We are all aware of the iconic churches in Detroit from the many walks of faith but Sweetest Heart Of Mary Catholic Church will undoubtedly take your breath away. Sitting at Russell and Canfield, the Polish house of worship sits directly between two other Polish churches only 5-minute walks from each other.

As Father Greg Tokarski described the rich history of the only church in America named Sweetest Heart of Mary through his Polish accent, we could feel ourselves being taken back in time to early Poland where for generations Polish families faced drastically uncertain times. Make no mistake, the Polish are proud, hardworking members of our history here in Michigan having touched every aspect of our current day existence from business leadership to food to arts to sports.

In its early days, Sweetest Heart established a school which sat right next door to the church under the directorship of the Sisters of St. Joseph who helped educate some 60,000 school children from the late 1800s to 1966.

To this day, Sweetest Heart of Mary can boast a thriving faithful congregation which is a testament to the leadership of Father Tokarski and church historian Marianne Peggie who did not hesitate to take us to the top of the bell tower on a sweltering humid summer day.

If you do visit Sweetest Heart of Mary, be sure to gaze at the front stained glass windows on either side of the altar; they are the largest stained glass windows of any church in the archdiocese.

Our interview with Father Tokarski will be a significant piece for this historical film about Detroit and its churches.