DEMOLITION of Detroit Church Building - My Family & The LAST Mass 

Love this remembrance. When you’re young, you never believe that churches will be gone. Family homes will be gone.. when you’re a kid you think everything is forever.

So sad how these old neighborhoods are destroyed, what a gorgeous church.

Some say you can never go home again but, when you're able to, it can be a mixture of sadness and happiness.

Going back home and finding relics of our childhood is a sobering experience sometimes. Funny thing that happened to me was my best friends daughter actually bought my maternal grandparents home. I spent summers there as a young child and my PawPaw spoiled me rotten! Talk about happy memories that I'll always cherish. I'm now the age my PawPaw was when he died. Thanks for bringing us home with you Scott.❤❤

This was all beautiful and sad. What a shame our industry’s went to a foreign country. Looked like a really wonderful neighborhood to grow up in. Thanks for sharing. I had tears.🙏

Beautiful memories! You will always have them. So many beautiful church buildings gone. We just don’t build the way we use to. 😢

I am from Detroit, went to St.Kevins Church in 1964 through 1969, when we graduated from 6th Grade n moved from Inkster, Mich outside of Detroit, home of St. Kevin's Parish to Dearborn, Michigan where my sister's n bro went to Divine Child n graduated from there throughout the 1970's, but I was allowed to go to Dearborn High School!!! I can NOT BELIEVE that St. Stanislaus Church was demolished let alone made "unholy" whatever that meant!!!! That is sooo sad!!! I am sooo sorry for your family n all of Detroit. My Grandparents lived in 30th Street between 194 service drive n Warren Ave for over 50 yrs so our roots were in that Catholic neighborhood funeral parlors, churches n cemeteryies!!? My Grandparents were 100% Polish, so I am 67 yrs old n STILL half Polish from my Mom's side, the Paris n Standard families,. My Grandpa had Warren n Central Service Station on those two street corners for 59+ years as well!!! During the 1967 riots the city was closed down for 5 days with 6:00 pm curfews n when visiting the Grandparents home at 5328 30th Street you had ti keave the city by 6 pm n driving was prohibitef to keeo the riots frim spreading to the suburbs!!!! We went to Grandma's n Grandpa's house EVERY Sunday night for dinner n every holiday for over 20 yrs!!! We saw the tanks n machine guns n National Guard soldiers on the corner of Warren Ave n 30thStreet corner n walked up n down the burnt out metal gated building shells with our Dad to see this destruction first hand at 10 yrs old!!! Supposedly their home at 5328 30th Street, Detroit 10, 48210 as it was addressed back then, is STILL there with people living there n were VERY well kept when we took pics in the 2010's approximately!!! Your video of it's last Midnight Mass is gorgeous n such a PRECIOUS item for you to have!!! I am chagrined that that iconic most reverent building has been demolished. When I was working as Secretary to the Director of the Physical Plant at Wayne State University in 1978 ish, I used to walk to the Catholic Church at lunch for prayers n it was on Woodward Ave near downtown Detroit n I don't remember the name of it but I was freaking out when I saw your video as I was scrolling n was greatly taken aback thinking it was that VERY OLD Catholic Church!!! Therein lies my interest as well as knowing if St. Stanislaus!!!! My Grandparents n cousins n uncles n aunts n relatives are buried in an old Catholic Cemetery on Warren Ave that I can't remember the name of as well. Grandma n Mom both made the pierogi's, n gwumpkis n Angel Wings pastries n Poppy seed loaves of the Polish Standard n Paris families n Uncle John Standard, Grandma's Paris' brother made home made Polish sausage that I can't find any like that anywhere anymore!!! GREAT memories to share with us n ours Scott!!!

Peoplr dont realize the bells when rung infused the air with healing frequency. Why it is a blessing to be able to hear them.

It’s awful what the city and GM did. Thanks for taking us on a walk down memory lane with you, Scott. I always enjoy your videos.

So glad that you thought to record the last Christmas service. What a beautiful church and such an important place in the heart of your family.

What a spectacular church. I left the Detroit area in 1985, and it still breaks my heart to see the city so depressed and barren.

Scott, great, but sad video. Progress isn’t always a positive thing. It’s always so strange to see things that were such a major part of someone’s life reduced to just rubble and forgotten. 😢

That’s an awful sight. It must make you sad. Watching your video of the last service was very poignant, a real tear jerker. It brought back memories of my childhood, attending Catholic school and church. Very bittersweet ending with the bells ringing. Thank you for sharing those family memories.

It’s terrible what happened to Detroit. Such beautiful architecture left to deteriorate. I spent a day there visiting Pewabic Tile. I was using their tile for a couple of bathrooms and a kitchen I was designing.They took my colleague and I to lunch and pointed out many refurbished buildings that had their tiles. Gorgeous. Thanks for the tour.

Growing up, there was a Sinclair gas station near me. My dad would always get my sister and I the little plastic brontosaurus!

Thank you for this video! My mom graduated HS from there and was in that church everyday. She was so delighted and sad to watch this video. We moved to CA in ‘81 and she’s never been back since.

Appreciate your sharing this. How hard it is to see our hometowns crumbling away. Thankfully, you had the foresight to document these locations and we are fortunate that you chose to share it with us. Take care.

What a wonderful tribute video to your parents and family about their life and the church. So sad to see all this beautiful architecture being torn down. Detroit was so beautiful at one time, it's a shame to see what happened to it. So many memories that you can't get back but can only cherish. Thank you, Scott!

What Glorious Parish Church. The statues were gorgeous and the Bells are so awesome. Thank u for taking us home with u and sharing. I pray the City will rebuild and young families can move in with their children and make Magical Memories. God Bless u and yrs.

Oh Scott😢....this beautiful old church being demolished, is so so sad😥💔

Such a precious church and neighborhood. They now rests forever captured in the memories of your heart.❤

Scott, I grew up on the Eastside of Detroit off of Mack Avenue and then moved to just off off Jefferson. I worked at The Eastern Market at a Meat Packing Plant and I delivered Meat to Restaurants in Poletown. Hamtramack! Awesome to see home again. I left for the Army in 1984. I was in Detroit from 66-84.

Awesome video, Scott. Nice to go back to your old neighborhood and reminisce. Shame about your towm obliterated by GM and thr City of Detroit.

Beautiful memories but some sadness too.

Beautiful remembrance, thank you ❤

I worked at the GM plant there in the IT department. When things were slow we would drive out to an old Jewish cemetery on the grounds. Very nice Tombstones that were almost a hundred years old. GM only opened it for visitation a few days a year. The last burials were in the early 1940s. I don't think anyone has tried to visit it in almost 20 years. Too bad because it is really beautiful.

Your parents wedding photo reminded me of my parents wedding photo . Eerily similar . Theirs was taken inside a church in Banff , Alberta on October 30, 1955. I wasn’t born until May, 1962. Maybe the time frame of these photos is around the similar dates ? A beautiful couple of bride and groom your folks were . And your aunt looked absolutely gorgeous in her wedding gown . It’s so sad to see our childhood homes changing . I completely understand how you feel . Thank you so much for sharing this part of your family history . Take care Scott ❤❤❤

I truly enjoyed going down memory lane with you. I definitely like these kinds of videos. Thank you for that.

The closing and demolition of churches is a deeply saddening sight, and unfortunately, this trend is likely to continue. However, the photographs and keepsakes you have serve as cherished reminders of the beauty and significance these sacred spaces once held. There is nothing quite like the evocative scent of frankincense and myrrh candles wafting through the air during a midnight Mass.

Thanks for your story and memories are important to have.

Neat to see, thanks for producing and sharing😊Fellow former Detroiter here, did a tour of Del Ray etc ourselves a couple of years ago with my aging parents. Bittersweet 😢

I love old churches, this is an especially beautiful one. Great film footage. I enjoy when you go back home and share memories. Glad the bells are still ringing somewhere. Thanks Scott 💫⛪

Hey Scott! I find it fascinating to see all these abandoned churches around our country! Very sad ! Thanks for the post 👍

Great memories for you and your family love these family stories memories you will always remember

I will never understand how they would demolish a beautiful built church. I recently found out they torn down my childhood church in Fredrick Colorado, just to build another one. New building don't look like that anymore. Loved your video.

How heartbreaking. The same thing happened to my hometown Youngstown, Ohio. 😢

Those old churches & schools cost a fortune to heat, air cool, etc. Catholic school tuitions have gone way up since the old days, low attendance has forced many to close for good.

What an interesting video, thank you!

It's always sad to go back and see that what was important to u is not there anymore. The stained glass windows, the portraiture, the altar, the ceiling were all beautiful to me. The bells were very special also. It's great that u cared enough, ur sister too, to keep up with what was going on over the yrs. I especially loved that u recorded that final Christmas Eve in the church. It gets to a point when memories r all we have. I'm Southern Baptist from birth, but I truly miss my former church home. The members had some trying times over the yrs, a breaking apart and new churches started. Changes happen, but this broke my heart. Thank u for sharing ur memories.with us. Blessings.

In the year 2000, only months before my mother passed, we visited my mom's homes she grew up in Detroit. Amazingly, a store my mom used to go to, a bakery , was still there and the third generation running the store. Chatting with them was great because they knew of the history of the bakery as my mom described it to them. Also moms house, still there, was where her mother was viewed in her casket in 1940, in front of the living room window because funeral parlors or homes weren't always used. The family home served as the viewing of Grandma's open casket.

Thank you for this wonderful story and sharing memories of your family. As we get older , those memories are golden. I grew up up in Toledo and I have bricks from a wall around the front yard I took visiting one l last time the neighborhood we lived....the house was burned down by vandalism, but the wall was still there. Thank you for sharing. ✌️🙏❤️

Hi Scott, Thanks for the memories. I was administrator of St. Stan's during the summer of 1981just befoe Fr. Grzyb was made pastor. I don't know if any priests who served there are still alive. The rectory had three stories and five huge appartments for the priests that served the parish in its heyday. Every apartment had a fireplace. Beautiful mansion. The church building was beautiful without pillars, seated over 1,000 people, great sightline to the altar from every seat because of a slight pitch, great acoustics. When I was there the church had already become a shell of its glorious past. The Poletown takover by GM was north of the expressway and didn't affect St. Stanislaus. The two churches taken over by the city were Immaculate Concneption and St. John The Evangelist. St. Stan's closed because the Archdiocese was closing churches in Detroit that were no longer able to meet their expenses.I believe at least 50 churches were closed at that time. The building was sold to an organ buiilder and resold several times since. What affected the neighborhood directly was the City of Detroit trash incinerator. The neighborhood deteriorated and people left. Sad transition.

I just returned from my Camino Santiago, I walked thru dozens of cities, towns and villages where the churches and families have lived Hundreds ! Of years! What's wrong with America? 😢😢it's really sad and pathetic

What a great video Scott.Sad but yet beautiful. I also grew up in a parochial school and church and can relate to the history and community. Looking forward to your next video. All the best!

I visited Detroit a few years ago and was amazed at how much cool stuff there is to see. I could have spent a week there and had it full. A fascinating City despite the destruction and demolition that the city has enabled. Corktown is still really cool but it must have been amazing back in the day. What a tragic loss Tiger Stadium was. It's wonderful that you have such respect from where you came.

This is such a sad story and I know a very sad story for you. Detroit is a sad story in and of itself. This Church was obviously a prominent well known Church for the local neighborhood. So glad you filmed the last Christmas Mass at the magnificent Church Building. It is indeed hard to believe this Church was still in use as recently as 1989. That really isn't so long ago. For such neighborhoods to no longer exist speaks of a very sad and mournful tale for not only this neighborhood but for many neighborhoods in the United States especially the Detroit, Michigan area. The Rectory was a beautiful building and now long gone. How much longer the Church Building will last remains in question. With the Rectory now gone the length of time left for St. Stanislaus Church may not be longer much longer either. I assume the St. Stanislaus School will remain. I can hear the sadness in your voice in just recounting your memories of your family's involvement at St. Stanislaus and the area in general.

SCOTT. Im a Baptist, and was Delighted to find out you are a Man of Faith afterall, or at least respectful thereof. VERY happy to hear. Blessings! 🙏

So sad when so many people are homeless in the US & the west generally.

Great video. I can total relate. For the first 4 years of my life, I grew up in a home in SI New York. Even years after we moved , I used to go back and see the house. It held such incredible memories. It was eventually sold to a developer who tore it down and built two homes in its place. Everyone I talk to about the house says the same thing: how can you so vividly remember every detail of that when you were barely 4 years old? I always tell them the same answer: Easy, I was happy.😊

Such a beautiful Temple adorned with the memories of all the families that made it a center part of life for generations. Thanks for sharing a place so dear to you. Midnight Mass is one of the most beautiful services held in the Catholic Church. Catholic or not everyone should experience this Pageant once in their lifetime. Hi Troy and ZOLTAR.

😢.... I can relate.... had a very similar experience in my home town....

Hi Scott. I love when you talk Detroit history. Thanks for sharing a part of your history in Detroit.🥰🙏🏼

Great video. Knowing that immigrants who never looked or went back to Poland poured their devotion and money into these communities and forged on is very touching. 1900-1980, a good run. Many know of family churches deconsecrated and closed but few have entire neighborhoods vanished like yours. Love the mom/aunt high school story.

Urban decay is such a blight on cities and the neighborhoods it has. You have good memories which takes us all back to our childhood memories decades ago😢 Where I grew up, there isn’t urban blight… Yet

Scott,it was a beautiful church.Thanks for sharing.Regards,Gary

Love the sound of church bells!

From another fellow Michigander...sad that a huge piece of history is gone .. History can really hurt us deeply when we love those places..❤ I live outside Metro Detroit near Mt Clemens and have all my life afrer being bon in Detroit at the old Holy Cross . Strange the things they should remove they dont...but there is so much rot there its sad...so many families could use these homes now ...but its all gone ..

This makes my heart so sad. Such happy ,family days and a beautiful church gone. So very sad. History is important.

I went “home” last fall to a town that lost all of its industry and livelihood 25 years ago. Lovely houses falling apart, everyone gone, abandoned buildings, forgotten cemeteries. It felt sad and lonely. So many memories and I have no reason to return. 😢

Lovely photos of your family. Detroit was such a great city. I wish it would come back again.

My Dad’s Family Catholic church in Philadelphia was deactivated in Philadelphia. Heartbreaking! I really feel for you & your family! The only difference is Dad’s church was renovated & is being used as a mission center for the community.

Beautiful memories ❤

Very sad a big part of your history wiped away 😢

So very sorry, Scott. I am so sorry about what has happened to Detroit. It is happening every where in this country. My grandmother's parish church closed in 1949. The bells went to our parish church. I could listen to those bells and hear what my great grandparents, grand parents had heard in the 1800s and early 1900s. I miss those bells since I live in the country now! What is also sad your family and all the families gave their hard earned monies to build that parish and its buildings! Scott, it's "deconsecration" but how can you make a sacred place unsacred? My Mother's side of the family lost their parish church. The archbishop "deconsecrated" it. Wrecked the church and sold the land for high end condominiums. It had gone from an Irish immigrate church to a thriving black church. Made no difference to the archbishop. Thanks, for the video! Always excellent work!

How sad that your entire neighborhood was destroyed. Scott, we are close in age and fortunately my neighborhood in Rockford, IL is largely unchanged, including the Laurent House. It is a Frank Lloyd Wright home that is just up the street from the house I grew up in. It’s a neighborhood of mid century homes, but my house was built in 1930. My childhood was the last half of the 1950s and through the 1960s. I have so many memories, good and bad. Thank you for sharing.

For decades the demolition of Dodge Main held the world's record for the world's largest demolition project.

Raised in Wyandotte and Taylor Mi--( living in Taylor now and loving it ) -- sentimental about Deteroit and Downriver--. I understand how you feel, thank you for posting and talking about your family.... I am 62 and memories seem to come to me more often these days.... take care...

Memories are GOLDEN ❤

Oh my friend, that was quite awesome. And quite sad. The entire story of the wiping out of that neighborhood is completely insane. And to see it still in that state of "nothingness." Mind boggling. Loved your personal story and the way you presented it. That church looked so beautiful. So glad the bells at least have an afterlife. At the end of this post I can only walk away with the thought: "Man wants none but to waste." Thanx my friend for this, and until next time, take care!

What a fantastic video!! I rank this one right up there with your Liberace video from a few months ago - which truly is your very best one!! This one runs a very close second in it's content, along with the majesty of the actual buildings, and powerful memories of such a grand church and once glorious rectory!

Scott..i so loved this video...reminds me of my Moms Parish in Detroit were she was married,went to School and subsequently were i, as her first born was baptized...beautiful Church..Holy Redeemer on Junction and Vernor..im surprised it is still operational. They dont make them like that anymore...beautiful video!!!

Thank you for posting this video Scott. It’s really sad to see the beautiful old churches and buildings abandoned and/or demolished. I’m sure this wasn’t easy for you to see. I didn’t know that your family was from Detroit.

I grew up on the south side of Chicago. Same thing happened. So sad. Thank you for sharing this video.

Great video! Thanks for sharing your history!

Thanks for sharing this Scott!

This is Cindy from DE originally from Detroit, and Warren. I SO REMEMBER decorating the cars like that for weddings. My Dad's side was Polish. We had the band on the front porch of the bride's home as the wedding party left the house for the wedding. That was for the evening weddings. Some got married at a service in the morning, came home and had lunch and a rest then went to their reception in the evening. MEMORIES. Not sure what church they went to but last name was Wojcik and Wierzewski. The Wierzewski's owned a lot of rental properties, little party stores and a scrap yard. I think it was called Richmond

Did ya know about the cemetery in the middle of the Poletown plant? And thank you for sharing vid of inside. I haven't seen the inside of Stans in like 30+ years!!!

Great video Pal. Made me shed a few tears and I'm not even from Detroit.

Sharing your family connection to these neighborhoods, building really show the impact of Detroit's sadder side, than you. ❤😢

Just a walk through would be incredible thank you for sharing

All the homes that my different family members lived in Detroit are long gone. The apartment I lived in when I first left home was right next to the state fairgrounds and the favorite movie hot spot, The Pussycat Theater. My husband and I had a very nice apartment in Highland Park. After we moved out, that apartment was torn down. So sad to all these places gone.

This is Cindy from DE originally from Detroit, Warren. I SO remember decorating the cars like that for weddings. My family is also Polish. When we had an evening wedding we would have a band on the front porch to play Polish music as the wedding party left the bride's home. Lol. My family namesake is Blach, Wojcik, and Wierzewski. The Wierzewski's owned a lot of rental properties, party stores and a scrap yard which I think was called Richmond.❤

What a great and fascinating video this one is Scott. Being from Toledo I always dig your Detroit viddys.

Scott, I wonder what was done with that beautiful nativity scene and statues from inside the church

So sad that so many of those great old neighborhoods are no longer there. I am sure it was a beautiful church. I love seeing things like this though. Very interesting history.

What an awesome video Scott!!

I’m watching Philadelphia go down the drain like this as well so many churches that have been closed and a few have been sitting abandoned for years. At least one has been demolished. We had a Polish church, German church, Italian church, Ukrainian, it’s so sickening. My heart goes out to you and your family.

Heart breaking. History preservation is so important...historical churches abandoned everywhere....your parents. Handsome couple

Great memories! Hamtramck had awesome festivals, great food, dancing, beer tents, fun for everyone! I remember the church bells!

Well played by you Scott. Respect for what is near and dear to your family as you have well articulated the de-evolution of the Christian foundation that Detroit was built upon. Weeds, Sumac trees, fences and barbed wire will never replace a deserved heritage of a better culture which made Detroit thrive. Be proud of where you come from, for those are the seeds of change and prosperity we will give to future generations.

Scott, Very interesting. Thank you for your time and sharing part of your history. Nancy

I met the Sucher’s. They owned a tire shop in Detroit long ago. Nice people.

Thank you for sharing your memory walk in your hometown, it is always bittersweet, isn't it? I loved seeing the Church service and the music. I haven't been to church in a few decades, I did love the music though. The bells sounded great, I am glad they have a new home.

Beautiful and sad. Thanks for posting.💜

I didn't know you were from Detroit... I am also from the area, but I had already fled by 1986 and didn't return till 2016... So much it changed, yet the memories returned. I miss it

Very sad. I grew up in industrial Chicago, the memories are familiar. At least our churches are still standing just empty. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

Thanks for the video

So sorry about your old neighborhood especially the church. Our church is small and a few years back, worried this too would be its fate but low and behold, we have a new priest and things couldn’t be better. I’m happy the bells are still being used from your church.

Thanks for the video and story/ history lesson! Enjoy your channel!

I really hope that the church can be saved. I know that Detroit has been getting rid of a lot of Dillett buildings. But I do know that they have been saving a lot of them. It may be a deconsecrated church, but it would make an incredible community center. I’ve seen where Detroit is going through somewhat of a rebirth And revitalization. I hope so! I’m 56 and grew up in the south. All my life Detroit was the place where driving dreams became possibilities. And if the building cannot be saved, at least you have the memories and pictures and records of what happened there.the building may be gone, but the legacy she leaves behind or last for an eternity.