Journey to the Catholic Churches of Detroit.: August 2014

The patron saint of St. Colette was born on January 13, 1380; the daughter of a carpenter named DeBoilet at Corby Abbey in Picardy, France. She was christened Nicolette, and called Colette. Orphaned at seventeen, she distributed her inheritance to the poor. She became a Franciscan tertiary, and lived at Corby as a solitary. She was re-known for her sanctity, ecstasies, and visions of the Passion, and prophesied her own death in her convent at Ghent, Belgium in 1447. She was canonized in 1807. Her feast day is March 6th.

At St. Colette Catholic church in Livonia there is a large gathering area where members of the parish and their visitors gather before and after each mass. When you enter the church your eyes are immediately drawn to the large statute of Jesus on the cross that sits over the altar. The wounds on his hands and feet are very visible reminders of the sacrifices He made for us. In addition to this large cross the altar, at St. Colette, also has a large marble background which displays symbols of the 7 sacraments of the Catholic Church. These include the sacraments of baptism, Holy Communion, confirmation, reconciliation, marriage, holy order and anointing of the sick.

The celebrant at the mass we attended was Fr. Gary Michalik; the pastor at St. Colette. Fr. Gary spoke of the good and evil of the world during his homily. He also spoke of Jesus use of parable to explain God’s teachings.

St. Colette also has several religious statutes and paintings that add to the beauty and faith of the church. Some of the statutes displayed are of the Holy Family, St. Jude and St. Anthony. There is also a statute of the patron saint, St. Colette that resides at the entrance to the church.

Our Visit to St. Colette’s was an enjoyable experience and we feel blessed that we were share in the blessings of God with the faithful members of this beautiful church.

UP NEXT: Our Lady of Good Counsel-Plymouth