Detroit Parish Converted Into Gospel Theatre

Church Militant ^ | 11/12/17 | Alexander Slavsky

[marshmallow]

Dissident bishop was pastor of parish for years

DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) - A historic Detroit parish has become a music hall after a financial collapse and a shrinking congregation. Saint Leo Catholic Church, established in 1908, reopened in October as the Detroit Gospel Theatre; before then, the parish had been overseen by controversial, pro-gay Bp. Thomas Gumbleton for 23 years.

The archdiocese of Detroit sold the church to gospel artists this year after the congregation dwindled to only 150. The re-opening kicked off October 14 with a Grand Opening Gospel Celebration.

Saint Leo opened in 1889 during Detroit's manufacturing and shipping boom when the parish served more than 1,000 families. The church has signs of its grand past, including marble flooring, large murals hanging on the ceiling above the altar, ornate stained glass windows and solid wood pews. According to the press release, "St. Leo Roman Catholic Church, built in 1908 on Grand River and West Warren, was no different. At one point holding 2,500 congregants, it was a Catholic stronghold just outside downtown — until it wasn’t."

The closing of St. Leo is partly owing to finances — revenue base and investment — a shortage of priests and a dwindling congregation based on demographic changes.

However, the larger problem is the moral and spiritual decay of the Church. The longtime auxiliary bishop of Detroit and pastor of St. Leo's Church, Bp. Gumbleton, a dissident pro-homosexualist, was forced by the Vatican to "retire" in 2006 for his heretical homosexual activism, which started after his brother came out as gay to him and his family.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Gumbleton, a dissident pro-homosexualist, was forced by the Vatican to "retire" in 2006 for his heretical homosexual activism, which started after his brother came out as gay to him and his family."

It's amazing. If his brother had come out as a kleptomaniac, would he be militantly advocating for people to steal ? Just because your relative has a peculiar condition doesn't mean you go against God's teachings.

[Tax-chick]

It’s good news that there’s a market for a Gospel Theater in Detroit. I hope it’s a success.

[szweig]

Throughout the country lots of churches from “suppressed” parishes have been sold. There are many breweries and restaurants now making use of these properties. Sometimes neighborhoods change and the churches cannot survive. Bravo to those entrepreneurs making use of these facilities.