About St. Joseph Shrine · Detroit, Michigan
St. Joseph Shrine is an Archdiocesan Shrine of the Archdiocese of Detroit located at 1828 Jay Street in Detroit's Eastern Market–Lafayette Park neighborhood. Founded in 1855 as a German Catholic parish, the present Gothic Revival church was designed by German-born architect Franz Georg (Francis G.) Himpler and dedicated on November 16, 1873. Since October 2016 the parish has been under the pastoral care of the Canons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP), who celebrate the liturgy exclusively in the Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin Mass) according to the 1962 Missale Romanum. In March 2020 Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron raised the parish to the dignity of an Archdiocesan Shrine in recognition of its growing role as a place of pilgrimage and its abundant availability of the sacraments. The largely unaltered Victorian Gothic structure, built of Trenton limestone, is famed for its stained glass — including the oldest known Mayer of Munich windows in North America — and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Canon Jean-Baptiste Commins, ICKSP (Rector)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Joseph Shrine offers one of the most concentrated schedules of Traditional Latin Masses and sacraments in the Midwest — daily Mass Monday through Saturday, two Sunday Masses (Low and High), frequent confession hours, perpetual novena devotions to St. Joseph, weekly Eucharistic adoration, First Friday Holy Hours, First Saturday Mornings of Recollection, and a full parish school of catechism for children plus young-adult fellowship through Sursum Corda. A growing roster of ministries (choir, Schola, Knights of St. John, Men of St. Joseph, St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, Helpers of the Holy Family, gardening crew, and a St. Philip Neri homeschool co-op) gives families of all ages concrete ways to belong. The Shrine is also a pilgrimage destination: it houses a second-class relic of St. Joseph, hosts the annual public procession on his feast day, and is undergoing the most significant physical restoration in its 150-year history.
Mass times at St. Joseph Shrine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 7:25 AM and 6:25 PM
- Tuesday 7:25 AM and 6:25 PM
- Wednesday 11:25 AM (Reconciliation begins 5:25 PM on First Fridays)
- Thursday 7:25 AM and 6:25 PM
- Friday 7:25 AM and 6:25 PM (begins 5:25 PM on First Fridays)
- Saturday 8:25 AM
- Sunday 6:00 AM, 8:00 AM, and 10:00 AM
Adoration times
- First Friday Holy Hour: 5:00 PM, followed by Sung Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart at 6:00 PM
- First Saturdays: Conference and Adoration following the 9:00 AM High Mass
- 3rd Friday of the month: 5:00 PM Holy Hour before the 6:00 PM Mass (Getting Acquainted with Aquinas)
- Friday 6:00 PM (First Fridays) — Eucharistic Adoration
History of St. Joseph Shrine
St. Joseph Parish was founded in 1855 by German Catholic immigrants as a mission of Old St. Mary's Church and quickly outgrew its original wood-frame church at Gratiot and Orleans. Construction of the present Gothic Revival hall church began in 1870 from designs by the Ottweiler-born architect Franz Georg Himpler, and the building was solemnly dedicated on November 16, 1873. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 for the national significance of its stained glass, the church survived Detroit's twentieth-century demographic shifts by being clustered into the Mother of Divine Mercy Parish (2013) and was re-established on its own as St. Joseph Oratory in October 2016 under the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron raised the parish to an Archdiocesan Shrine on March 19, 2020, in recognition of its pilgrimage mission and abundant availability of the sacraments.
- Founded 1855 by German immigrants as a mission of Old St. Mary's
- Cornerstone laid 1870; dedicated November 16, 1873
- Designed by Franz Georg Himpler (modeled on his St. Katharina in Wallerfangen, Saarland)
- 200-foot steeple added 1892 — briefly the tallest structure in Detroit
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 1972 (NRHP #72000670); boundary increase 1992 (#91002013)
- Re-established as St. Joseph Oratory under the ICKSP, October 16, 2016
- Named an Archdiocesan Shrine by Archbishop Vigneron, March 19, 2020
Architecture, Stained Glass and National Register Significance
St. Joseph's is a largely unaltered example of Victorian Gothic Revival in the southern German Hallenkirche tradition, built of Trenton limestone — the last of Detroit's cycle of native-limestone Gothic Revival churches. It is distinguished by its 200-foot steeple and bell tower (1892), extensive carved woodwork, statuary, the original high altar, and especially its stained glass: a combination of work by the Detroit firm Friedericks and Staffin (forerunner of the Detroit Stained Glass Works) and the earliest known North American windows of the renowned Mayer of Munich studio. It was the stained glass that earned the building its 'national level of significance' rating from the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
- Architectural style: Late Gothic Revival / German Hall Church (Hallenkirche)
- Architect: Franz Georg (Francis G.) Himpler; associated firm Donaldson and Meier
- Materials: Trenton limestone exterior; extensive carved woodwork interior
- Stained glass: Mayer of Munich (earliest known North American work) and Friedericks and Staffin of Detroit
- NRHP listing: 1972 (church); 1992 boundary increase (rectory, convent, Wermers House)
Devotions and Special Services
The Shrine maintains an unusually rich devotional calendar in keeping with the Institute of Christ the King's emphasis on the traditional spiritual life. Beyond the daily Mass, confession and adoration schedule, St. Joseph's is known for the Perpetual Novena to St. Joseph on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Mother of Perpetual Help Novena on Saturdays, the annual Feast of St. Joseph public procession (March 19) and the November 16 dedication anniversary. The First Friday and First Saturday cycles frame the month with sung votive Masses, conferences and Benediction.
- Perpetual Novena to St. Joseph — Wednesdays after the 12:00 PM Mass
- Mother of Perpetual Help Novena — Saturdays at 9:45 AM
- Sunday Vespers and Benediction — 6:00 PM
- First Friday Holy Hour + Sacred Heart Votive Mass + Sursum Corda young-adult event
- First Saturday Morning of Recollection — High Mass, breakfast, conference, Rosary and Benediction
- Annual Feast of St. Joseph public procession (March 19) to Eastern Market
Catechism and Sacramental Formation
St. Joseph Shrine offers a multi-year sacramental catechism for First Communion and Confirmation, meeting on Sunday mornings (on rotation) in the rectory basement classroom and in 'Lessons in the Liturgy' for all ages in the Social Hall, and on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM for children and teens (Group A ages 6–8, Group B ages 9–13, Group C ages 14–17). Older youth participate in the Institute of Christ the King's regional summer camps for boys and girls. Banns of Holy Matrimony are published in the parish bulletin ahead of scheduled weddings.
- Sunday Sacramental Catechism classes (First Communion and Confirmation)
- Wednesday evening catechism (Groups A, B, C)
- First Communions celebrated annually (e.g., May 2026)
- Confirmations celebrated annually (e.g., May 2026)
- Institute Summer Camps for boys and girls (ages 9–12 and 13–17)
- St. Philip Neri Homeschool Co-Op
Parish Ministries and Fellowship
Parish life at St. Joseph Shrine is organized around a wide range of men's, women's, family and youth groups — many of them well-established within the ICKSP tradition. The Sursum Corda young-adult group (singles and couples aged 18–35) meets on First Fridays for a conference and shared dinner; the Men of St. Joseph and Knights of St. John serve the parish's liturgical and pastoral needs; and outreach groups such as the St. Vincent de Paul Conference and the Food Pantry Team coordinate charity work from the rectory basement and guest house.
- Parish Choir and Schola (organist/director: Mr. Michael Semaan; Schola director: Mr. Harold Rutila)
- Ushers
- Men of St. Joseph
- Knights of St. John
- Sursum Corda (young adults 18–35)
- Helpers of the Holy Family (cleaning)
- Gardening Crew
- St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Conference
- Food Pantry Team (serves over 100 families)
- St. Philip Neri Homeschool Co-Op
Music and Liturgical Arts
St. Joseph Shrine has been described by the National Fund for Sacred Places as a center for sacred music. The Music Director and organist is Mr. Michael Semaan, working with Schola Director Mr. Harold Rutila to lead the parish choir and chant schola at the Sunday High Mass, First Friday Sacred Heart Votive Mass, and Solemnities. The annual Regional Chant Workshop (most recently scheduled for June 26–29, 2025) brings together chant students from across the Institute's North American apostolates.
- Music Director / Organist: Mr. Michael Semaan
- Schola Director: Mr. Harold Rutila
- Sunday 11:00 AM High Mass with full choir and schola
- First Friday Sung Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart
- Annual Regional Chant Workshop (summer)
The Historic Renewal Campaign
The Historic Renewal is a multi-phase, multi-million-dollar restoration effort begun in October 2017 in the wake of severe steeple damage sustained during a 2016 windstorm. The first phase — full restoration of the 200-foot steeple and bell tower using original materials (new slate, refurbished and new copper, new wood framing) — was completed in September 2019 by Detroit Cornice and Slate. The second phase, supported by a $250,000 matching grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places in October 2022, addressed exterior stonework, stained-glass repair, heating and electrical systems, and an expanded east parking lot. The current 'Beacon of Hope' sub-campaign (December 2024 – August 2025) targets completion of the bell-tower stonework, new framing and windows, louvers, and architectural lighting to make the tower a visible beacon over Detroit.
- Phase 1: $2.5 million overall campaign (Oct 2017) — Steeple restoration completed Sept 2019
- Phase 2: Stonework, stained glass, heating/electrical, parking lot — supported by $250K National Fund for Sacred Places matching grant (Oct 2022)
- Phase 3 / 'Beacon of Hope': $1.5M bell-tower completion (Dec 2024 – Aug 2025); bulletin reported $745,278 raised by mid-2025
- Key contractor: Detroit Cornice and Slate
- Annual St. Joseph Legacy Gala fundraiser
Pilgrimage and Visiting
As an Archdiocesan Shrine, St. Joseph's is a designated destination of pilgrimage, particularly during the annual Feast of St. Joseph (March 19) procession from the Shrine through the streets of the lower east side to Eastern Market, where a second-class relic of St. Joseph is venerated. Visitors are welcome at any Mass or devotion, may pray before the Blessed Sacrament during scheduled adoration, and may arrange tours of the historic sanctuary and its famed stained glass. The Shrine's guest house, social hall, and rectory basement host receptions, community events and youth tutoring programs, and the building is open daily for prayer.
- Annual public procession to Eastern Market on March 19
- Second-class relic of St. Joseph venerated at processions
- Daily open hours for prayer and visits
- Tours of the historic sanctuary and stained glass by arrangement
- Annual St. Joseph Legacy Gala
Getting Involved and Communications
The Shrine keeps its members and visitors connected through a weekly bulletin (published as a PDF at institute-christ-king.org), a Flocknote mailing list (text 'MailingList' to 84576 or sign up at StJosephShrine.flocknote.com), and active social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram under @StJosephShrineD. A free 'My Catholic Will' online will-writing service is offered to parishioners through a partnership with the Shrine using the referral code 'sjdetroit', and a Living Legacy planned-giving program supports long-term restoration work.
- Weekly bulletin (PDF) at institute-christ-king.org
- Flocknote email/text/phone list — StJosephShrine.flocknote.com
- Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram: @StJosephShrineD
- Free online Catholic Will via My Catholic Will (code: sjdetroit)
- Living Legacy planned giving program
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Canon Michael Stein, ICKSPthrough at least 2019–2020
Rector at the time the parish was designated an Archdiocesan Shrine on March 19, 2020; led the Historic Renewal campaign's first phase.
- Rev. Canon Jean-Baptiste Commins, ICKSPpresent
Current Rector, listed on the 2025 bulletin and parish website.
- Rev. Canon Stephen Sharpe, ICKSPpresent
Current Vice-Rector / Parochial Vicar.