on the corner of Hayes and Mayfield. We went to mass every Wednesday with our class. The school and associated buildings were torn down in 2012 (I believe)

[@40intrepid]

@@wendyhayes9234 Remember how they blocked both ends of Mayfield for recess? And the school and convent were joined by a tunnel that ran under Mayfield.

[@auntannette1]

That is Guardian Angels. I attended there in late 196os. Now the cool thing is the rectory/convent is a part of Detroit Behavioral Institute for teenagers in foster care who need special emotional and mental health treatment.

[@stankaftan5816]

OMG, isn't that Guardian Angels Catholic Church :(. I cannot believe it has been let go like this. How incredibly sad.

[@DetroitEXP]

Did you attend the parish?

[@stankaftan5816]

I went to Mass there a few times. Such a beautiful Mid Century Modern church. I have some interior shots of it in its heyday. I cannot believe the state it has been left in. I wonder why the Archdiocese didn't use some of the fortune (literally) they received from selling St. Dennis in Royal Oak (which was demolished and sold to Kroger) to maintain Guardian Angels.

[@DetroitEXP]

I would love to see the photos you have of this place.

[@stankaftan5816]

I don't know how to add them on here? Do you have an email address?

[@DetroitEXP]

Send the photos to "[e-mail]"

[@bambipardis1105]

Some things can be forgiven others can't.yes we never know.wby people deserted their church

[@sirm45]

sad

[@loditx7706]

weird stained glass. I knew Paul was a mysogenist, but I don't get the lion.

[@Florida1213]

Huh? St. Paul was no misogynist. Anyhow, the lion is the symbol of Saint Mark.

[@bambipardis1105]

Churches close it's the government

[@bambipardis1105]

You should become friends eith father Dave here in billings Montana at his saint Bernard church. I went to one service and after he was done he said Bambi you are the only one who remembered saint Nicholas was catholic.i felt his real spirit Christmas eve 1966 after my dad drank his milk ate his sugar cookies we decorated off his plate a magical time.my uncle elwin he heated with coal

[@bambipardis1105]

People are born American but my family really comes from parts of Europe in ansestory of royalty of the bible castle days