Notable Detroit church founder remembered in Requiem Mass

On Friday, April 11th at 7:00 o'clock PM, a Solemn Latin Tridentine Requiem Mass will be celebrated at Sweetest Heart of Mary Church in Detroit in observance of the 110th anniversary of the founding pastor, Reverend Dominik Hypolit Kolasinski.

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". . . Detroit newspapers estimate that there were
present 35,000 for his funeral Mass,
which was the largest in the
history of Detroit . . ."

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The well known founder of the parish was called by Almighty God from this life at 7:30 AM on Easter Monday, April 11th, 1898, at the age of 59 years. His funeral mass was celebrated on Wednesday of the Easter Octave, April 13th, 1898. The church was draped in black crepe and evergreen brances just as was done in the "Old Country." On Tuesday evening the night before his funeral, 15,000 people filed past his casket to pay their last respects. The Detroit newspapers estimate that there were present 35,000 people for his funeral Mass which was the largest in the history of Detroit, at least at that time. 250 carriages followed the horse drawn hearse to the parish cemetery where 20,000 participated in the graveside services which took place at 2 PM, after a three hour funeral Mass. Eight months later the body was moved to a mausoleum which had been built at the entrance to the parish cemetary which the pastor himself had established. The public is invited to join parishioners at Sweetest Heart of Mary on Friday evening in remembering his life in prayer and in offering the Church's most beautiful prayers for the repose of his immortal soul. The Tridentine Requiem Mass that will be said with catafalque will be the same Mass that was said that day 110 years ago when Fr. Kolasinski was laid to rest.