St. Anthony was born in Lisbon Portugal in 1195. He was a
Franciscan Monk and was recognized as an eloquent speaker. He died in 1231 and
was canonized a saint by Pope Gregory IX in 1232. He is the patron saint of “lost
things” and his feast day is June 13.
St. Anthony Catholic Church was named for this well known
saint and they work tirelessly to pay homage to him in all that they do. St.
Anthony is located in a quiet neighborhood filled with well maintained older
homes in the western Detroit suburb of Belleville, MI. It has a plain rather
non-descript building facade. St.
Anthony Church was founded in 1920 and has been an integral part of this area
ever since.
When you enter the church from the main entrance you walk
into a beautifully lit church. Four rows of pew seating are surrounded by a row
of regular soft covered seating on either side of the pews. This helps to bring
together traditional and modern church values. They all face the altar which is
made of mostly carved oak with touches of marble at the lectern. The back of
the altar is made of brick and is adorned with a statute of Jesus with his
hands held out in prayer.
In opposite corners at the front of the church are statues
of Mary and St. Anthony. At the back of the church is a cloth painting of Jesus
with the saying: “Jesus, I trust in you”. There are many other works of art at
St. Anthony including paintings and statutes that help tell the story of this
magnificent saint.
The pastor at St. Anthony’s is Fr. Thomas Cusick. He gave a
homily on new beginnings during the mass we attended. He also spoke on how we,
as individuals, make up the wholeness of Christ, our Savior. Fr. Cusick also
incorporated stories of his youth in his homily. This gave the homily a deeper
meaning and allowed the congregation the opportunity to relate to it in a more
personal way.
St. Anthony’s congregation is mostly made up of families, with
children, who give a real youthful vibe to the church while maintaining basic
Catholic traditions. Our Family really
enjoyed attending mass at St. Anthony’s and the warmth and friendliness of the
people we encountered during our visit.
Up Next: Sacred
Heart-Detroit
St. Anthony Catholic Church in Belleville, MI
Statute of St. Anthony outside of the church
Painting of Jesus
Altar at St. Anthony
St. Anthony
Painting of Mother Mary
Statute of Jesus hangs over the altar
A crucifix is displayed in the gathering area
A life size statute of St. Anthony on display in the gathering area
