On Sunday, the community of St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in Detroit gathered to say their final goodbyes after serving the neighborhood for 85 years. The church, which opened its doors in 1941 and has been located at the corner of Tireman and Woodmont since 1965, will close due to ongoing financial difficulties and a significant decline in attendance.
“It’s been, you know, 85 years in this neighborhood; we’ve done a lot of good,” said Tom Stoltz, a long-time parishioner who has attended the church for over 50 years. He described the closure as akin to “watching a loved one die slowly, and there’s nothing you can do.” Stoltz, along with many others, expressed a deep sense of loss but also emphasized that “the heart and soul will go on.”
A Day of Reflection and Remembrance
Sunday’s mass, held in both English and Spanish, marked a poignant moment for the congregation. Msgr. Charles Kosanke, the archdiocese’s regional moderator, characterized the day as “a day of sadness and hope.” He noted that the church holds countless memories for its congregation over the decades, making the closure particularly painful.
The decision to close St. Christopher’s is separate from a broader evaluation of Catholic churches across the state, an initiative that has been underway for two years to assess which churches should remain open. According to officials, this restructuring process is complex, but St. Christopher’s situation could not wait. “Sadly, this is one of them,” Kosanke stated.
For many parishioners, attending mass on this final day felt like a homecoming. A group of former students from St. Christopher’s Elementary School came together, reminiscing about their childhood experiences in the church. “Once you’re here with those memories, you can’t look at pictures, but you can’t feel the energy anymore,” reflected Dee Dee Kostrzewa, a graduate from the class of 1978.
Future Plans for the Community
While the closure of St. Christopher’s marks the end of an era, the archdiocese has plans for the future of the St. Juan Diego Parish, which includes a second location at the former St. Thomas Aquinas on Evergreen. Despite this transition, many loyal parishioners found it difficult to say goodbye to a place that has been central to their lives.
“The church is the gospel, the soul of the people, and we will continue on,” Stoltz reaffirmed. He concluded by expressing gratitude for the community and the work done at St. Christopher’s over the years, saying, “I think the Lord looked down, and I think he’s pleased at what we did here all these years.”
