Parishioners of a closed Detroit parish continue to meet

About 70 people sat under trees Sunday to celebrate the Mass on the Grass, as it was called, in between the golf course and the water park in Detroit’s Chandler Park.

Seating was strictly BYO chair or blanket. A digital piano played over the hum of a small portable generator and the Rev. Ray Stadmeyer’s altar was a folding card table covered with a crisp, white cloth. Stadmeyer’s robes — khaki shorts and a T-shirt emblazoned with a church slogan — reflected the dress code for the day.

The people attending were what remains of St. John Berchmans-St. Juliana parish in Detroit. Two weeks ago the Archdiocese of Detroit closed the church after a study found the parish was down to 150 or fewer members.

Archdiocese spokesman Ned McGrath said the church’s finances had been deteriorating over the last decade.

“They had to borrow $35,000 in June just to get to their closing liturgy to pay operating expenses,” McGrath said. “It was a pretty dire situation.”

For the last two Sundays, the self-proclaimed “homeless Catholic church worshipers” have continued to gather for mass. Last week they were sandwiched between masses at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church. This week it was the park. Next week — who knows, church members said.

“Everybody wants to stay together as a community,” said parishioner Steve Wasko of Detroit. “There is a bond here that closing the church won’t end. It’s unfortunate the church leadership downtown can’t see this.”