Our Plan and Progress

Institute Canons Arrive

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest arrives in Detroit, marking a new chapter for the historic parish.

Inaugural Mass

High Mass celebrated on the Feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, filling the sanctuary once more.

Liturgical Life Revives

Serving Christ's Faithful by way of the 1962 Missale Romanum, returning to the roots of the liturgy.

Weekly Devotions

Traditional devotions to St. Joseph and Our Lady of Perpetual Help are fully restored.

Religious Instruction

The Canons begin public Catechism classes, fostering a deeper understanding of the Faith.

Historic Renewal campaign launches

“St. Joseph has survived 144 years. There is little reason not to plan for the next 144 years.”

Tour groups begin to include St. Joseph Church as a stop on their route

Solemn preparatory novenas

established for Immaculate Conception and Saint Joseph Feast Days

Annual Gala and auction tradition started

annual Oktoberfest returns

Steeple restoration

repair structural framing, install new slate roof, fabricate/replace decorative copper pieces

Volunteers donate time, materials and skill

repairs made to Rectory interior, Caretaker’s house front steps, landscaping work; St. Joseph Food Pantry serves the local community

Blessing and reception of the blue server cassocks on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Music program restored with Orchestral Masses

Schola (Gregorian chant), Cappella (polyphony), Cantatio (4-part mens chorus)

St. Joseph Feast - Day of Prayer re-invigorated

public processions for St. Joseph Day, May Crowning, Corpus Christi

St. Joseph Oratory named an Institute House of Formation

Parish family grows from a few to over 200 registered families and parishioners

St. Philip Neri Homeschool Co-op established; parish life includes picnics, outings, talent shows; Pontifical Vespers by His Eminence, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke. First visit of Institute’s Prior General, Msgr Gilles Wach

East parking lot replaced including new security gate and fencing

critical church electrical upgrades completed

Extensive restoration of two large stained glass windows begins

Society of the Sacred Heart

Institute lay branch and Sursum Corda young adult ministry established

With over 1,000 in weekly attendance at Masses in four short years the Archbishop renames the parish from St. Joseph Church to St. Joseph Shrine

Excerpted from Canon Law, “At Shrines more abundant means of salvation are provided to the faithful.”

Neighboring partnerships with Historic Eastern Market, Preservation Detroit, Detroit & Michigan Historical Preservation Network, the Riverfront Conservancy

Historically accurate steeple restoration is completed

next phase will focus on exterior stonework restoration

Planning begins for the parish’s 150th anniversary in 2023

Begin exterior stonework repair and restoration, repair & refinish church main entry doors

Remodel Rectory third floor to accommodate priests, candidates, et al

St Joseph Shrine remains open throughout COVID, offering peace and comfort throughout this difficult time

Annual Institute provincial conference hosted

Parish growth continues with nearly 350 registered households and 750 faithful souls attending every Sunday as profiled in the NY Times

Magnificat Children’s Choir is founded

Year of Jubilee opens on November 16th in preparation for the 150th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Shrine

Tabernacle doors restored; reinstallation of the restored stained glass windows and removal of two more to continue the process

Pontifical High Mass celebrated by His Eminence, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, on the Feast of St. Joseph in the Jubilee Year

First phase of exterior stonework repair and restoration completed

The 150th Anniversary of St. Joseph Shrine is celebrated on November 16th

Work begins to develop a comprehensive Master Restoration plan to move us into the next phase of work, and forward into the next 150 years

November 19th under contract to purchase the 4+acre vacant lot adjacent to St. Joseph Shrine to continue to foster the parish and its various ministries

Living Stones the history of Detroit’s St. Joseph Shrine documentary premieres

Archbishop names St. Joseph Shrine one of twelve official archdiocesan pilgrimage sites for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope

Bell Tower repair and restoration campaign kicks off on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Master plan completed

successful funding campaign ends on the Feast of the Assumption

Phase I work begins on bell tower/belfry/upper elevation of tower

Enrollment in St Philip Neri Co-op increases from 10 students and 5 families in 2019 to over 100 pupils and more than 40 families in 2025

inaugural Christian education conference held with Fr. Francis Bethel, of Clearcreek Abbey and Mr. Robert Gil

Oktoberfest expands onto the recently purchased “De Sales Park” site with over 3000 in attendance

St Joseph Food Pantry – longest standing parish partnership with the Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society

continues weekly distribution of groceries to over 100 families in need.

Annual Gala - tenth anniversary with special guest speaker, Joseph Pearce