What if these walls could talk? The story of All Saints Tabernacle in Detroit is one of faith and change. It reflects the shifting landscape of a city and the enduring spirit of its people.
All Saints parish began far from here. It was founded on Nov. 1 1896 in Delray. At the time, Delray was outside Detroit’s city limits. It was a heavily industrial area. Many immigrants lived near the factories where they worked. Unlike other parishes that catered to one ethnic group, All Saints was a mixed parish.
The first All Saints church stood at South and Crossley streets. By 1906, Detroit had absorbed Delray. Between 1913 and 1915, Father Henry Sullivan raised $65000 to build a parish school and a rectory. He also paid off the parish’s debt. The first school opened in 1915.
The cornerstone of the church was placed on Oct. 25 1925. Its dedication was held on Aug. 7 1926. Andrew Morrison designed it.
All Saints reached its peak membership in the early 1950s. About 700 families were members. However, construction began on the Fisher Freeway in 1961. It took many parishioners’ homes. It also cut off the parish from many neighborhoods. White flight followed the unrest of 1967. All Saints quickly started losing congregants.
As decades passed, Detroit began to lose residents. Houses became vacant. More industry moved in. Delray became rundown, polluted and undesirable. Both the parish’s elementary and high schools closed in June 1970. When the buildings were torn down, a small memorial was created. It honored their history. It included one of the cornerstones.
Many Latino families stopped attending. They feared immigration raids. Just before closing, only three people attended a Wednesday night Mass.
Upkeep costs of the aging building mounted. The congregation was small. It was decided to merge All Saints with St. Gabriel Parish. This took effect on Jan. 1 2018. The church celebrated its last Mass on New Year’s Eve of 2017.
The Archdiocese deconsecrated the church and sold it in 2020. It was demolished in March and April 2022. The area was cleared for the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
All Saints evolved. Services in Spanish were offered. For many years, All Saints was a popular Sunday destination. The construction of I-75 in the 1960s cut through the heart of the parish. This displaced many residents. The church narrowly avoided closing in the 1980s due to low enrollment.
In 2012, the Archdiocese of Detroit asked All Saints and St. Gabriel’s to develop a merger plan. St. Gabriel was larger and in better financial shape. The merger was authorized in 2017.
Several factors contributed to the decision to close All Saints. Membership had been dwindling for years. The building required substantial repairs. The congregation could not afford them. Bridge construction closed streets near the church. Parishioners could not attend. An increase in raids on undocumented immigrants left many afraid to appear in public.
The loss of All Saints was a blow to the community. The soup kitchen and food pantry remained open until around 2020. Then, it was relocated.
Today, the story of All Saints Tabernacle reminds us of a community’s resilience. It shows how faith can endure even as buildings fade.