The Second-Oldest Parish in the Country, Tucked into Mexicantown
The Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit stands at 1000 Sainte Anne Street in the heart of Detroit's Mexicantown neighborhood, a short drive from I-75 and the Lodge freeway (M-10) and roughly ten minutes from Comerica Park, Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. The parish was founded in 1701, making it the second-oldest continuously operating Catholic parish in the United States, and the current church building was raised in 1886 in a soaring neo-Gothic style that has long made it one of the architectural landmarks of the city.
What makes the parish distinctive today is the breadth of its ministry. The basilica serves a bilingual community in English and Spanish, draws thousands of visitors a year to its shrine to Sainte Anne, and houses the tomb of Fr. Gabriel Richard, the French priest and civic leader who co-founded the University of Michigan. Since March 1, 2020, when Archbishop Allen Vigneron announced that Pope Francis had named Ste. Anne a minor basilica, the church has stood in a closer relationship with the Holy See and become one of only the third churches in Michigan to hold that title.
The Founding at the Foot of the Bluff
The parish begins, like the city itself, with a fleet of canoes. On July 24, 1701, twenty-five canoes carrying the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, fifty artisans, fifty soldiers, and two priests glided to a stop at the foot of a high bluff along a narrow stretch of the Detroit River near where Hart Plaza is today. The party began construction of Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit, and among the first log structures was a tiny chapel. Two days later, on July 26, the feast of Sainte Anne, mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus, that chapel was dedicated.
The earliest church records were destroyed in a fire, but a new registry has been kept since 1704, and that unbroken sacramental register is the basis for the parish's claim as the second-oldest continuously operating Catholic parish in the country. Sainte Anne was the patroness of New France, and the devotion brought by Cadillac's missionaries has never left the bluff.
An Eighth Building on the Same Spot
The present church is the eighth structure to occupy the parish's historic site. It was built in 1886 during the pastorate of the Basilian Fathers from Toronto, and its designers saved and reused many artifacts from the so-called Stone Church, the seventh church, originally built in downtown Detroit in 1818 under Fr. Gabriel Richard. Among the items moved into the current building are the 1818 cornerstone, the altar in the chapel, the interior communion rail, the Beaubien Bell, and the statue of Sainte Anne with a teenage Mary. The grisaille windows, the oldest stained glass in the city of Detroit, were also transferred from the earlier church and can still be admired by anyone joining for liturgy or a guided visit.
Inside, visitors encounter soaring ceilings, intricate stained glass, impressive side altars and statues, and what the parish describes as a dazzling starred ceiling. The basilica is also the site of the official Archdiocesan Shrine to Sainte Anne, designated by Archbishop Vigneron on April 19, 2017, and it is the final resting place of Fr. Gabriel Richard, whose tomb can be visited in the chapel.
A Restoration in Progress with The Catholic Initiative
On March 9, 2025, Msgr. Chuck Kosanke announced that the Basilica of Ste. Anne is entering into a historic partnership with The Catholic Initiative to restore the church building and grounds to their original glory. The basilica is temporarily closed while the restoration takes place, but the parish remains fully active: weekend Masses are celebrated at Most Holy Trinity Parish at 1050 Porter Street, Detroit, and weekday Masses are celebrated in the chapel inside the parish offices on the Ste. Anne campus at 2630 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit.
The parish office itself is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a lunch break from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., and on Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. All parish operations continue during the restoration, including food bank service, faith formation, youth groups, weddings (with the calendar noted below), music ministry, and the Fr. Gabriel Richard Guild.
Masses in English and Spanish
The parish has long been bilingual, and the Mass schedule reflects that. The full weekly rhythm centers on two locations, with weekend Masses at Most Holy Trinity Church and weekday Masses in the chapel at 2630 W. Lafayette Blvd.
Weekend Masses, held at Most Holy Trinity Church, 1050 Porter Street, Detroit, are scheduled as follows:
- Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in English
- Sunday at 9:00 a.m. in Spanish
- Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in Spanish
- Sunday at 12:00 p.m. in English
Weekday Masses, celebrated in the chapel at 2630 W. Lafayette Blvd., are scheduled as follows:
- Monday at 5:30 p.m. in English
- Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. in English
- Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in Spanish
- Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in Spanish
- Holy Days of Obligation at 7:00 p.m. in English and Spanish
All Sunday Masses are livestreamed on the parish Facebook page. Daily in-person Mass is not livestreamed. Confessions are heard on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the chapel, with priests available in English and Spanish. A bilingual Holy Hour is offered in the chapel on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m.
Healing Masses and the Anointing of the Sick
On the first Tuesday of each month at 12:00 p.m., a Healing Mass is offered in English in the chapel. On the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m., a Healing Mass is offered in Spanish in the same chapel. The Healing Masses are open to anyone in need of physical, spiritual, or emotional healing. Special prayers, the veneration of Sainte Anne, and the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick are part of the liturgy. Anointing of the Sick is also available in emergencies through the parish emergency line.
Sacraments and Other Celebrations
Baptisms are held on the third Sunday of the month. Baptisms in Spanish are celebrated during the 10:00 a.m. Mass and baptisms in English during the 12:00 p.m. Mass. Families must be registered and contributing parishioners for at least two months before the baptism, and both parents and godparents must attend one baptismal class scheduled at the parish. At least one parent must be a practicing Catholic, godparents must be at least eighteen and must have received the sacraments of initiation, and a couple serving as godparents must be married in the Catholic Church. During the basilica's restoration, baptisms take place at Most Holy Trinity Church.
First Communion and Confirmation are prepared through the parish's faith formation program and celebrated at the basilica when it reopens. Confessions are heard weekly on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., and the sacrament of the sick is offered at the monthly Healing Masses or by calling the parish emergency line.
Quinceañeras are a signature celebration at Ste. Anne. The Mass of Thanksgiving is offered on Saturdays at 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., or 4:00 p.m., and the young woman must have received the sacraments of baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. Her family must be registered parishioners for at least six months before the date, and the celebration must be booked at least six months in advance. Every quinceañera attends a retreat before the Mass.
The parish also continues the custom of Presentations, a tradition of bringing young children, usually about three years old, to be presented at Mass. While not a sacrament, the parish describes it as a pious tradition it is proud to continue. Presentations are allowed at most weekend and weekday Masses, except on Solemnities, Holy Days of Obligation, and other special events.
Arrangements for funeral services begin with the funeral home, whose staff contacts the parish office.
Music for a Hundred-foot Aisle
The Basilica of Ste. Anne has a vibrant music ministry that spans all ages and abilities. The cornerstone group is the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit Choir, which sings at the 12:00 noon Sunday Mass as well as Holy Days and special events throughout the year. The choir is open to all, including visitors, and no prior musical experience is required.
The Spanish Choir and Instrumental Ensemble provides music for the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass in Spanish. The group includes guitar, drums, keyboard, and other instruments, and welcomes singers, instrumentalists, and music lovers of every level. For bilingual Masses and other special celebrations, the Spanish ensemble joins forces with the wider music ministry.
For more advanced singers, the Gabriel Richard Schola performs sacred music spanning modern works, Renaissance polyphony, and plainchant for special events including Christmas Eve, the Easter Triduum, and the annual Novena. Membership is by audition. The Gabriel Richard Brass performs in tandem with the Schola for the same occasions, and welcomes brass players by audition. The Ste. Anne Shrine Festival Choir draws members from across the Detroit area to sing for large events such as the Novena, and is open to all regardless of musical training.
Each year at the 4:00 p.m. Children's Mass on Christmas Eve, the children of the parish present a Christmas pageant telling the story of the birth of Jesus and his Epiphany, with the children singing and providing music for the liturgy. The pageant is part of the parish catechism program and is open to all children of the parish regardless of experience.
The music ministry is directed by Joe Moss, an organist and chemical engineer who joined the parish team in 2018 and has performed on the organs of Notre Dame de Paris and St. Sulpice in Paris. Joe grew up in the Detroit area, is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and is also an engineer at Ford Motor Company.
Forming the Next Generation
The parish's faith formation program serves students in grades 1 through 8 and is held jointly with sister parish Most Holy Trinity. Classes are led by adult volunteers, and sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is included. While the children prepare with their peers at Most Holy Trinity, they receive the sacraments at the Basilica of Ste. Anne.
The youth ministry includes two weekly groups. Las Flores del Corazon Abierto is a youth group for girls ages 12 to 17 that meets every other Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Most Holy Trinity parish office, with occasional outings and field trips to other churches. Cristeros is the youth group for boys ages 12 to 17, meeting on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. at the Ste. Anne office on West Lafayette Boulevard for prayer, games, and talks about faith, life, and Christian manhood.
For adults aged 18 to 35, the parish offers several young adult ministries together with Most Holy Trinity. The cornerstone is Jornadas, a group that develops leaders, strengthens faith, serves Christ and His Church, and forms disciples of young men and women. Jornadas operates year-round with weekly meetings, service projects, and assisting at Mass. A summer retreat welcomes new members into the community.
Cafe con Santos, a Catholic podcast for young adults by young adults, is another expression of the young adult ministry. Each episode centers on a theme and a saint and features interviews with young adults and community leaders. The podcast is produced in English and Spanish and welcomes new voices.
For older adults, the parish offers Amigas de Jesús, a women's ministry that meets every other Friday on the second and fourth Fridays of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the parish conference room. The meetings are conducted in Spanish and are open to all women free of charge. Each session begins with prayer, followed by talks from priests, members of religious orders, social workers, psychologists, and educators, and includes refreshments and fellowship. The mission is to support women on their journey spiritually, morally, emotionally, and educationally.
Parish Groups and Societies
The Knights of Columbus operate at the parish as the Anacleto Rodriguez Council, the local unit of the Catholic fraternal organization founded by Fr. Michael McGivney in 1882. The council meets on the second Saturday of each month in the morning.
The Cofradia Guadalupana, or Guadalupe Society, gathers monthly to pray the rosary and promotes devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe through various activities and the annual Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12.
Barrios Transformados en Cristo assists people in overcoming addiction. Members meet as a group every Wednesday for Mass and Eucharistic adoration in the chapel.
Marriage Encounter hosts retreats for married couples and meets regularly to discuss marriage and the ministry. Ste. Anne Marriage Encounter is offered in Spanish.
St. Joseph of Arimathea ministers to bereaved families. Volunteers, including those who speak English, Spanish, or both, visit funeral homes to pray the rosary with families, lead liturgical prayers at funerals, and accompany families in prayer at home for nine days.
The Novena Committee organizes and implements the annual novena to Sainte Anne, assists with daily Masses, raffle tickets, set-up, hospitality, parking, and serves as greeters and ushers.
The Cause of Fr. Gabriel Richard
Fr. Gabriel Richard (1767 to 1832) was the most famous pastor in the history of Ste. Anne. Born in Saintes, France, he entered the Society of the Priests of St. Sulpice in 1790 and was ordained a priest in 1791. He narrowly escaped persecution during the French Revolution, came to the United States in 1792, and arrived in Detroit on June 3, 1798. He became pastor of Ste. Anne in 1802 and built the parish's seventh church, the Stone Church, in 1818.
Fr. Richard founded schools, established a printing press, and worked tirelessly to overcome ignorance, poverty, and bigotry in early Detroit. He is the co-founder, with the Reverend John Monteith, of the University of Michigan, chartered by the Act of Appropriation on August 26, 1817. He brought the first printing press to Detroit in 1809 and was elected as a territorial delegate to Congress in 1823. After the Great Fire of 1805, he exclaimed: "We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes," words still part of the seal of the City of Detroit. He died in 1832 while ministering to victims of a cholera epidemic and is interred in the Fr. Gabriel Richard Chapel inside the basilica.
On September 20, 2020, the rector of the basilica, Msgr. Charles Kosanke, announced that the parish is forming a guild to study the life of Fr. Richard, the first step toward possible sainthood. The Father Gabriel Richard Guild invites members to support the study of his life and the promotion of his story. Each fall the parish hosts an annual exhibit displaying Fr. Richard's letters, books, chalice, and artifacts.
The Food Bank and Outreach
On most Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the parish hosts a drive-thru food bank in the style of the corporal works of mercy: "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me." Volunteers load food directly into clients' cars. Donations of food and hygiene items are accepted at the parish office during regular business hours, and monetary donations may be mailed to the parish or made online. During the restoration, the food bank operates on irregular hours, and the parish asks that anyone planning to come call the parish office first.
Weddings at the Basilica
The Basilica of Ste. Anne has long been one of downtown Detroit's premier wedding venues, with soaring ceilings, breathtaking stained glass, and a 100-foot aisle. The current parish is not accepting weddings in 2026 or 2027 because of the restoration, but couples interested in booking for 2028 may contact Yuliana Bautista, the parish's Event Coordinator, to begin the process. Wedding inquiries can be directed to weddings@steannedetroit.org or by calling 313-496-1701 x14.
When the basilica is hosting weddings, ceremonies are celebrated on Saturdays at 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m., on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., and on Fridays at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Each wedding occupies a two-hour block that begins thirty minutes before the scheduled ceremony and ends ninety minutes after. The wedding fee is $1,850, with a non-refundable down payment of $925 to hold the date. An organist is included, and visiting musicians are welcome with the permission of the music director. The parish uses the Witness to Love marriage preparation program, a mentor-based formation process that is completed over the course of at least six months.
At least one member of the bridal couple must be Catholic. Couples do not need to be registered parishioners of Ste. Anne but need the permission of their own pastor. The parish has two priests and a deacon who can perform ceremonies in English, Spanish, and Italian, and family members who are priests or deacons are welcome to preside with the proper paperwork.
Visiting the Basilica
Although the building is closed for construction, docent-led tours are offered for groups larger than ten, scheduled Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The tour fee is $5 per child and $7 per adult, and the tour typically lasts 45 to 60 minutes. Tours for groups smaller than ten can sometimes be added to existing groups by calling the parish office. Tours focus on downtown Detroit's revitalization, neo-Gothic architecture, religious art, Catholic history, the lives of the saints, Michigan and Detroit history, the devotion to Sainte Anne, the legacy of Fr. Gabriel Richard, and the French and Hispanic heritage woven into the parish.
Private Masses for pilgrimage groups may also be arranged for those who would like to worship in the building (pilgrim groups, Mass mob type events, ethnic Masses), with use of the basilica offered free of charge, though a free will offering is requested to help with the upkeep of the building.
The basilica is not open to walk-in visitors, and the parish asks that anyone wishing to see the inside join for Mass or call at least two weeks ahead to schedule a tour. Photography is not permitted for commercial purposes without the written permission of the Rector of the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit. Still-photography is permitted for private non-commercial use only.
The Parish Team
The parish is led by Fr. Timothy Laboe, a native of Monroe and the second of nine, who attended St. Mary Grade School and Monroe Catholic Central High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. After discernment to the priesthood, he earned a Master of Divinity at Sacred Heart Major Seminary and advanced degrees in Moral Theology in Rome at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Ordained in 1999, he served as Associate Pastor and Administrator of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Michael, and Shrine of St. Joseph parishes before becoming Pastor of St. Valentine Parish in Redford, and from 2012 to 2026 served as Academic Dean of Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He also founded the Brazilian Catholic Community in Southeast Michigan, celebrating Mass in Portuguese.
Fr. Lizandro Barba grew up in Southwest Detroit and Dearborn Heights. A graduate of Annapolis High School, he discerned a call to the priesthood after studying at the University of Michigan - Dearborn. He completed his priestly formation at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, earning a Bachelor of Philosophy, a Master of Divinity, and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. Before entering seminary, he served as Hispanic ministry coordinator at St. Alfred Parish and taught catechism.
Two deacons serve the parish together with the priests. Deacon Aaron Poyer joined the parish in July 2023 after serving at Corpus Christi since his ordination in 2019. A retired law enforcement officer of 35 years, he accepted a position with the Archdiocese of Detroit as Delegate for Consecrated Life and Priestly Mission after his retirement, and he and his wife Julie serve together on the Diaconate Formation Team and the Deacon Community Board. Deacon Ken Fry was ordained in 2002 and served at Guardian Angels in Clawson and Our Lady of Victory in Northville before coming to Ste. Anne in 2017. A retired special education teacher of 36 years, he has been married to Anne-Marie, his high school sweetheart, since 1978.
The lay leadership team includes Juanita Vargas, Coordinator of Faith Formation and Worship, who runs faith formation, sacramental preparation, outreach, and worship programs; Joe Moss, Director of Music; Colleen Moore, Director of Communications; Daniel Magareno, Youth Minister, who supports adult groups with sister parish Most Holy Trinity; Yuliana Bautista, Event Coordinator for weddings, quinceañeras, and Day of the Dead celebrations; Eleticia Feliciano, Business Manager; and Amelia Mata, Administrative Support Coordinator.
Getting to the Parish
The basilica itself is at 1000 Sainte Anne Street, Detroit, MI 48216, with street parking available all around the building. During construction, the parish office is at 2630 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI 48216. The parish office can be reached at 313-496-1701 or contact@steannedetroit.org. Weddings are coordinated through weddings@steannedetroit.org, youth ministry at Youth@bsadetroit.org, quinceañeras at quinceanera@bsadetroit.org, and tours at tours@bsadetroit.org.
Mass intentions may be requested online, and donations, including general donations, Sunday offertory, outreach ministries, young adult and youth ministries, tribute gifts, and the Father Gabriel Richard Guild, may be made through the parish giving pages. The parish also participates annually in the Catholic Services Appeal of the Archdiocese of Detroit, which funds hospital chaplaincies, the promotion of vocations, the training of seminarians, family life and marriage programs, religious education, and other ministries across southeast Michigan.
The Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit stands as a 325-year-old chapter in the long history of the Catholic Church in America, a place of pilgrimage for devotees of Sainte Anne, the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus, a national landmark of neo-Gothic architecture, and a bilingual parish serving the people of Detroit today.