Far Reaching Effects Of Economy

Detroit church shuts doors after 80 years

Allen Park resident Dianna Rigato lingered outside Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church on Sunday after Mass had ended, reluctant to say her final goodbye to the southwest Detroit church, the site of so many memories. Rather than merge with another parish, the congregation voted to close the 80-year-old church after their pastor, the Rev. Robert Cini, announced he was retiring because of health and age, Rigato said.

The final Mass was said Sunday, and the churchgoers later hung a purple ribbon from the church doors to mark its closing.

"We chose to close so we could close with dignity and celebration," Rigato said.

Across Metro Detroit, Catholic churches have been forced to close or merge as the population has shifted and because the number of priests has declined. Parishes are evaluating themselves to see how they fit into the Archdiocese of Detroit's strategic five-year plan for parishes and schools called "Together in Faith."

In addition to the pastor's retirement, attendance at Our Lady of Mount Carmel has dwindled.

The parish, not far from Ford Motor Co.'s sprawling Rouge complex, was established in 1927 when a bishop assigned a priest the task of establishing a parish for the southwest Detroit community known as "Little Italy," according to the commemorative booklet handed out Sunday.

Italian, Polish, Hungarian and French immigrants who worked in the nearby factories comprised the congregation.

In the 1970s, the parish had 500 families. About 80 families attend the church today, said Parish Council President Frank Bartel, 58, of Southgate.
"We are losing a parish, but we are losing a friend, as well, because Father is going back to Malta," Bartel said.

For Rigato, the church was where she was married, where her six daughters were baptized and where, five years ago, the funeral of one of her daughters was held.

As Cardinal Adam Maida, archbishop of Detroit, wrote to parishioners: "While the Ford Motor Company was busy producing automobiles in its Rouge River Plant to physically move people, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish was busy proclaiming the Word of God and celebrating the Sacraments to spiritually move people."

"I think it's kind of a grieving process," Rigato said of the tears shed by the parish.

"We chose to close it, but for a lot of us, it was a big part of our lives."

Source

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What you just read, aside from being a sad state of the priority many of us give to ANY moral or ethical discipline, is the auto industry failing in Metro Detroit is now showing just how far and how deep it's economic effect will reverberate.

You don't just replace 80 year old congregations, multiple generations of faithful do not just come into being.

Regardless of your faith or mine, this is bad news.

Somewhere a church supply outlet is now one customer short, various church employees are now out of work, numerous families must now find a new congregation if possible, no water or electric of gas will be purchased by this church, no community outreach will come from the empty church, and on and on....

What do I expect next?

Vandalism, copper being stripped from the building.

A shell of a building sitting roadside for years decaying.

Crime, as drug users and others make use of it's shelter.

Threat of injury to kids.

A fire hazard as the less creative and more bored of the Metro Detroit area try to light it up annually on Devil's night.

Welcome To Detroit