The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest established St. Joseph Oratory in Detroit on October 7, 2016, at the invitation of His Excellency, the Most Reverend Allen Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit. The new Rector, Canon Michael Stein, along with Deacon Jonathan Fehrenbacher, moved to Detroit on October 11.
The Institute’s Provincial Superior, Canon Matthew Talarico, celebrated the glorious First Mass at St. Joseph Oratory on Sunday, October 16. Canon Stein and Deacon Fehrenbacher served as Deacon and Sub-Deacon, assisted by seventeen servers, following their training session with Canon Stein the previous afternoon! Monsignor Michael Schmitz, the Institute’s Vicar General, also traveled to Detroit for this historic occasion.
This Solemn High Mass was a joyful welcome for the Institute in Detroit. St. Joseph Cappella, Soloists and Chamber Orchestra presented Mozart’s Missa Brevis in G Major, Mozart's Jubilate Deo, Bruckner's Locus Iste, Kuras’ Ego Sum Pastor Bonus, and the Gregorian Propers. Faithful from around the Archdiocese, surrounding areas, as well as other apostolates of the Institute around the country, came to pray and support our new spiritual endeavor at this architectural jewel in the city of Detroit.
Toward the conclusion of his homily, Canon Talarico exhorted the faithful to be inspired by the message of St. Paul in the day’s Epistle (Philippians 1:6) to “have confidence, confidence that the God who has begun a good work in you will be with you and help you to bring it to a good completion. Thus we can have every confidence in the power of God to assist and sustain us in this great mission here at St. Joseph. Let us not forget that as we climb this ladder to heaven, we are following in the footsteps of so many who have gone before us, both many people who have built this beautiful church and who have practiced Catholic life here down throughout the centuries, and all of those who have also promoted the traditional liturgy here in this local area. Let us ask God for the grace to be able to follow in their footsteps, to pray for them, and if they now be in heaven, to invoke their intercession upon the mission we embark upon here today.”
After the liturgy, everyone enjoyed a festive Michigan and Detroit-themed reception in the social hall. It was a delightful celebration of the Institute’s arrival in Detroit, and an opportunity to converse with friends both old and new. Please visit the St. Joseph Oratory website for the new schedule and updates: www.institute-christ-king.org/detroit/ Ite ad Joseph!