Detroit's first church, Ste. Anne's Basilica, will get restored

A partnership between Ste. Anne's and the newly-formed The Catholic Initiative is paying for a $30 million rehabilitation of the Basilica of Ste. Anne, aiming to guarantee its future for the next couple hundred years.

Built in 1886, Ste. Anne's is one of 89 churches in the U.S. to have the "minor basilica" distinction. It is the eighth structure in the parish's history. Ste. Anne's dates back to July 26, 1701, two days after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and a group of French people traveled from Quebec and settled in Detroit.

The parish's history is linked to the whole state. One of its early pastors Fr. Gabriel Richard printed the first newspaper in Michigan, co-founded the University of Michigan, and was a delegate to Congress from the Michigan territory.

The Vatican approved this partnership. Part of the agreement transfers ownership of the building and campus to a non-profit to preserve the basilica and property.

The Catholic Initiative assumes all responsibility for maintenance and renovation, while the Ste. Anne's parish retains exclusive and permanent rights to use the property as a Catholic church and basilica through a 200 year renewable lease.

The Catholic Initiative is supported by the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, paying for $111 million in projects to guarantee long-term perpetuity for community institutions and programs.