Beautiful and historic Catholic churches attract worshipers and pilgrims. They provide a glimpse at the splendor of God’s beauty and reveal our faith’s history. Ste. Anne de Detroit is the second oldest continuously operating Catholic Church in the United States, founded in 1701. Its current structure, built in 1886, requires extensive repairs to restore the exterior and interior of the structure.

Msgr. Chuck Kosanke was appointed pastor of historic Ste. Anne de Detroit’s parish in 2016. In addition to leading an active Detroit parish community and the Most Holy Trinity parish and school, he is charged with overseeing the restoration of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s official shrine to its patroness Ste. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary. The Church is a Michigan Historic Site; therefore, renovations must be made according to restoration guidelines.

The Detroit parish is in a midst of a capital campaign to raise a total of $14 million, which will be conducted in two phases. Initially, necessary exterior repairs must be completed including repairs to brick, stone and masonry. Meanwhile, to help ensure ongoing operating and maintenance costs in perpetuity, Msgr. Kosanke, through the support of generous patrons, opened the Ste. Anne de Detroit Restoration and Maintenance Endowment.

“Ste. Anne’s is a place of pilgrimage for people from the Archdiocese, Canada and from around the world. Significantly, our Church is a shrine to Ste. Anne, and we’re on a journey to become a minor basilica, which means this magnificent and historical church will be accorded special privileges by the pope,” Msgr. Kosanke said.

Creating an endowment through the Catholic Foundation of Michigan was appealing because it allows Ste. Anne’s campaign team to raise funds from foundations and non-religious sources such as applying for preservation grants, while their investments grow. “I appreciate that from a marketing perspective, the Catholic Foundation shines a light on our shrine and our extensive ministries as well as our many needs,” says Msgr. Kosanke.

“Ste. Anne’s is a place of pilgrimage for people from the Archdiocese, Canada and from around the world.”

In 2017, monthly tours averaged between 300 to 500 visitors. Additionally, the Detroit location and architectural beauty attracts many couples. This year, 50 weddings were celebrated, and more than 100 are scheduled next year. “While Catholic weddings are down 60 percent nationally, we’re experiencing the opposite trend. Couples who seek marriage go through our formation program. For many, they’re reestablishing their relationship with the Church and Jesus Christ. These renovations will help ensure that we’re here to serve countless generations of Catholic families.”

The Catholic Foundation of Michigan is proud to partner with Msgr. Kosanke and Ste. Anne’s. Together they are planning for the vibrant success of the parish for years to come. You are invited to support this exciting endeavor by contributing to Ste. Anne’s endowment fund here.

Are you interested in opening an endowment fund to benefit your beloved parish, school or charity? Individuals and organizations, including Catholic schools, parishes and nonprofit organizations, can open an endowment with a minimum of $10,000. Why not start today?

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