  Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 589 Registered: 12-2006 |
...Danny Thomas promise to build St. Jude's Hospital? This one has been stumping me for years. St. Jude's on Kelly dates from 1941, so I don't think so. The church would have also had to had a statue of St. Jude somewhere in or around the church. Sound familiar to anyone? If any of you guys or girls know this.....well, you're good...but this one's hard. Thanks a lot! | ||
Turkeycall Member Username: Turkeycall Post Number: 47 Registered: 09-2008 |
More than 70 years ago, Danny Thomas, then a struggling young entertainer with a baby on the way, visited a Detroit church and was so moved during the Mass, he placed his last $7 in the collection box. When he realized what he’d done, Danny Thomas prayed for a way to pay the looming hospital bills. The next day, he was offered a small part that would pay 10 times the amount he’d given to the church. Danny Thomas had experienced the power of prayer. Two years later, Danny Thomas had achieved moderate acting success in Detroit, but he was struggling to take his career to the next level. Once again, he turned to the church. Praying to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes, Danny Thomas asked the saint to “help me find my way in life, and I will build you a shrine.” His career took a turn for the better, and soon he moved his family to Chicago to pursue career offers. A few years later, at another turning point in his life, Danny Thomas visited a church and remembered his pledge to St. Jude. Again he prayed to St. Jude and repeated his pledge to build a shrine to the saint if he would show him the way. In the years that followed, Danny Thomas’ career flourished through films and television, and he became an internationally known entertainer. He remembered his pledge to build a shrine to St. Jude. In the early 1950s, Danny Thomas began discussing with friends what concrete form his vow might take. Gradually, the idea of a children’s hospital, possibly in Memphis, Tenn., took shape. In 1955, Danny Thomas and a group of Memphis businessmen who had agreed to help support his dream seized on the idea of creating a unique research hospital devoted to curing catastrophic diseases in children. More than just a treatment facility, this would be a research center for the children of the world. [From the Saint Jude Childrens' Hospital website] Were there any other Saint Jude churches in the Detroit area during the '30's beside the one at 7 and Kelly? | ||
Royaloakian Member Username: Royaloakian Post Number: 102 Registered: 05-2004 |
I thought is was St Patrick's | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 402 Registered: 04-2008 |
Could it have been St. Clement Church in Chicago?: www.claretians.org/site/PageSe rver?pagename=ssj_jude_danny_t homas | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 591 Registered: 12-2006 |
Oh, hey! Found something! The Archdiocese says that though St. Dominic's had a shrine to St. Jude, it was actually Sts. Peter and Paul at 629 East Jefferson. http://immlegalsrv.com/AODOnli ne/News+++Publications+2203/Mi chigan+Catholic+News+12203/200 7+The+Michigan+Catholic+News+1 4936/071013Novena.htm This makes this church even more historically significant, if that's possible. | ||
Pganem Member Username: Pganem Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2008 |
The kick off meeting for St. Jude's Hospital was held at my family's restaurant that sadly is no longer. The Sheik Restaurant was chosen because Danny Thomas knew my grandfather Fadel Ganem who while alive was the owner of the Sheik. It was located at the corner of Randolph and Lafayette near the Wayne County Building. The Sheik had a meeting space that could accommodate everyone involved during the fundraising planning to make St. Jude's Hospital a reality. The hospital was built in Memphis, TN because someone donated the land which was large enough to build such a facility. A lot of this was coordinated through our family's church, St. Maron's, which is currently located on St. Jean just off of Jefferson in the shadows of the Chrysler Jefferson North Plant. I say currently because it was originally located downtown Detroit. The Detroit Lebanese community came together to make this hospital happen. There were others involved but it was largely through the efforts of my Grandfather and his generation of successful businessmen. Of course, it is all thanks to Danny Thomas whose vision it was and his energy to get it done. | ||
Jarvo Member Username: Jarvo Post Number: 13 Registered: 09-2008 |
...i remember always being told by the nuns in grade school at ST Rita, it was the St.peter&paul church where he first walked in and offered up his deal/commitment if he could be "shown the way"...and, as they say,the rest is history | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 593 Registered: 12-2006 |
Wow, Pganem, you should be very proud of your family's role in the whole enterprise. There should be a Historical Marker on that site. Or at least another good Lebanese restaurant. Now that you mention it, my parents would go there occasionally. I haven't heard that name in years. My Italian mom and her cousins hung out with a group of Lebanese girls when they were growing up. They went to the old Eastern High School. We all stayed friends for years with their families, went to their weddings, got each other jobs, etc. So, if I were to come back home, where can I get some good Lebanese food nowadays? And also, are there any pictures around of of Sts. Peter & Paul's interiors? | ||
Maof2 Member Username: Maof2 Post Number: 959 Registered: 06-2008 |
Eastsidedame, if your in the mood for Lebanese food, Emily's is the best. You may have heard of them and they are on Mack Ave. between 8 and 9 mile Rd. in SCS. It's just a store, not a restaurant. The owners mother still makes the meat pies by hand. Several years back, they bought the machine to make the dough and she wouldn't have anything to do with it. The best in my opinion. My mom, also Italian, hung out with many Lebanese friends too, in the 30's, 40's, etc. | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 603 Registered: 12-2006 |
Thank you for the heads-up about Emily's. I'll let the family in Detroit know about it! I found one photo of the interior of the church online. The statue of St. Jude is to the left of the altar. He is holding a staff. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/ i/image/image-idx?id=S-DPA1IC- X-EB02C562%5DEB02C562.TIF | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 178 Registered: 10-2006 |
I do not believe that photograph is of sts. peter and paul in detroit. The photo clearly shows st. peter to the left (identified by the key in his hand) and st. paul to the right (with sword) But Peter and Paul in detroit has doors in the back by the alter area which this church picture does not. There is another sts. peter and paul in far west detroit, but it is a later church. I have never been in it. Is the photo mis-labled? * http://www.sspeterandpauljesuit.org/about.html (Message edited by detroithabitater on October 27, 2008) | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 606 Registered: 12-2006 |
Yes, it is St. Peter on the left...then to the left of that is Our Lady of Lourdes (I think), then to the left of THAT is St. Jude (Circled).  It's filed with this exterior shot, so perhaps they are the same time period. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?id=S-DPA1IC-X-EB02C450%5DEB02C450.TIF Looks like they've done some redecorating. This is from a vintage collection so possibly pre-Vatican II placement of the altar and the elimination of the communion rail? Look at the columns to the left and right. Look at the ceiling directly above the altar. It's the same church. BTW: I'm surprised that there are 2 churches honoring the same saint(s) in the same diocese. Usually, that isn't allowed, unless it's to Our Lady. | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1818 Registered: 02-2005 |
Pganem, I really enjoyed The Sheik when I first started working downtown and was real sorry to see it go. I think the first time I ever ate lamb was in that restaurant. | ||
Hubbardfarmer Member Username: Hubbardfarmer Post Number: 3 Registered: 10-2008 |
Hey, Pganem, did you go to Cass? I think you and my bro Mark were friends. Nice to hear this bit of your family's history. | ||
Jcole Member Username: Jcole Post Number: 4366 Registered: 04-2005 |
It looks like the same side altars and the same dome as in the picture on the Sts. Peter and Paul Jesuit website. The main altar looks like it's been changed to match the side altars. I wonder if they allowed the same Saint named church because this one is wholly owned by the Jesuits, and not the Archdiocese of Detroit. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 1456 Registered: 10-2003 |
Pganem and Hubbardfarmer, welcome! Great history...and much more to come hopefully. Please let your family know that many people appreciate their great contribution. Jcole, probably a good call. The one thing we know today is that the Archdiocese is a dangerous owner . The best examples would be U of D and Notre Dame, when I did my brief stint at U of D, the jebbies were determined to stay in the city even as the enrollment and finances were slim. They have obviously reversed that trend and shown a great and successful educational institution remains a significant force in this city. Notre Dame, on the other hand, was subject to the bizarre dictatorial actions of the archdiocese. I'm getting hungry for Lebanese food | ||
Gibran Member Username: Gibran Post Number: 4174 Registered: 02-2007 |
http://www.saintmaronchurch.co m/st_maron/History.html Many in the early Lebanese community went to school there since it served them while attending church also at the original St Maron's near congress...by downtown..in fact I think the neighborhood was redeveloped where downtown ford is/was... I have a question was St Rita an elementary school and does anyone have pictures of old saint Marons? many of the Lebanese attended St Peter and Paul...and yes they was very proud of Danny Thomas and his family ties to the area and Toledo. as far as the Sheik goes: when Denby had a travel club I helped arrange a visit to the Shiek...what a great experience..great food and even greater people...it was the best intro to the culture..and I wish I could find the same cooking today...Kibbi and Grape leaves what a standard... | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 612 Registered: 12-2006 |
Open this pdf, and go to page 34. The church pictured is the one at 1555 East Congress St. @ Orleans, built 1915-16. http://www.lebanesemonthly.com /magazines/lebanese_monthly_vo lume-01_issue-04.pdf | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 2860 Registered: 01-2006 |
Pganem, welcome to DetroitYes! We may not have met, but if you have a sister who lived in Germany for a few years-- and is a faithful Detroit Tigers fan-- there may be a connection between us. | ||
Gibran Member Username: Gibran Post Number: 4183 Registered: 02-2007 |
thanks so very much eastside ( greta resource; I was baptized there and we lost all our family photos)...while your mom had many Lebanese friends we had many Italian friends and our beloved eastside had brought the best of all cultures together...I vividly remember walking down the streets to the smells of the grandmom's cooking ...many had second kitchens in the basements...I never thought I would have those sense memories again...then while visiting friends in Toronto and walking in their neighborhoods the smells flooded back..those were great memories...I remember our Italian families with love and respect...our two communities had a lot in common...great food was only part of it.. |
