334 Elm St.
Wyandotte, MI 48192
734-285-9840
Work at St. Patrick Church is going along as planned!
The ceiling is all plastered and they are just waiting for the walls to cure so the first coat of paint can go on.
Painting should be soon, hopefully within the next few weeks.
Visit https://stvpp.org/photo-albums/ for a complete look at the progress.
Nearly seven months after the Detroit Archdiocese’s Synod 16, Archbishop Allen Vigneron released a pastoral letter outlining the synod results, along with launching a new website and coat of arms to “Unleash the Gospel.”
The letter was released following the Pentecost vigil Mass on June 3. Vigneron wrote that the letter is meant to “serve as the charter for implementing the fruit of Synod 16.” In an accompanying video, Vigneron states that the letter and synod “is not just the project of a year. This is a project of a generation.”
“The Synod was the ignition spark that is to set the Archdiocese ablaze. Its goal was nothing less than a radical overhaul of the Church in Detroit, a complete reversal of our focus from an inward, maintenance-focused church, to an outward, mission-focused church,” writes Vigneron in the letter.
During the synod weekend, delegates voted on propositions broken down into three categories: individuals and families; parishes; and archdiocesan central services. Delegates chose nine crucial initiatives, which the archbishop endorsed in his letter. The archbishop also outlines multiple “action steps” to help each initiative become reality.
To assist with the implementation of these steps, Vigneron will establish the “New Evangelization Council” by this summer and plans on giving an annual report every Pentecost.
Vigneron ends the letter contemplating the new future for the archdiocese set in motion by the synod.
“My hope is that [the archdiocese] will be a community of joyful missionary disciples and of saints united in Jesus — that there will even be a whole host of causes for beatification! — and that southeast Michigan will be a place of the manifest presence of God.”
DETROIT — In a landmark letter released on the Vigil of Pentecost, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron challenges each person, parish and institution in the Archdiocese of Detroit to undergo a “missionary conversion” geared toward “making one’s relationship with Jesus and alignment with his will the central guiding principle of every aspect of life.”
The archbishop’s pastoral letter, the result of months of careful discernment and prayer, contains the chief shepherd’s personal reflections and response to the historic archdiocesan Synod 16, a three-day gathering of lay faithful, clergy and religious in downtown Detroit called last fall to propose ways to transform the culture and better share the Gospel message in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
In the wide-ranging letter, which is called simply “Unleash the Gospel” — the adopted tagline for the archdiocese’s missionary efforts — Archbishop Vigneron lays out his vision for the future of the archdiocese as an “outward, mission-focused Church” and calls for various institutions and ministries to reimagine the ways in which they help people to encounter Jesus.
“Over the last three years, we, God’s family in the Church of Detroit, have already been experiencing a spiritual renewal as we have prepared and strategized for a missionary transformation of the Archdiocese,” Archbishop Vigneron writes in the letter’s introduction. “The Synod was the ignition spark that is to set the Archdiocese ablaze.”
The letter — along with a re-envisioned coat of arms for the Archdiocese of Detroit — was released June 3 following Mass for the vigil of Pentecost at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It is available on a specially designed website, unleashthegospel.org, along with a video interview with the archbishop.
The pastoral letter is broken into six sections, each with a different purpose. In addition to an introduction and conclusion, Archbishop Vigneron writes at length about the need for a “new evangelization” both broadly and in the Archdiocese of Detroit, reflecting on the roots of the wide-scale rejection of the Christian faith in secular society and drawing inspiration from the wisdom of saints such as Pope St. John Paul II and Blessed John Henry Newman.
“In the last half century, even as the western world has become increasingly secularized and countless people have abandoned the faith into which they were baptized, the Church has been ringing out a call for all Catholics to awaken their baptismal identity as missionary disciples,” Archbishop Vigneron writes. “All are being summoned to engage in a new evangelization — a renewed proclamation of the good news of Christ to the people of our time.”
Though the archbishop has repeatedly said the synod and pastoral letter are not about a “membership drive” or a “new program” for the archdiocese, it is about fostering a new outlook and encouraging enthusiasm for evangelization — which will involve some tangible changes for the archdiocese and its parishes, he said.
Archbishop Vigneron holds the Blessed Sacrament during Eucharistic adoration and Benediction at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The archbishop will release his long-awaited pastoral letter on Synod 16 and the new evangelization this weekend. (Dan Meloy | The Michigan Catholic)
The letter contains what the archbishop describes as “guideposts,” or broad principles for reform, as well as specific action steps for individuals, families, parishes and the archdiocesan Central Services to undertake in the years ahead to better position themselves to minister with the heart of an evangelist.
The action steps — which correspond to the nine propositions held up by Synod 16 as important for the archdiocese’s growth — range in specificity and involve both short-term and long-term projects, from a call for priests to offer “radical availability” of the sacrament of reconciliation to a charge for the archdiocesan Central Services to re-examine formation programs for confirmation and marriage preparation.
“This is not just the project of a year. This is the project of a generation,” Archbishop Vigneron said in a video accompanying the release of the letter. “I have been clear in my own mind, and I’ve said this, that this represents a real tectonic shift in the life of our local Church for hundreds of years.”
No one is exempt from their responsibility to help build up and shake the rust from the Church’s wheels, the archbishop said. In a section titled “No Bystanders,” Archbishop Vigneron lays out specific charges for laity, priests and deacons, those in consecrated life and lay apostolates, and even youths and young adults in helping to “change the DNA” of the Church in southeast Michigan.
In the past, the archbishop said, the Church’s work has been to build up institutions — such as hospitals, schools and parishes — through which people were brought to Christ and grew in holiness, “but the institutional connection is not sufficient anymore.”
Archbishop Vigneron said he views the letter as a culmination — though not the end point — of the work leading up to and following Synod 16, starting in 2014 with a year of prayer for a new Pentecost and continuing with the participation of thousands of lay Catholics in a series of parish dialogue gatherings last summer.
While the archbishop said he hopes the letter — his fourth as archbishop of Detroit — will be well-received, he’s realistic that it won’t be fully unpacked in a day.
“It’s clearly written not to be just a two-page executive summary. I’ve wanted to put it out fully,” Archbishop Vigneron said of the nearly 40-page document. “There’s a little concern that we might be biting off more than we can accomplish, but I’m OK with that. Part of this isn’t just ambition; it’s enthusiasm, and I don’t want to squelch that.”
The archbishop added it was important to him to receive input from as many people as possible, and that each step along the way — including the archdiocesan Mass for Pardon last October — has helped pave the way for the Holy Spirit to “unleash the Gospel” in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
“I consider the letter a kind of charter, a way to pull together in a good synthesis all the fruit that we have been given leading up to the synod and at the synod itself. We’ll put that all together, and it really creates a basis for our moving forward,” Archbishop Vigneron said. “It’s sort of a declaration about where we’re going to go in the next generation.”
As the Church in southeast Michigan sets its sights on the next chapter, Archbishop Vigneron said intercessors such as Venerable — and soon-to-be Blessed — Solanus Casey and St. Anne, the archdiocese’s patroness, are not only valuable partners in the work of evangelization, but models for what each member of the Church can become.
Twenty years from now, the archbishop said he hopes to look back and see “a whole host of causes for beatification” and “a community of joyful missionary disciples and of saints united in Jesus” in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
“We are a local Church in movement, and I invite every member of the Church to join in as we follow where Christ leads,” Archbishop Vigneron said.
Brownstown Township — Bishop Arturo Cepeda, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, will bless and dedicate a new Hispanic section at Our Lady of Hope Cemetery following a 10 a.m. Mass on Saturday, June 24. The opening of this section marks a significant milestone for the Hispanic Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Detroit and for the Brownstown cemetery which is owned by the Archdiocese of Detroit and managed by Catholic Funeral and Cemetery 
Services of Detroit.
Families will have the opportunity to include the names of their loved ones in a Book of Remembrance both before and after the outdoor Mass. Following the Mass, Bishop Cepeda will dedicate the new area, which honors Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego, both important figures for the Hispanic Catholic community. Both events are open to the public. Complimentary bus transportation will be provided from Holy Redeemer Church (1721 Junction Street, Detroit). Buses depart Holy Redeemer at 9 a.m.
The new section of the cemetery, which includes an outdoor garden and reflection area, features statues of both Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego. The area will also include sitting areas for prayer and reflection.
“It is our privilege at Our Lady of Hope Cemetery to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe with the designation of this new section and the placing of her beautiful statue,” said Rev. Timothy Babcock, the Archdiocese of Detroit’s delegate for Catholic Cemeteries. “We will welcome our fellow Catholics who will find it comfortable to place their loved ones in this special place where they will be remembered and constantly lifted up in prayer.” Bob Hojnacki, director of Archdiocese of Detroit Cemeteries and Deanna Cortese, location manager for Our Lady of Hope Cemetery, said that “Along with Our Lady of Hope Cemetery and the Archdiocese of Detroit, we both are thrilled to share such an exciting outreach to our Hispanic community. The Mass and Dedication on June 24 will provide a wonderful opportunity to be one family in Christ and we invite all members of our faith to join us on this special day.”
Our Lady of Hope Cemetery is at 18303 Allen Road, between Pennsylvania and Sibley roads. Call Our Lady of Hope Cemetery at (734) 285-2555 for further directions and information. Members of the media are invited to cover this event. Photographers and videographers are asked to heed any directions from cemetery and Archdiocesan personnel.
On June 4, Christians around the world will observe Pentecost Sunday.
In the Christian world, this day signifies the day that Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit descended to bless His apostles.
The word “Pentecost” refers to the time when the resurrected Christ appeared in front of His apostles and promised the baptism of the Holy Ghost after His ascension, rather than the event itself.
Some Christians believe this event represents the birth of the Church.
Pope Francis in Fatima for 100th anniversary of the appearance of Mary
1917 – 2017
100 years of grace
Catholic TV broadcasts:
The story of Our Lady of Fatima
During World War I, Pope Benedict XV made repeated, but forlorn, pleas for peace. Finally, in May 1917, he made a direct appeal to the Blessed Mother to intercede for peace in the world. Just over a week later, Our Lady began to appear at Fatima, Portugal, to three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, age 10, and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, ages 9 and 7. However, it was in the previous year, 1916, that the children had their first supernatural encounters with an Angel as a means of preparing them to receive the Queen of Heaven.
The Angel of Portugal
In the spring of 1916, as the three shepherd children tended their sheep in a property called Old Chousa, a drizzling rain began to fall, so they climbed the hill to find shelter in the crevices of a rock. Suddenly a strong wind began to shake the trees. They looked up and saw coming toward them a dazzlingly beautiful young man, seemingly made of light, who told them, “Do not be afraid. I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me.”
Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead touched the ground and had them repeat three times: “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you.”
Then, rising, he said, “Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.” Leaving them absorbed in a supernatural atmosphere, the angel disappeared.
The angel appeared to them again later in the summer and in the fall, encouraging them to pray and to make sacrifices for the reparation of sin.
The first apparition of Mary
On May 13, the three children took their flocks out to pasture in the area known as the Cova da Iria. There they suddenly saw a bright flash of light in the clear blue sky.
They looked up to see “A lady, clothed in white, brighter than the sun.” She said, “Do not be afraid, I will not harm you. I come from heaven.” She asked them to come to the Cova for six months on the 13th day of the same hour
She ended the visit by saying, “Say the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war,” and began to rise serenely towards the east until she disappeared.
Monthly apparitions
Mary continued to appear to the children throughout the months, and encouraged the children to pray the rosary for the reparation of sins and the conversion of Communist Russia. As word spread, large crowds gathered to witness and pray.
The secrets
The children said they had been told a three-part secret. Lucia wrote down the third part of the secret at the order of her bishop, but it was not divulged until 2000, just after the beatification of Jacinta and Francisco.
The Vision of Hell — First Part of the Secret
As she spoke these words she opened her hands. The light seemed to penetrate the earth and we saw, as it were, a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened and burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves, together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. Terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us so sadly:
“You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.
The Request for the Consecration of Russia — Second Part of the Secret
To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.”
The Call to Penance — Third Part of the Secret
Obeying an order from her bishop, Sister Lucia wrote the last part of the secret on January 3, 1944. It was not made public until the year 2000, after the beatification of Jacinta and Francisco:
“At the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire, but they died out in contact with the splendor that Our Lady radiated toward him from her right hand. Pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!’ We saw an immense light that is God, something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it, a bishop dressed in white (we had the impression it was the Holy Father), and other bishops, priests and men and women religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork tree with the bark. Before reaching there, the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins, and half trembling with a halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met along his way. Having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big cross he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other bishops, priests, men and women religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the cross there were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in their hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.”)
The Miracle of the Sun – during the October apparition
The greatest miracle to occur since the resurrection is also the only miracle ever precisely predicted as to date, time of day and location. It is popularly known as “The Miracle of the Sun” and October 13, 1917 has come to be known as “The Day the Sun Danced.” The miracle was viewed by 70,000 or more people at the Cova that day, and is reported to have been seen from as far as 25 miles away. Doubters and skeptics had become believers. Even the secular newspaper O Seculo’s chief reporter, Avelino de Almeida, who had written satirically before, now reported affirmatively, and stood by his story later on in spite of harsh criticism.
For more photo’s on the progress at St. Patrick Church, please visit our PHOTO ALBUM page.
January 2017 –
Repair work has begun at St. Patrick Church. First, all the pews had to be removed and the objects that couldn’t be removed had to been covered so they would be protected from the ceiling work. Click on “Photo Album” to see pictures of the progress as we move along. (The Photo Album icon is at the bottom of the home page).
A Synod is both an event and a process that sees people – clergy, religious, and laity – gather to discuss important matters of the faith. Synods are transformative events that lead to renewal in the Church’s life. After a Synod takes place, the church emerges different, changed.
Synod 16 takes place November 18, 19 and 20 at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit.
Synod Prayer – God our Father, you have called us to be witnesses to Jesus and have sent us on a mission to lead all people to encounter him. Send your Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds and enkindle our hearts, so that we may grow daily as your disciples. Empower us to face bravely the challenges of our time. Keep us close to you, together with Jesus your Son, Mary our Mother, and St. Anne our patroness as we engage in Synod 16 to Unleash the Gospel. Transform us into a band of joyful missionary disciples, who will bring the message of Jesus’ power and mercy to every person in southeast Michigan. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Commitment Weekends: October 1 and 2; October 8 and 9
We have designated October 1 & 2 and October 8 & 9 as Commitment Weekends at St. Vincent Pallotti Parish. On those weekends, parishioners will have the opportunity to make their pledges in support of our capital campaign to replace both church roofs and to make other needed repairs and upgrades to the churches. Please help get the campaign off to a successful start in our efforts to raise $1.2 million over the next three years to pay for the repairs and upgrades to our churches. We are grateful for your generous support of the parish and this important campaign.
August 20, 2016 – Letter to Parishioners regarding roof repair projects at St. Joseph and St. Patrick Churches.
This letter was inserted into the Bulletin the weekend of August 20/21, 2016 for all to read regarding the current plans for the roof repairs at both worship sites. It is also listed here for those that may have missed it.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
St. Vincent Pallotti Parish
Wyandotte, Michigan
Roof repair projects at St. Joseph and St. Patrick Churches
Dear Parishioners & Friends,
Last Thursday, August 18, 2016, was the 1 year anniversary of the temporary closure of St. Patrick Church, due to a small portion of the ceiling falling onto the sanctuary steps. After careful inspection of the entire ceiling by a buildings specialist, 90% of the ceiling at St. Patrick Church was deemed to be unsafe. It came as a great surprise that the roof on St. Patrick’s Church is the original roof put on the church 160 years ago. The average life of a slate roof is 90 / 100 years. On May 4, the Archbishop & his Consultors gave us permission to put a new roof on St. Patrick Church. We will repair some roof decking and replace all the gutters and downspouts. We have bid out this contract to 5 companies. We have now chosen the contractor. We know the cost. We know that once the work begins, Phase 1 of this overall project will be completed in 90 days.
St. Joseph Church has its share of roof problems too, which has led to serious ceiling and wall damage from water getting into the building in recent years. Over the last 12 months, we have had extensive studies carried out by professionals to identify the exact problem with the roof, the walls, the flashing and gutters. Basically, St. Joseph Church needs a new roof, new gutters and downspouts, and the whole building resealed with new flashing that will waterproof the building for the next 50 years.
Our architect, Jay Sarnacki & Associates, has drawn up job / work specifications for St. Patrick Church and St. Joseph Church. These documents were sent out to contractors for bidding. The bids have now come back. We were surprised at the new cost for St. Joseph Church roof replacement and repairs. We originally thought it might be around $175,000. Unfortunately the cost to replace the roof and carry out all the other essential repairs will be $347,760. That price is $172,760 more than was anticipated. This means I have to go back to the Consultors of the Archdiocese on August 31 and seek their approval for that extra $172,760 needed to complete Phase 1 of the Buildings Project at St. Joseph Church.
On the back of this letter is a detailed outline of Phase 1 of our Parish Buildings Project for both Churches. One company will do the work at both Churches at the same time in 90 days from the start date. We hope the roof repair work at both worship sites will begin by mid to late September.
Sarnacki & Associates are currently drawing up the job / work specifications for the internal repairs and painting of both churches. This is Phase II of this challenging buildings project. These documents will be sent out for bidding to contractors by mid-September. By mid-October, we should know the costs involved in repairing the interior of both churches and the contractor who will carry out these repairs. We will have to return to the Archbishop and his Consultors at that time and present a detailed report on the total cost of Phase II and how we are going to pay for it.
The Archdiocese has given us permission to run a Capital Campaign to raise 1.2 million dollars (tax free). This campaign begins very soon. Certainly we will use some of our parish savings to cover part of this Buildings Project. I encourage everyone to try and support the Capital Campaign. Both Churches need our help. We had 6 churches in Wyandotte 10 years ago. The Archdiocese has given us an opportunity to keep two churches open in our parish for the foreseeable future. I truly encourage everyone to seize this amazing opportunity, by supporting the Capital Campaign. Let us prove that we can continue to be one parish with different traditions, serving God and His mission, under two new church roofs in mutual love and respect. That’s the invitation and opportunity we have been handed. Let’s get on with the challenge so that our two beautiful Wyandotte churches, which are presently in our care, can continue to serve us and many generations to come.
Your Pastor,
Fr. Mike Cremin SAC.
Phase 1 – Roof Repairs
for St. Joseph and St. Patrick Churches of Wyandotte
| St. Joseph Church | |||
| Reroof Upper Roof with standing seam metal roof | $116,240 | ||
| Remove existing membrane roof | |||
| Repair roof deck as needed | |||
| Install metal roof material | |||
| Replace existing gutters and downspouts | |||
| Reroof Lower Roof with standing seam metal roof | 75,630 | ||
| Remove existing membrane roof | |||
| Repair roof deck as needed | |||
| Install metal roof material | |||
| Replace existing gutters and downspouts | |||
| Miscellaneous Wall Repairs: | 155,890 | ||
| Reseal coping sealant joints | |||
| Repoint brick mortar joints | |||
| Replace windows perimeter sealant joints | |||
| Seal glass-to-metal joints in art glass windows | |||
| Replace transparent panels over art glass windows | |||
| Rout stones’ mortar joints and replace with sealant | |||
| Clean copper stains from stones | |||
| Replace through-wall flashing (includes removing 5 courses of brick, replacing flashing and re-install bricks) | |||
| ————- | |||
| TOTAL ST. JOSEPH | $347,760 | ||
| St. Patrick Church | |||
| Replace roof (including bell tower) with asphalt shingles | $214,250 | ||
| Remove existing slate roof | |||
| Repair roof deck as needed | |||
| Install asphalt shingles | |||
| Replace existing gutters and downspouts | |||
| ————- | |||
| TOTAL – ROOF REPLACEMENTS | $562,010 | ||
"The Love of Christ urges us on"
