Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (Wyandotte, Michigan)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (Polish: Parafia Matki Bożej Szkaplerznej) is located at 976 Pope John Paul II Ave. in the Detroit suburb of Wyandotte, Michigan. The church serves the Roman Catholic Polish Personal Parish of Our Lady of the Scapular as a result of a parish merger on August 1, 2013 of the Wyandotte Polish Personal Parishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (1899–2013) and St. Stanislaus Kostka (1914–2013).

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church
42°12′22″N 83°09′53″W
Location	Wyandotte, Michigan
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	Parish website
History
Founder(s)	Polish Immigrants
Dedication	Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Dedicated	May 9, 1915
Consecrated	June 4, 1916
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Polish
Architect(s)	Mr. Harry Rill
Architectural type	Church
Style	Italian Renaissance
Construction cost	$70,000
Specifications
Capacity	900
Administration
Archdiocese	Detroit
Parish	Our Lady of Mount Carmel (1899–2013) Our Lady of the Scapular (2013 – Present)
Clergy
Archbishop	The Most Rev. Allen Vigneron
Pastor(s)	The Rev. Mark Borkowski
Deacon(s)	Rev. Mr. Richard Bloomfield

History

Interior of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church

St. Stanislaus Kostka Society

Polish emigration to Wyandotte began with Anthony Zynger. After the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, he emigrated and came to Wyandotte where he found employment in one of the factories. In 1868, Anthony Lesczynski emigrated to Wyandotte. In the course of time, he opened a grocery store at the intersection of Oak and 4th St. On November 22, 1870, a mission was preached at his grocery store by The Rev. Xavier Szulak, S.J. It was during this mission that Lesczynski established the St. Stanislaus Kostka Society. There were many Polish families living in Wyandotte at this time. The Society soon reached 37 members. In 1872, during the dedication of the first Polish parish in Michigan, St. Albertus Catholic Church, the Society was officially represented by Zynger and Lesczynski.

In 1875, an intolerable but temporary economic depression struck the labor class of Wyandotte. Consequently, many families left Wyandotte seeking better opportunities. In 1877, new immigrants arrived in Wyandotte; however, temporarily as living conditions again turned bad. As many moved to Detroit, the Society dissolved for lack of membership. Over the course of time, the Society was revived in 1888 by Francis Michalak who was elected President by 47 new members. The Board of Directors consisted of: Francis Michalak, President; Joseph Kasprzyk, Vice-President; Stephan Zalewski, Secretary; M. Ozowski, Cashier; and Martin Grabarkiewicz, Cashier Protector.

The Society regularly received sacraments in Wyandotte first at the German church of St. Joseph, but later migrated to the Irish church of St. Patrick due to ethnic discrimination. The Rev. Vitold Buchaczkowski of the Polish Seminary in Detroit often administered to their spiritual needs monthly. A special feature of this service was an annual indulgence imparted to them on Easter Sunday and on the feast day of St. Stanislaus Kostka.

From 1888 to 1898, 150 of the Society families migrated west of Wyandotte beyond the railroad tracks and became a community known in Wyandotte as New Jerusalem. This community was eventually incorporated to be the Village of Glenwood in 1900.

The Society members voted to establish a building committee to initiate plans to institute a Polish parish and church in Glenwood where they could be ministered to in their language with the approval of the Bishop of Detroit. The committeemen were: Martin Grabarkiewicz, Thomas Biniasz, Michael Sawinski, Frank Lybik, Martin Ignasiak, and Michael Dolinski.[1]

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (1899–2013)

The first business transaction of the building committee concerned the purchase of several lots in Glenwood, Michigan, on Superior and Pulaski Boulevard (now 10th Street) from the Welch Brother's Realty Company. This deal was fulfilled, and Welch Brother's Company donated eight lots for the building of the proposed church and school. On September 8, 1899, the Most Rev. Bishop John Samuel Foley personally inspected the grounds. He approved the location and almost immediately appointed Rev. Fr. Bernard Zmijewski as pastor. Fr. Zmijewski became pastor on September 18, 1899. Since the church building was still in the planning stage, he was constrained to hold services at St. Patrick's Church.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (1899 - 1916)

The charter parishioners desired to name the parish "Our Lady of the Scapular," however; because Bishop Foley did not recognize this folksy title, he named the new parish "Our Lady of Mount Carmel." In effect, since the beginning, parishioners had always referred to the parish with the Polish "Szkaplerznej" or, "Scapular."

The laying of the cornerstone of a combination of church and school under the title of "Our Lady of Mount Carmel" took place on December 3, 1899, and the formal dedication of the completed structure was held on July 8, 1900. Rev. Fr. John Moneta, a professor from SS. Cyril and Methodius Polish Seminary in Detroit preached the homily. The choir from St. Josaphat's Church in Detroit, under the direction of Zygmunt Kadlubowski, added much to the solemnity of the dedication.

The church building also served as an elementary school. Fr. Zmijewski petitioned Mother Cajetan (Mother Provincial of the Felician Sisters in Detroit) an earnest appeal for the Felician Sisters to take charge of the school. The request was granted. Beginning in September, 1901, the Felician Sisters opened two classrooms in the basement to teach the first and second grades. The following year, 113 boys and girls were enrolled in the school. The sisters lived in the school for over 15 years before a convent was built.

The total building cost was $26,961.15 (equivalent to $987,425 in 2023). To cover the large cost, money was obtained from various sources: $7,063.69 (equivalent to $258,701 in 2023) from outright donations; a bank loan of $15,000 (equivalent to $549,360 in 2023) was negotiated; and $5,000 (equivalent to $183,120 in 2023) was borrowed from the pastor. Fr. Zmijewski built a rectory on Pulaski Boulevard with his personal funds and established a library of 500 Polish and English books. He also was instrumental in incorporating the Village of Glenwood into the City of Wyandotte.

In 1906, the relationship between Fr. Zmijewski and the parish committee became strained and tense until the whole matter became grave enough to be brought to the attention of Bishop Foley. Bishop Foley had no choice but to proclaim a cooling off period to dispel the heat caused by friction and ordered the parish closed and Fr. Zmijewski was removed as pastor on February 18, 1906. The parish remained closed until March 19, 1906, when Rev. Fr. Frank Sajecki, pastor of St. Albertus Parish in Detroit was sent as an administrator, but ill health forced him to leave after one week. He died a week later at age 33. Rev. Fr. Maruszczyk was appointed administrator until April 26, 1906, when Rev. Fr. Joseph Lempka, became pastor on April 27, 1906.

Fr. Lempka's pastorate was entirely taken up with the perpetual struggles of the parish debt. He built a new rectory at a cost of $5,000 (equivalent to $169,556 in 2023) because the existing rectory was the personal property of Fr. Zmijewski. The former rectory on 10th Street eventually was sold to the parish to become an infirmary for the Felician Sisters who had been stricken from a tuberculous epidemic. When the stricken sisters died, they were buried in the nearby Mount Carmel Cemetery. The 20 sisters who are buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery were only 20 to 21 years old.

In 1909, Rev. Fr. Constantine Dziuk was appointed as pastor. Fr. Dziuk perceived the necessity and advantage of enlarging the parish grounds and purchased adjacent vacant property placing a definite stamp on the parish holdings. In July 1911, Fr. Dziuk was transferred to Detroit to organize the new Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. He was succeeded by Rev. Fr. Alexander Grudzinski as pastor.

Fr. Grudzinki erected the present church building and the Felician Sisters convent, both in 1916. After the new church was completed, the original 1899 building was turned over for exclusive school use and additions were made. The present church is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral style' of churches in both its opulence and grand scale.

In 1918, Fr. Grudzinki was transferred to St. Francis Xavier Parish in Detroit and the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Adalbert Zadala was appointed pastor for a year. Rev. Fr. Maximilian Gannas was appointed pastor also for a year. Fr. Gannas organized a parish Boy Scout group. Rev. Fr. Leo Jarecki was appointed pastor in October, 1920.

1920s – 1940s

On April 7, 1921, Fr. Jarecki was shot by an unknown assailant upon answering the door of the rectory. Fr. Jarecki died en route to the John F. Eilbert Memorial Hospital in Wyandotte. 5,000 people attended his Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church including 250 clergymen from across the United States. The body was escorted through the streets of Wyandotte to Mount Carmel Cemetery by a procession of hundreds of people. Fr. Jarecki installed and christened the three church bells in use. They were christened: St. Stanislaus Kostka, The Holy Angels, and Our Lady Queen of Poland. In 1921, Rev. Fr. Peter S. Kruszka was appointed as pastor.

Fr. Kruszka built an addition to the elementary school, installed a heating plant, and enlarged the convent. He opened a complete high school in 1928. In 1938, due to failing health, Fr. Kruszka went on sabbatical, and Rev. Fr. Boleslaus Parzych was appointed as administrator in June, 1938. Fr. Kruszka never regained his health and died on March 26, 1939. During Fr. Parzych's time as administrator, the interior and exterior of the elementary school building was painted, the church roof was repainted, and the interest rate of the parish debt was reduced. On June 10, 1939, Rev. Fr. Ladislaus A. Krych was appointed pastor.

When Fr. Krych became pastor, there were 520 students enrolled in the elementary school. In 1940, he organized a school band and orchestra, supplying it with the necessary instruments and band uniforms from his own personal savings. In 1941, a kindergarten class was added. The elementary school enrollment for the 1948–49 school year was 737 students. in 1942, Fr. Krych began remodeling the church. The crumbling masonry was covered with lead and the church windows were reinstalled and properly encased. New ventilation was installed and the church was rewired and reequipped with a modern lighting system. The church organ was repaired and reconstructed. In January, 1942, the interior of the church was cleaned and repainted at the cost of $9000 (equivalent to $167,829 in 2023).

The Third Order of St. Francis and the Polish Alliance bought a new communion rail. Benefactors and patrons purchased the current high altar and the Altar Society bought the current tabernacle and the flower vases. Generous individual parishioners donated a monstrance, vestments, a pulpit, confessionals, and altar linens. The altar boys worked to buy the current shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In 1943 and 1944, improvements were made to the convent, the school buildings, and the church. The exterior of the church was washed and repaired and the brick was painted in 1945. On January 15, 1946, the parish debt of $5,000 (equivalent to $78,123 in 2023) was liquidated. This was the first time the parish had no creditors. In 1947, improvements such as a new roof for the school buildings, a new boiler, an automatic system of bell ringing and amplifiers for the church were added. In 1948, the parish purchased a strip of real estate bordering Electric Street. Electric Street closed and the land would be used for parish expansion. In 1949, the parish celebrated its 50th anniversary. For this occasion, the church was washed and refurnished at the cost of $5,180 (equivalent to $66,333 in 2023). The interior of the school was also repainted.

1950s – 1970s

In 1950, asphalt pavement was completed between the church and the schools. In 1951, with the winning of the Catholic and Parochial City Championships in football, the parishioners built a field house for the athletes. A combination field house, consisting of a locker room, two dressing rooms, an equipment room, a utility room, and toilet facilities were built. On August 24, 1951, the cornerstone of the present rectory was blessed.

In 1951, an appeal was made by Fr. Krych for new church pews. Individual parishioners purchased pews and memorial plates were placed on each one. In July, 1953, the new pews were ordered and were installed in September, 1953. On March 17, 1956, Fr. Krych died from a heart attack. Respected by the whole community, Fr. Krych was mourned by thousands. In June, 1956, Rev. Fr. Jerome Juchniewicz was appointed pastor.

In 1960, Fr. Juchniewicz remodeled the tarnished statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He removed the statue from the center of the front of the church and placed it on the side of the church. On September 13, 1963, Father Juchniewicz suffered a fatal heart attack and died at Wyandotte General Hospital. In September, 1963, Rev. Fr. Venanty Szymanski was appointed pastor.

In 1963, a financial crisis faced the Archdiocese of Detroit. Consolidation of high schools seemed to be the answer to many parishes' financial difficulties. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish was advised to join the parishes of St. Joseph, St. Patrick, St. Helena, St. Stanislaus Kostka, and St. Elizabeth on establishing a central high school. A public meeting of the parish was held and the parishioners overwhelmingly decided to keep Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School operating and not join the consolidation. Throughout the years, the parishioners labored to a functional school.

In 1964, Fr. Szymanski began full force in building the a new elementary school building. On October 30, 1966, the cornerstone of the new elementary school was blessed. In 1967, Fr. Szymanski suffered two strokes. Throughout his rehabilitation, the parish continued to operate through the endeavors of his assistant, Rev. Fr. Stanley Redwick. In May, 1972, Fr. Szymanski resigned. Rev. Fr. Stanley Konopka was appointed as administrator. In August, 1972, Rev. Fr. Stanley Redwick (former assistant) was appointed pastor.

Monument to Pope John Paul II

Fr. Redwick saw a need for renovations in the schools and church. He remodeled the high school kitchen into a modern well-equipped facility. The rooms cannot only be used for meals but the adjoining social room can be used for society meetings. In 1972, the beginning of the parish festival was planned for the weekend before Labor Day and has continued annually. The first festival profit of $85,000 (equivalent to $619,141 in 2023) was the result of the hard work of Fr. Redwick and hundreds of parishioners who worked to make the event a success.

In 1974, the parish celebrated its 75th anniversary. Fr. Redwick initiated plans to repaint and repair the inside and outside of the church. In addition to repainting the inside of the church, the roof needed repairs. The stained glass windows were reset along with various other remodeling.

1980s–2000s

In 1993, Fr. Redwick resigned due to failing health. Rev. Fr. Walter J. Ptak was appointed pastor.

On October 31, 2004, a monument to Pope John Paul II sculpted by Czesław Dźwigaj was dedicated by Cardinal Adam Maida in the peace garden next to the church.

Schools

• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elementary School
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School

Societies

The Rosary Society

The Mt. Carmel Rosary Society was organized on October 12, 1888, at St. Patrick's Parish, Wyandotte, Michigan. In 1890, when the new church was built it was transferred and reorganized by Father Zmijewski. The officers were President, Mrs. B. Domagalewska, Secretary, Mrs. M. Kowalewska, and Treasurer, Mrs. M. Kasprzyk. the Rosary Society was established to honor and spread devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary by reciting the rosary.

The Altar Society

On December 12, 1939, the Altar Society was organized under the direction of Father Ladislaus Krych. The society is in complete care of the altars, this includes providing linens, flowers at Christmas and Easter and other special occasions, candles and caring of the church laundry. Some of the member are assigned into groups and clean the Sanctuary and the Sacristy. The Patroness of the Altar Society is Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Ushers Club

The Mt. Carmel Ushers Club was organized in 1939. For the past 65 years these men have assisted the pastors in the general maintenance of the parish property. They keep order in the church and take up the Sunday and Feast Day offerings at Mass. In order to perform their duties more effectively the Ushers have an official blazer to be worn at all church functions. Parishioners can easily recognize the navy blue blazer, white shirt, and grey slacks when assistance is needed in the church.

See also

• Polish Cathedral style

External links

• "Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Parish Wyandotte – Diocesan information". Archived from the original on 2011-09-28.