About St. Matthew Catholic Church · Detroit, Michigan
St. Matthew Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish on the far east side of Detroit, Michigan, in the Morningside/East English Village/Yorkshire Woods neighborhoods. The parish was canonically founded in December 1926, with its first parish Mass celebrated on May 22, 1927, and today worships in a striking 1954 church designed by the local firm Donaldson & Meier. The parish's long-serving pastor, Rev. Duane R. Novelly — who has served St. Matthew since 1989 — describes it as 'a Beacon of Light and a Sign of Hope,' a Eucharistic-centered community known above all for a breathtaking 1,300-square-foot mosaic dome and stained-glass windows created by Sicilian-born artist Andrew Maglia. In November 2023 the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places, the 29th Catholic site in Detroit so listed and the first classified in the early-modern architectural period.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle, Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Duane R. Novelly
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Matthew is a warm, Eucharistic-centered Catholic family on Detroit's far east side where newcomers can expect to be personally welcomed, where the parish motto — 'A Beacon of Light. A Sign of Hope' — is lived out in a real and very grounded way. The parish offers the full sacramental life (daily and weekend Mass, Reconciliation Saturday afternoons, marriage preparation, RCIA, and perpetual Help devotions) alongside a vibrant music ministry that grew out of the celebrated 'Mass Mob XIII' event, plus a wide network of ways to get involved — from choir to parish council to alumni outreach — and a powerful physical setting: the Maglia mosaic dome and stained glass make worship here unlike almost any other parish in Michigan.
Mass times at St. Matthew Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 1:30 PM (per parish and AOD Finder listings)
Parish Overview & Mission
St. Matthew Catholic Church is a diverse, Eucharistic-centered parish family on Detroit's far east side, in the Morningside / East English Village / Yorkshire Woods neighborhoods. The parish's mission statement — captured in its motto 'A Beacon of Light. A Sign of Hope' — frames everything from the homily to the social outreach. Worshippers come from across the region to see the Maglia mosaic dome and stained glass, and the parish is proud of its role as a stabilizing presence on the east side.
- Motto: 'A Beacon of Light. A Sign of Hope.'
- Parish Mission Statement published on the website
- Events Calendar on every page of stmatthewdetroit.com
History of St. Matthew Parish
From 1926 until today, St. Matthew has served a fast-growing east-side neighborhood first opened up between the wars. Built on Harper between Audubon and Whittier in the early 1950s, the present church was dedicated September 21, 1955, and remains the spiritual center of a community that today also includes an affordable-housing campus (The Residences at St. Matthew) on the former school grounds at 6000 Audubon Road.
- Canonically founded December 1926
- First parish Mass: May 22, 1927 (Fifth Sunday of Easter)
- First pastor: Father James P. Welsh
- Present church completed and dedicated September 21, 1955 (Feast of St. Matthew)
Pastoral Succession
The parish's published history notes the following succession of pastors from its founding through the mid-1950s; the website's 'Pastoral Timeline' offers the full continuation.
- Rev. James P. Welsh — 1927–1938
- Rev. Joseph Fillion — 1938–1956
- Monsignor (later Bishop) Henry E. Donnelly — from 1956
Architecture of the Church
St. Matthew Church is an early-modern, cruciform Catholic church that retains the grandeur of more traditional Detroit churches while embracing a streamlined design. The current sanctuary was sensitively reordered in 1972 to bring the altar forward after Vatican II, with the original baldachino columns repurposed as the new altar's legs. The church seats nearly 1,200 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2023.
- Architect: Donaldson & Meier (Detroit)
- Style: Early modern with Romanesque features (transitional)
- Exterior: crab-orchard stone, Indiana limestone, red granite, Swedish rose-red granite columns, copper-clad domes, red shingle-tile roof
- Plan: Cruciform, semi-circular sanctuary; seats ~1,200
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places — November 2023 (29th Catholic site in Detroit, first classified early-modern)
The Maglia Mosaic Dome
The 1,300-square-foot dome ceiling over the sanctuary depicts 'Christ, Lord of the Universe,' designed by Sicilian-born artist Andrew Maglia, with Christ enthroned and surrounded by the four evangelists (winged man, ox, lion, eagle) along with the apostles, Mary, and Joseph. Its theme is evangelization — fitting for a church named for St. Matthew, one of the Gospel writers. The mosaic is composed of roughly one million tiles; in recent years parishioners helped restore it after a boiler-failure moisture incident dulled the patina.
Stained Glass Windows
St. Matthew's stained glass is also the work of Andrew Maglia, integrating the church's two visual narratives: the upper-level (clerestory) windows tell the story of St. Matthew, while the lower-nave windows depict the life of Christ. Additional Maglia glass fills the baptistery and choir loft.
- Upper Clerestory Windows — life of St. Matthew
- Lower Nave Windows — life of Christ
- Transept Windows
- Baptistery & Choir Loft Windows
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are celebrated at St. Matthew, with marriage preparation handled personally by Father Duane Novelly — couples must be registered, active, and contributing parishioners for at least one year before the wedding and should allow at least six months for preparation. The parish also assists couples and individuals seeking the Decree of Nullity (annulment) process as established by the Archdiocese of Detroit. Sacramental records requests are handled through the rectory office.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (First Communion)
- Marriage (minimum six months preparation; one-year registered parishioner requirement)
- Holy Orders
- Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Sacramental Record Requests via rectory office
Devotions & Other Services
Beyond Mass and Reconciliation, St. Matthew offers a Tuesday morning Perpetual Help Devotion (around 9:30 AM) and a calendar of parish-wide annual events that have become local traditions, including the Annual Memorial Mass and the Gold'n Harvest Raffle. Past parish concerts and dinners — Mass Mob XIII, the Organ Dedication Concert 2022, the Jazz Nite Dinner Dance, the City Rhythms Dinner Dance, and the Clinton River Cruise — appear in the parish's photo galleries.
- Perpetual Help Devotion — Tuesday 9:30 AM
- Annual Memorial Mass
- Gold'n Harvest Raffle
- Jazz Nite Dinner Dance
- Organ Dedication Concert 2022
Music Ministry
St. Matthew has a vibrant and active musical community, led until recently by Minister of Music Rick Cucchi. The Parish Choir is open to anyone high school age and older — both parish members and guests from the greater Archdiocesan community — and sings for the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass, rehearsing immediately afterward, plus several concerts across the liturgical year. The choir has a long-running tradition of beautiful choral music 'for the glory of God and the inspiration of the soul,' in the spirit of J.S. Bach, and was reinvigorated by the celebrated 2015 'Mass Mob XIII' event.
- Parish Choir — sings at 10:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Open to anyone high school age and older
- Rehearsals: immediately after Sunday Mass
- Sings special concerts across the liturgical year
Education & Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Matthew includes a 'Becoming Catholic' program (RCIA) and ongoing religious education, along with resources such as 'A Journey Through the Mass,' 'Salvation History,' and 'Common Catholic Prayers' linked from the Education pages of the parish website. The school building itself (1930, Tudor Revival, 6000 Audubon) has been transformed into The Residences at St. Matthew, but the parish continues to host faith formation and sacramental preparation.
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
- What Do We Believe?
- Faith-formation resources: Salvation History, A Journey Through the Mass, Common Catholic Prayers
Parish Life & Annual Events
The parish keeps an active Events Calendar on its website, with regular Mass Mob-style visits, concerts, and parish dinners as well as practical gatherings for outreach on Detroit's east side. Father Duane's blog is regularly updated and is part of the site's news section.
- Events Calendar (front-page widget)
- Father Duane's Desk (pastor's blog)
- Parish News
- Photo galleries of past events (Mass Mob XIII, Jazz Nite, City Rhythms Dinner Dance, Clinton River Cruise, Organ Dedication 2022)
The Residences at St. Matthew (Affordable Housing)
Vacant for nearly a decade after the school closed, the architecturally significant former St. Matthew School and adjoining activities building at 6000 Audubon Road were restored through a $20.49 million redevelopment led by Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan (CCSEM) and Cinnaire Solutions, with financing from Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Federal Home Loan Bank, City of Detroit HOME Funds, and Historic Tax Credits. The Residences at St. Matthew reopened with a grand opening on May 7, 2025, providing 46 affordable apartments — 36 one-bedroom, four two-bedroom, and six studio units — with 25 units set aside as Permanent Supportive Housing for individuals previously experiencing homelessness, furnished through a partnership with the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and Henry Ford St. John Hospital. Mayor Mike Duggan, who was baptized at St. Matthew in 1958, returned to cut the ribbon. The Residences are now a separate managed community (kmgprestige.com leasing) but remain an outreach arm of the parish family.
- 46 affordable apartments (36 one-bedroom, 4 two-bedroom, 6 studio)
- 25 Permanent Supportive Housing units for those previously experiencing homelessness
- Partners: CCSEM, Cinnaire Solutions, Ethos Development Partners, Ascension/MI, City of Detroit
- Grand opening May 7, 2025
- Property management: KMG Prestige
Parish Staff & Giving
Father Duane R. Novelly is the long-serving pastor; Rick Cucchi served as Minister of Music until his recent farewell (announced on the pastor's blog). The parish office is staffed Monday–Friday, 10:30 AM–5:00 PM, and offers multiple ways to support the parish's mission.
- Pastor — Rev. Duane R. Novelly (since 1989)
- Minister of Music — Rick Cucchi (farewelled)
- New Bookkeeper (announced on parish news)
- Parish Council
- Online Giving via website
- CSA (Catholic Services Appeal)
- Kroger Rewards
- Legacy & Bequest
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
St. Matthew Catholic Church is located at 6021 Whittier Avenue in Detroit's 48224 ZIP. Visitors are warmly welcomed; the parish office is open Monday through Friday, 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and messages left on the answering machine or via email are returned the next business day.
- Address: 6021 Whittier, Detroit, MI 48224
- Phone: (313) 884-4470
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 10:30 AM–5:00 PM
- Harper & Whittier, exit I-94 at Cadieux
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James P. Welsh1927–1938
Founding pastor; celebrated the first parish Mass on May 22, 1927; oversaw construction of the 1930 school, convent, and auditorium, and lived at 5966 Buckingham.
- Rev. Joseph Fillion1938–1956
Succeeded Father Welsh; paid off accumulated building debt and began the Building Fund Drive, leading to ground-breaking in October 1953 and cornerstone June 27, 1954, for the present church.
- Monsignor (later Bishop) Henry E. Donnelly1956–
Laid the cornerstone for the new church June 27, 1954; was elevated to Bishop and succeeded Father Fillion as pastor in 1956; led the parish in subsequent years.