About St. Joseph Chapel & Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary · Pontiac, Michigan
St. Joseph Chapel & Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a historic Catholic pilgrimage shrine located at 400 South Boulevard West in Pontiac, Michigan, within the Archdiocese of Detroit. Originally established in 1923 as a mission church of Orchard Lake Seminary to serve the Polish-speaking community of Pontiac, it was elevated to parish status in 1939 under Fr. Bernard F. Mary Jarzembowski, who in 1947 received what he described as an interior locution from the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Ottawa Marian Congress calling him to build a Marian shrine. The site became one of six official Marian shrines of Michigan and is currently operated by Terra Sancta Ministries, a Franciscan pilgrimage ministry led by Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM, who purchased the property in 2015 after the parish merger that created St. Damien of Molokai Parish. Designated as one of 12 Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage sites of the Archdiocese of Detroit, the chapel hosts daily Mass, perpetual adoration, devotions to Our Lady of the Cape, and coordinates Holy Land pilgrimages.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM (Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Joseph Chapel & Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary offers a rare combination of historic Marian devotion and living Franciscan spirituality in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Pilgrims come for daily weekday and First Saturday Masses, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the rosary, confession, healing prayer, and a full calendar of devotions to Our Lady of the Cape, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Joseph, and the Sacred Heart — all in a small, prayerful chapel that has welcomed pilgrims from across the Midwest since 1948. As the home base of Terra Sancta Ministries ("Holy Ground"), it also opens the door to international Catholic pilgrimage, especially to the Holy Land, and serves as one of 12 designated Jubilee Year 2025 sites for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Mass times at St. Joseph Chapel & Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 11:00 am (Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays) or by request
- 6:30 pm on event evenings (e.g., Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of the Cape visit)
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament when doors open (10:30 am on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays)
- After Mass on First Fridays and all First Saturdays
- All-Night Adoration (Exposition) on special pilgrimage evenings (e.g., 9:30 pm following the Pilgrim Statue reception)
History of St. Joseph Chapel & The Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
What began on March 18, 1923 as a mission church of Orchard Lake Seminary to serve Pontiac's Polish-speaking community has grown into one of Michigan's six official Marian shrines and a designated Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage site. The chapel was blessed on August 10, 1924, and Fr. Bernard F. Mary Jarzembowski, a Franciscan tertiary, was appointed pastor on July 5, 1939. In June 1947, he attended the great Ottawa Marian Congress where, praying before the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of the Cape, he received what he described as an interior locution from the Blessed Mother calling him to build a shrine in Pontiac. The reconstructed church and shrine were solemnly blessed by Auxiliary Bishop Stephen S. Woznicki on June 20, 1948.
- March 18, 1923 – Founding meeting of the League of Catholic Women with Very Rev. Canon Anthony Maksimik (Orchard Lake Seminary) and approval by Bishop Michael Gallagher
- 1924 – Lots acquired on South Boulevard near Bagley in 'Polish Village'; white frame church built
- August 10, 1924 – St. Joseph Church blessed; first Mass celebrated
- July 5, 1939 – Fr. Bernard F. Mary Jarzembowski appointed pastor
- June 1947 – Fr. Jarzembowski attends the Ottawa Marian Congress; receives inspiration for the Shrine
- 1947 – Church reconstruction begins (only side walls remain)
- June 20, 1948 – Bishop Woznicki blesses the church and the enthroned replica of Our Lady of the Cape
- August 17, 1952 – Grotto-chapel and the Carrara marble statue of the Sorrowful Immaculate Heart of Mary blessed
- December 8, 1951 – Third Order of St. Francis erected at the parish by Rev. Fr. Blas Gitzen, OFM Cap.
- December 8, 1953 – Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary canonically erected (Cardinal Mooney)
- January 1953 – Holy See grants the Portiuncula Indulgence at St. Joseph for seven years
- 1957 – Our Lady of Fatima statue purchased and blessed at the Cova da Iria in Portugal
- 1948–1975 – Major and Minor Pilgrimages hosted annually
- October 11, 2009 – Merged into St. Damien of Molokai Parish; St. Joseph Church closed in 2013
- March 25, 2015 – Terra Sancta Ministries purchases the property
- 2015–2018 – $300,000 restoration campaign and complete renovation
- September 8, 2018 – Grand reopening Mass with Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron
Devotions & Liturgical Calendar
In the Franciscan-Marian tradition of the shrine, a rich cycle of devotions is offered throughout the month. The Rosary is prayed after Mass (except First Friday and Fridays of Lent, when it is prayed at 11:30 am). Specific saintly and Marian devotions are scheduled on First Wednesdays, First Fridays, and First Saturdays, and Stations of the Cross are prayed after Mass on Fridays of Lent. Blessed and Exorcised Salt and Water are sacramentally available with a donation.
- Rosary: after Mass (11:30 am on First Fridays and Fridays of Lent)
- St. Joseph devotions: after Mass on First Wednesdays
- Sacred Heart devotions: after Mass on First Fridays
- Immaculate Heart of Mary devotions: after Mass on First Saturdays (15 minutes of reflection on the Mysteries of the Rosary to fulfill Our Lady of Fatima's request)
- Stations of the Cross: after Mass on Fridays of Lent
- Perpetual Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary: 7:30 pm every First Saturday
The Shrine: Our Lady of the Cape & the Sorrowful Immaculate Heart
The Marian heart of St. Joseph Chapel is its shrine, anchored by the 1947 replica of the miraculous statue of Our Lady of the Cape from Cap-de-la-Madeleine (Trois-Rivières), Quebec, and the 1952 Carrara marble statue of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. The replica, commissioned from Montreal artist P. Carli Petrucci with the permission of the Oblates who run the original shrine, was blessed on June 20, 1948, and Fr. Jarzembowski placed the Golden Heart on it during the first pilgrimage. Visitors leave prayer intentions at the feet of Our Lady and may spend time in silent prayer before the Grotto-chapel.
- Replica of Our Lady of the Cape, 1947–48 (left niche) — Montreal artist P. Carli Petrucci
- Statue of St. Joseph brought from Saginaw's Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption (right niche)
- Carrara marble Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary statue, 1952, sculpted in Italy, gift of Fr. Jarzembowski
- Our Lady of Fatima statue, 1957, blessed at the Cova da Iria, Portugal
- Golden Heart on the Our Lady of the Cape statue (placed 1948)
Pilgrimages
St. Joseph Chapel & Shrine is the home base of Terra Sancta Ministries' pilgrimage apostolate — "terra sancta" being Latin for "Holy Ground" — and hosts the Major and Minor Marian pilgrimages that have brought devotees from across the Midwest since 1948. The chapel is also the launching point for international Catholic pilgrimages, especially to the Holy Land, led each year by Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM. Upcoming: October 12–22, 2026 (orientation meeting June 28, 2026 at the chapel).
- Major Pilgrimages: annual on or near the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (since 1948)
- Minor Pilgrimages: every First Saturday with the Perpetual Novena (since 1948)
- Holy Land Pilgrimages (biannual, led by Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM)
- Orientation Meetings held at St. Joseph Chapel Lower Level
Terra Sancta Ministries & Franciscan Spirituality
As a Franciscan ministry of Catholic evangelization, Terra Sancta Ministries works to build bridges with the Mother Church of Jerusalem and to cultivate devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, "to form Christian disciples that fervently follow the Lord Jesus Christ." The ministry is run entirely by volunteers, relies on "faith-raising" rather than fundraising, and is registered as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the State of Michigan, approved by the Archdiocese of Detroit as a Private Association of the Faithful. The motto "Ad Iesum per Mariam" — "To Jesus through Mary" — runs through all its work.
- Founded 2008 in Southfield, MI
- Spiritual Director: Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
- 501(c)(3) non-profit; Private Association of the Faithful approved by the Archdiocese of Detroit
- Volunteer-run, faith-raising, not fundraising
Father Alex Kratz, OFM
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM, is a Franciscan friar living at St. Benedict the Black Friary on the grounds of Ss. Peter & Paul (Westside) Parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He is the spiritual director of Terra Sancta Ministries and the leader of its Holy Land pilgrimages, and he led the reopening of St. Joseph Chapel as a Marian shrine in 2018.
- B.A. in Theology, University of Notre Dame
- Master of Divinity (concentration in Sacred Scripture; certificate in Biblical Spirituality), Catholic Theological Union, Chicago
- Advanced Certificate in Franciscan Studies, St. Bonaventure University
- Contact: 313-727-9784 / [email protected]
Holy Land Pilgrimage Program
Terra Sancta Ministries leads Catholic pilgrimages to the Holy Land, walking in the footsteps of Jesus. The full 2026 pilgrimage runs October 12–22, with an orientation meeting at St. Joseph Chapel on June 28, 2026. Pilgrims should call 248-514-1747 or e-mail [email protected] for details. A $500 deposit is required two months before departure and full payment one month before; all expenses (round-trip airfare, border fees, three meals/day) are included in the package.
- Annual October pilgrimage (e.g., October 12–22, 2026)
- Mandatory orientation meeting at the chapel
- Airfare, meals, and border fees included
- Affordable pricing supported by volunteer staff
Visiting, Hours & Contact
The chapel is open to visitors, retreatants, and pilgrims throughout the week. For the most up-to-date schedule, always consult terrasanctaministries.net before visiting.
- Days Open: Every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; Third Mondays; Additional Feast Days
- Hours: 10:30 am – 2:30 pm (Wed / Fri / Sat); Evening events open 6:30 pm
- Address: 400 South Boulevard West, Pontiac, MI 48341
- Phone: 313-727-9784
- Email: [email protected]
- Pilgrimage inquiries: [email protected] / 248-514-1747
Jubilee Year 2025 Pilgrimage Site
St. Joseph Chapel & Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is one of 12 pilgrimage sites designated by the Archdiocese of Detroit for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, and the northernmost of the twelve. During the Jubilee Year the chapel has welcomed pilgrims from across the country and has been featured in Detroit Catholic as a place of pilgrimage, retreat, and spiritual renewal.
- One of 12 Archdiocesan Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage sites
- Northernmost of the twelve sites
- Featured in Detroit Catholic for the Jubilee pilgrimage of hope
Notable Milestones & Miracles
Several extraordinary events are associated with the shrine. In 1960, several women reported seeing the Our Lady of the Cape replica animate from the waist up and shed a tear — a tear streak is still visible on the statue's left cheek today. In July 2024, the original 1947 National Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of the Cape visited the Pontiac shrine for the first time in 77 years (and the first U.S. visit in 70 years) on its way to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.
- 1960: Reported animation and tear of the Our Lady of the Cape statue
- 1947 Ottawa Marian Congress: 'largest religious event in North America,' with over 1.5 million participants and a 3-mile procession of 40,000 men
- July 12–13, 2024: Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of the Cape visits Pontiac
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. Canon Anthony Maksimik (Orchard Lake Seminary)1923–c.1939
Led initial mission-church founding discussions in March 1923; oversaw construction and 1924 blessing of the first St. Joseph Church for the Polish-speaking community.
- Fr. Bernard F. Mary Jarzembowski1939–c.1970s
Appointed pastor July 5, 1939. Franciscan tertiary (took vows the day before his 1912 ordination). Led the 1947 church reconstruction, attended the Ottawa Marian Congress in June 1947 where he received the inspiration for the Marian shrine, commissioned the Our Lady of the Cape replica (1947–48) and Carrara marble Sorrowful Immaculate Heart statue (1952), erected the Third Order of St. Francis (1951) and the Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (1953), and presided over the Major and Minor Pilgrimages from 1948 to 1975.
- Fr. James Kean2009–2013
Pastor of the merged St. Damien of Molokai Parish (formed October 11, 2009 by merger of St. Joseph, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Michael the Archangel). St. Joseph Church closed in 2013 because the merged parish could not maintain three sites.
- Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM2015–present
Franciscan friar and spiritual director of Terra Sancta Ministries; led the 2015 purchase and $300,000 restoration of the property; celebrated the grand reopening Mass with Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron on September 8, 2018.