St. Lad’s is now for sale

By Charles Sercombe
Anyone in the market for a used church?
If so, you’re in luck because the former St. Ladislaus Church is now officially for sale.
A few months ago, the Parish held its last Mass at the Caniff church, and then closed its doors permanently. The church fell victim to an ever-declining membership and subsequent financial strain.
Speculation about St. Lad’s future began rumbling back in 2016, when a decision first came close to shutting its doors.
St. Lad’s parishioners held a protest against that move at the time.
Protest organizer Walter Bankowski insisted then that “this is a financially viable church.”
The Parish had been in existence for 104 years, although not always located at the Caniff site. Parishioners have since been folded in with St. Florian, on Florian St.
There is no asking price but, according to a real estate listing posted by Friedman Real Estate, the building, built in 1952, is 9,600 square feet and boasts of being “meticulously maintained” and seating 500 people, and comes with a choir loft with a “large organ.”
It also features a number of pews, and various stained glass windows depicting religious scenes.
There is no word on whether it includes the parking lot adjacent to the church, or whether you would still at least have access to that lot.
A charter school, located across from the church where the Parish once operated its own school, has been sharing the parking lot.
The Parish said it will allow the building to be used for secular purposes, but with one stipulation: it won’t be available for any “un-becoming use.”
Just what that means was not made precisely clear.
You can reach the real estate agency at (248) 324-2000 for more information.
Posted Oct. 4, 2024