Can It Be True? Can St. Josaphat’s Steeple Be Saved?

Last month, a storm passed through Metropolitan Detroit—downing power lines, ripping branches off of trees, and causing serious damage to the iconic steeple at Detroit’s historic St. Josaphat Catholic Church.

I wrote about it then, assuming the worst:  that although shingles could be replaced, the spire had sustained such critical damage that the lurching, twisted steeple would be torn down, sounding a death knell for the aging parish.

NOT SO FAST!

A campaign has been launched to save and restore the steeples at St. Josaphat and its near-neighbor, Sweetest Heart of Mary.  (I told the story of both of these grand churches, plus some other notable houses of worship, last year when I reviewed Detroit’s Historic Places of Worship.)

According to the SOS (Save Our Steeple) campaign literature, St. Josaphat’s steeple was severely damaged in the recent windstorm on November 17 and requires immediate attention.

The twin steeples of Sweetest Heart of Mary, in my view one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever seen, have taken a hit, too—not just from the recent storm, but from decades of storms and extreme weather.  I hadn’t noticed, but yep!  I see from the recent photo that they’re listing and twisting, too.

Honestly, I don’t know whether the steeple can be saved—but I’m excited to see that someone’s taken up the challenge.

If you’d like to be part of the solution, you can make a donation on-line at this link.

Donations can also be mailed directly to the parish at:

 Mother of Divine Mercy Parish
4440 Russell St
Detroit, MI 48207