1 ST. LEO ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
2 ST. LEO ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
3 ST. LEO ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
4 ST. LEO ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
5 ST. LEO ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
ST. CHARLES LWANGA PARISH
4860 15th Street
Detroit, Michigan 48208
The Roman Catholic population of Detroit grew rapidly after 1880 as many immigrants arrived from Europe. They all came from around the United States and Canada to take jobs in Detroit’s emerging manufacturing industries. By the late 1880s, there were about 200 Catholic families living along or near Grand River on Detroit’s West Side. In August, 1889 Bishop John Foley established St. Leo Church, named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. An elementary school opened the following year, then a high school in 1892. The parish quickly outgrew the original structure and the current church was completed in 1908.
The founding pastor, Fr. Matthew Meathe wanted a church with unobstructed interior views. He did not want large pillars in the nave. One of the parish members was Detroit architect Harry J. Rill who accepted the challenge to design a large church without interior pillars. The church Rill designed is basically in the Italian Renaissance style featuring exterior Greek pillars with Corinthian capitals.
In the interior, an inscription above the main doorway quotes Luke 19:46 — "My house is a house of prayer.” A large crucifix stands in the north transept. The Blessed Mother stands at the side altar. A statue of Pope Leo the Great stands in the south transept.
St. Leo was the home parish of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, known for promoting pacifist and progressive Catholic causes.
The parish continues to face possible closure in recent years but has been spared largely because of their community outreach. St. Leo has an active soup kitchen that serves much of the surrounding area.
On June 19, 2013, Archbishop Allen Vigneron issued a decree merging St. Cecilia and St. Leo Parishes and, in so doing, created a new territorial parish called St. Charles Lwanga Parish. This unique concept combines two parishes into one entity, while both remain operational in order to maintain and continue to offer the service programs needed by both parishes.
St. Leo