The Catholic Initiative

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Our Calling

Restoring the mission

The issues facing the Church today and the model built to meet them.

Misplaced Priorities, Diminished Mission A Model Built for the Past, Failing the Future Full Pews, Empty Balance Sheets Bright Minds, Limited Means Hungry Hearts, Ready to Believe
Transforming Communities

Invest in a thriving and sustainable Catholic Church

The Catholic Initiative is renewing the family of God by investing in and partnering with vibrant, but under-resourced parishes and schools to restore sacred places, amplify ministries, and sustain them for generations.

Ste. Anne de Detroit Bulldog Catholic Josephinum Academy Confidential Indiana project – to be announced Confidential East Coast project – to be announced
Who We Are

Invest in a thriving and sustainable Catholic Church

The Catholic Initiative is renewing the family of God by investing in and partnering with vibrant, but under-resourced parishes and schools to restore sacred places, amplify ministries, and sustain them for generations.

Pulte Family Charitable Foundation About Us Our Team Timeline Contact Us
Parish · Detroit, MI · Founded 1701

The Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit

For 324 years, this basilica has been Detroit's spiritual home. Now, a first-of-its-kind partnership ensures it will stand for 200 more.

Support Ste. Anne
Why Ste. Anne de Detroit?

Detroit is where the Pulte family story began — and Ste. Anne is where CI’s mission begins.

In 2021, Archbishop Vigneron and Msgr. Kosanke approached the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation about a parish that was vibrant in faith but struggling under the old fundraising model. The Pultes came back and asked: would this model work for the archdiocese?
The result: a Vatican-approved agreement securing the basilica at $1/year for 200 years. The Pulte family has had a strong relationship with the Archdiocese for over 50 years — this city shaped their values, and they remain deeply connected to its people and its future.
~700
Parish Families & Growing
90%
Hispanic / Latino
10,000
Annual Visitors
1,500+
Served via Clinics & Aid
60+
Baptisms Annually
About Ste. Anne

A Catholic lighthouse in Detroit

  • Founded in 1701 — the second oldest continuously operating Catholic parish in the United States, now serving ~700 families
  • A high-faith, low-income community — 90% Hispanic/Latino, yet the parish is vibrant and growing
  • A cornerstone of Detroit’s revival — a spiritual oasis and community anchor for the next era of Detroit
  • A vital social lifeline — 1,500+ community members served through immigration clinics, ESL classes, legal aid, food pantry, and youth programs
Why A New Model

The old way wasn’t working

  • 4,600+ parishes and schools closed in the last 30 years — not for lack of faith, but for lack of a sustainable funding model
  • Ste. Anne tried the traditional approach — years of fundraising couldn’t keep pace with the scale of restoration needed for a 19th-century basilica
  • The Catholic Initiative offers a new path — a Vatican-approved, lay-led model that combines restoration, endowment, and community programming into one unified system
  • The parish retains exclusive use at $1/year for 200 years — CI handles fundraising, construction, and endowment so pastors can focus on ministry, not maintenance
An Opportunity

This basilica cannot wait

Without intervention, Detroit's most historic parish faces the same fate as the 4,600+ Catholic institutions that have closed. Your gift changes that story.

Make a Gift Today
The Restoration

A 2.5-year transformation

Full campus restoration — basilica, plaza, pavilion, and community buildings — complete by early 2028. Phase 1 is already done.

View Plan, Timeline & Renderings →
Community Hub

More than a church — a lifeline

Ste. Anne isn't just a place of worship — it's the social anchor for Southwest Detroit. Parish leadership is working with The Catholic Initiative to strengthen services for the families who depend on them most.

Social Services & Care
Food pantry, immigration counseling, bereavement support, IDD services, and retreats serving hundreds of families year-round
Education & Financial Empowerment
Financial literacy programs, free tax assistance, mentorship and tutoring — practical tools for families navigating economic challenges
Cultural Celebrations
The July Rosary Novena draws thousands; Día de los Muertos, holiday festivals, and feast days celebrate Detroit's diverse heritage
Music, Arts & Youth
Youth and adult choir, arts programs, and community gatherings that give families a reason to return week after week
Announcements

Upcoming news

Fr. Timothy Laboe joining as Pastor and Fr. Lazandro Barba also coming aboard after recent Ordination.

“It's more than a building. It's what happens in a building.”
Msgr. Charles Kosanke
Pastor, Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit
“It's my considered opinion that without this Initiative, the Basilica de Sainte Anne would come to ruin.”
Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron
Archdiocese of Detroit
Support Ste. Anne

Help write the next chapter

Your gift restores Detroit's most historic basilica, endows its future, and ensures it serves the community for the next 200 years.

Make a Gift →
The Catholic Initiative is a 501(c)(3). All gifts are tax-deductible.