The Lost Sanctuaries of Saginaw: Part 2. Saginaw Churches.

As the seat of the diocese, Saginaw was once home to many impressive Catholic churches. With the passage of time, none of their sanctuaries have been preserved as they were prior to the council. In this article, we will look at several Saginaw parishes and compare their past selves to what remains. 

St. Andrew

St. Andrew parish was founded in 1852, and was the oldest parish in the diocese, second only to St. Joseph in Bay City. The current church was consecrated on May 13th, 1913. St. Andrew's is well known for its imposing steeple, which can be seen from across town. The interior of St. Andrews was one of the most elaborate in the city, featuring gothic altars, a matching pulpit, a communion rail, massive statues, and detailed murals. 

This church is interesting due to the fact that it underwent a post-conciliar renovation, but the three altars were retained fully intact (except that St. Joseph and the angels have vanished) without modification. While the altars survived, the liturgical layout of the sanctuary unfortunately did not. Pictured below is an altar arrangement that might seem bizarre to readers today, but was somewhat common during the years of Bishop Untener's episcopate. The altar and ambo are equal distances apart, likely to emphasize the "table and word", and the only thing in the center is the celebrant's chair, which was located in the nave in St. Andrew's case. Other changes include the removal of much of the statuary, the railing, pulpit, and the introduction of red carpet. 

Sanctuary, 1950s and 1980s.

St. Andrew's as it appeared at the time of closing.

Despite the alterations, St. Andrew's was still easily restorable following the initial renovation. This was not to last however, as another renovation took place sometime after the late 1980s. This 2nd phase was eerily similar to the renovations at Our Lady of the Visitation in Bay City. The altar was moved to the center of the nave, pews were removed in favor of chairs, and the apse and choir loft were walled off. This is how St. Andrew remained until its closing in 2014, merging with St. Helen church to form Christ the Good Shepherd Parish. It was briefly reopened to host masses for the cathedral parish while St. Mary's underwent renovations, but currently the building is unused and has presumably been sold off. 

                                                                          St. Joseph 

In what is now a parking lot, the old St. Joseph church once stood. The parish was founded in 1872, and the first structure was quickly constructed. This church was in use until 1919, when a larger building was dedicated to serve the growing number of families.

Exterior and Interior of the original structure

  The 2nd church exterior, 1950s yearbook photo of the interior

The 2nd St. Joseph changed relatively little over its lifespan prior to the 60s. It was notable for the large number of Hispanic parishioners, who eventually grew to outnumber the original Irish. It was one of the first churches in the area to install a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

         

Exterior and Interior of the current St. Joseph's

The church underwent multiple renovations in the later half of the century, with most of the original furnishings being removed. A new altar and sanctuary platform were installed in 1987, and were in use until the church was demolished in 2003. A new modern structure was built on the site of the former rectory, and bears little resemblance to the old church. The new sanctuary is particularly odd for being in the center of the church, and on the same floor level as the nave. Most of the stained glass windows from 1919, which had been among the few things to survive the renovations, were auctioned off. 

Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption

The cathedral is another parish that began very early in what would become the Saginaw diocese. It was founded in the early 1850s, with the first church finally being constructed in 1863. This church would be in use for forty years, with transepts and other additions being made over time. Despite its small size, the first St. Mary church was beautifully decorated, with three gothic altars and artwork painted above the altar. It was moved across the street while the current structure was being built, and eventually demolished.

The first St. Mary's church exterior, sanctuary, and stained glass.

Despite having been gone for over a century, there are still pieces of the old church that can be seen today. The original stained glass windows that may date back to 1863 still exist, residing in the former St. John the Baptist church in Carrollton. St. John's was destroyed by fire in 1913, and the old windows were donated to be installed in the rebuilt church. Despite their immense value as part of local Catholic history, they were not removed when the church was sold to a protestant congregation in 2015. St. John's is now known as "Newer Dimensions Fellowship".

Priestly ordinations in the new cathedral, 1941. 

Msgr. Eugene Forbes, a future rector, is among the new priests.

The current St. Mary's was built in 1903, and went on to be designated as the cathedral in 1938, with the founding of the Saginaw diocese. It is said that Bishop William Murphy chose the building for its beauty. For roughly the first four decades, the church interior was somewhat simple. The three altars from the old church were reused. 

Sanctuary following the 1941 renovation.

In order to make the church more cathedral-like, Bishop Murphy initiated a massive renovation in 1941, with the help of the rector, Msgr. Felix Vogt. Elaborate stenciling and murals were painted, along with new lighting, an extended sanctuary rail, a new pulpit, and tiled flooring. New stone altars with wood carved reredos were also installed. It was during this time that St. Mary's began to offer daily sung masses, with the help of a student choir. The church went relatively unchanged from this state until 1967, when the sanctuary was carpeted, along with new pews and flooring. St. Mary's was also unique in that it hosted a ceremony that might have only occurred once in the history of the diocese, the consecration of a bishop. Msgr. James Hickey was consecrated as an auxiliary bishop to aging Bishop Woznicki that same year. He would later go on to become Cardinal Archbishop of Washington DC.

Interior, 2003.

Yet another renovation took place in 1978, completely overhauling the layout of the sanctuary. The entire church was painted white and carpeted, pews were replaced by chairs, the choir was moved to the former sanctuary, and the altar was moved to the center of the nave. Practically everything except for the windows that was original or dating to the 1941 renovation was removed. This is how the church appeared for nearly 40 years, until a significant restoration in 2017. 

Interior following the 2017 renovation.

Today, the cathedral is widely acclaimed for its beauty. The restoration returned the church to a far more traditional layout, with a marble altar and floor, central tabernacle with reredos, pews with kneelers, and the original stations of the cross. While other parishes nearby are concerned with survival, it is safe to assume that St. Mary's isn't going anywhere. It hosts daily Mass and remains the seat of the diocese. 

Sts. Simon and Jude

Sts. Simon and Jude parish was established in 1992, and closed in 2014, when it was merged with St. Christopher parish. There isn't much remarkable about this parish, but the story of its founding is quite interesting. Sts. Simon and Jude was the product of a dramatic merger itself, with four Saginaw churches closing. This was a controversial decision, as all four had maintained strong ethnic identities, and also for the fact that they all had notable historical value compared to Our Lady Help of Christians, a relatively new parish that was to absorb the closed ones. Here are brief histories of each church:

Holy Rosary 

Holy Rosary parish was founded in 1886, and served the Polish community of Saginaw's east side. The original church building was gothic in style, and quite impressive compared to some of the other parishes in the city from that time. The first church was converted into a gymnasium in 1953, when a new structure was finished on the corner of Annesley and 13th street. The new church is notable for being modern in design, but still built to accommodate the liturgy and customs of that time, with multiple altars and a communion rail. 

Sanctuary appointments of the old church, exterior.

Interior and exterior of the new church.

The old church has since been demolished, but the 2nd structure is still standing today. It has been sold to a protestant congregation, and is now known as "Rhema Worship Cathedral".

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Founded in 1913, Mt. Carmel parish was established to serve as Saginaw's Italian church. It was constructed on the corner of Tuscola street and Weadock avenue, a stone's throw away from downtown. The old sanctuary was compact, but still fitting for the sacred liturgy. Minimal artistic changes were made over time, but the sanctuary retained its character prior to the post-conciliar era. 

Sanctuary before and after.

Later photos show an unfortunately barren sanctuary. The high altar has been replaced with the celebrant's chair, and the side altars have vanished. The communion rail has also been removed, along with other reminders of the past. Today the church and other parish budlings are owned by a drug addiction treatment center.

St. Rita

While the property's former glory is unknown to many, the former St. Rita church is hidden in plain view near the intersection of Washington avenue and M-13. St. Rita was founded in 1913, and was another church dedicated to the Polish population of Saginaw. 

Sketch of the new church, Original church/school.

The original church was housed in the 2nd floor of the school building, which still stands today despite its dilapidated state. A new church was dedicated in 1951, later being sold to "Greater New Fellowship Church of God in Christ."

I wasn't able to track down any interior photos of the old or new church, but the exteriors alone are worth taking note of. 

Sacred Heart

Of all the parishes that merged into Sts. Simon and Jude, Sacred Heart left behind the longest legacy. The parish was founded in 1874, the same year as St. Stanislaus Kostka and St. Boniface parishes in Bay City. Construction began on a new gothic structure in 1891, culminating in the dedication of one of the most majestic churches in the city. 

Side and main altars of Sacred Heart.

Sacred Heart's interior was lavishly adorned. The main and side altars possessed spires that mirrored those of the exterior towers, reaching up to God. Pictorial stained glass, a communion rail, gothic confessionals, and detailed paintings were all present. 

Exterior, likely taken in the final years of the parish.

Few interior photos of Sacred Heart after the 60s are readily available, but it is safe to assume that it received a similar treatment to other churches in the area. When the church eventually closed, it likely lacked most of its original furnishings and character. Today the church has been demolished, and the land that the structure once occupied is now partially filled with an expansion to the mustard seed shelter, which owns the former rectory next door. The only reminder of the grand edifice that once stood there is the cornerstone, still on the front lawn, with a hole where the relics were deposited on the day that it was set in place.

 

Sts. Peter and Paul

Sts. Peter and Paul is another tragic case of a whole building that was lost in the later half of the 20th century. It was founded in 1886 and dedicated two years later. The church was gothic in design, similar to other nearby parishes, and was expanded at least once to accommodate more people in the nave. 

Two stages of SSPP's interior.

Early photos show traditional sanctuary appointments which were replaced in a later remodeling. The new altars and statuary are a good example of how despite the trends of modernization that prevailed even before the years of the council, redecoration was still often done in good taste and with a desire to lift minds to God.  

SSPP high school students receive communion, 1950s.

In the 1970s, big changes were afoot. The church was beginning to show its age, with large cables strung above the nave of the church to keep the ceiling from pushing the walls outward. Rather than fixing the church, a new one was built at a site nearly two miles from the original. This modern church incorporated basically nothing from the previous church, and stands out as a particularly harsh downgrade. 

Exterior and interior of the new church.

Today the church is still used for weekly Mass. It was merged with St. Stephen to form St. Dominic parish in 2014. 

Honorable Mention: St. Casimir

Part 3 will cover churches throughout the rest of the Saginaw Diocese. Stay Tuned!

This blog is not affiliated with the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw or any ecclesial organization. The thoughts presented are my own.

If you are reading on your phone and would like a better view of the pictures, try tapping to enlarge them and dragging to zoom in.