EASTPOINTE — Parishioners, clergy and alumni gathered together at St. Veronica Parish on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 11 a.m. for a Mass in celebration of the parish's 100th anniversary. Retired Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Donald F. Hanchon celebrated.
Established in October 1926 by Fr. Archibald Soest, St. Veronica Parish quickly set out to establish not only a permanent church site, but also a school to provide a Catholic education for the children of the growing community.
The cornerstone for the school, which housed the chapel, was laid in August 1927. It was at this time that the parish adopted the name St. Veronica. The contractor who constructed the chapel asked the new parish community for prayers for his daughter, Veronica Rose, who had recently passed away. Fr. Soest named the parish in her memory.
The parish continued to grow, becoming one of the largest parishes in the archdiocese by the late 1940s. The current church building was finished in 1956 to accommodate the burgeoning Catholic community.
The school was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, who had been present since the school's inception. The convent where the sisters once lived became Gianna House in 2015, a residence and place of comfort for young pregnant women. The school closed in 2004.
The parish will continue to celebrate and give thanks for its centennial with a Dinner Dance Gala on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township.
(Photos by Valaurian Waller | Detroit Catholic)
