Shrine Of The Little Flower

What Shrine Of The Little Flower does

The National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica is a Catholic parish and heritage religious site operating in Royal Oak, Michigan, under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Founded in 1925-1926 by Fr. Charles E. Coughlin, it serves more than 4,000 parish families through daily and Sunday Mass, the seven Catholic sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick), OCIA and sacramental preparation, religious formation, youth ministry, and charitable outreach including the South Oakland Warming Center, Welcome Inn, and St. Vincent de Paul programs. The parish operates Shrine Catholic Schools (preschool through high school) as a separately administered affiliated entity and maintains a gift shop selling religious merchandise such as rosaries, prayer books, and centennial commemorative items.

The basilica holds dual ecclesiastical designations as a National Shrine (USCCB, 1998, one of only five at the time) and Minor Basilica (granted by Pope Francis on January 31, 2014, the 82nd in the U.S. and second in Michigan). Heritage assets include Art Deco architecture (built 1929-1936), the 1933 Kilgen pipe organ (Opus 5180, 96 ranks, 6,575 pipes — the largest tonally unaltered Kilgen organ remaining, recognized as "Exceptional" by the Organ Historical Society), Corrado Parducci sculptures, Beatrice Wilczynski murals, the 104-foot Charity Crucifixion Tower, and an 18-ton marble altar anchoring a 3,000-seat octagonal nave. The parish has celebrated over 60,000 Masses at the altar since Christmas Eve 1936.

Revenue derives from a diversified base of tithes and offerings from 4,000+ families, donations and fundraising campaigns (including centennial and Kilgen organ restoration), gift shop merchandise sales, and affiliated schools operations. Digital infrastructure includes Mass livestreaming on Facebook and YouTube, online giving via GiveCentral, a 21-stop Virtual Basilica Tour with audio descriptions accessible via QR codes, and a website supporting events, news, and parish engagement. The parish operates with a small paid staff (9 listed employees) supplemented by more than 500 active volunteers serving ministries, the Warming Center, and parish operations.

Name

Shrine Of The Little Flower

Legal name

National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica

Website

https://shrinechurch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica is a Catholic parish in Royal Oak, Michigan, serving 4,000+ families with daily Mass, sacraments, religious education, charitable outreach, and affiliated schools. It holds dual National Shrine and Minor Basilica designations and preserves Art Deco heritage including the historic 1933 Kilgen organ.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catholic Parish and Shrine Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Christian Pilgrimage & Holy Land Tour Operators (THAKAHAB)

Keywords

• Catholic parish services
• Religious worship services
• Sacramental preparation programs
• Catholic religious education
• Shrine ministry operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Royal Oak, MI

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Regular Sunday collections and voluntary donations from parish families. Parish serves more than 4,000 families.
2. Donations and Fundraising: One-time and recurring donations for specific purposes, including centennial celebrations, organ restoration, and general operations.
3. Gift Shop Sales: The parish gift shop sells religious items including rosaries ($120 for brown/black rosaries), prayer books, and commemorative centennial items. All proceeds support basilica maintenance and repair.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica is a Roman Catholic parish that delivers daily and Sunday Mass, the seven sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick), and Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) religious formation. The parish supports over 4,000 registered families with ministries across all ages, a K-12 affiliated school system (Shrine Catholic Schools), charitable outreach including the South Oakland Warming Center, a heritage Kilgen pipe organ used in liturgical music, and a 24/7 Adoration Chapel.

Product overview

The National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica offers a range of religious, educational, and heritage products and services. The core offering is Catholic worship services including daily and Sunday Mass, sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick), and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults). Supporting these are the Gift Shop (selling rosaries, prayer books, and centennial commemorative items), the historic Kilgen Organ (a double-console organ with 6,575 pipes dating to 1933), and a Virtual Basilica Tour covering 21 areas of the church with audio descriptions. Digital services include online donations via GiveCentral and livestreaming of Mass services on Facebook and YouTube.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Daily and Sunday Catholic Mass
• Sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick)
• Religious Formation and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
• 24/7 Adoration Chapel
• St. Therese Relics Pilgrimage and Veneration Events
• Parish Gift Shop
• Virtual Basilica Tour
• South Oakland Warming Center (Charitable Outreach)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60,000 Masses celebrated at the altar since 1936
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• St. Justin, St. Mary Magdalen, Hazel ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily of Parishes relationship within the Archdiocese of Detroit. Part of the Family of Parishes initiative grouping nearby parishes for coordinated ministry and Mass scheduling.
• St. Mary, Royal OakminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily of Parishes relationship within the Archdiocese of Detroit for coordinated ministry and pastoral services.
• St. Vincent Ferrer, Madison HeightsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily of Parishes relationship within the Archdiocese of Detroit for coordinated ministry and pastoral services.
• Discalced Carmelite Priest Fr. Donald KinneyminorOthersFr. Donald Kinney serves as U.S. coordinator for the St. Therese National Relics Tour. He is a Discalced Carmelite priest at the Carmelite House of Prayer in California.
• South Oakland Citizens for the HomelesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShrine partners with this organization to operate the South Oakland Warming Center, hosting homeless guests during winter months at Berkley Community Church. Over 500 volunteers participate in the two-week hosting period.
• Berkley Community ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner church for the South Oakland Warming Center where homeless guests are sheltered during December-March. Shrine provides volunteers and coordination for the shelter operation.
• Shrine Catholic SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic school system from preschool through high school affiliated with the basilica parish. Operates as a separate entity but maintains close parish connection.
• Archdiocese of DetroitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe basilica operates under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Detroit, with Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron providing oversight. The archdiocese determines indulgences and special feast days.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Old St. Patrick's Church: A historic, large-membership Chicago Catholic parish known for arts, music ministry, and a destination worship model similar to the Shrine. Comparable in operating a heritage building, robust music program, gift shop, and broad community programming in an urban setting.
• Basilica of Saint Mary: A Minor Basilica in Minneapolis with a similar designation profile, large urban parish base, music and heritage assets, and pilgrim/worship programming that closely mirrors the Little Flower Basilica's operational model.
• St. Mary's of the Angels Catholic Church: A historic urban Catholic parish in Chicago known for large worship attendance, heritage architecture, and destination worship — comparable in operating a heritage building as a working parish with national visibility.
• National Shrine of St. Patrick: A National Shrine in Stamford, Connecticut dedicated to St. Patrick, operating with the same Catholic destination-pilgrimage model, gift shop, heritage assets, and parish services that directly parallels the Little Flower Basilica's mission and audience.
• National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe: A National Shrine in south-central Washington dedicated to Marian devotion. Comparable as a U.S. National Shrine with pilgrimage programming, relic veneration events, and a multi-language worship base.

Broad incumbents

• Archdiocese of Detroit: The parent ecclesiastical jurisdiction overseeing the Shrine. Sets policy, allocates clergy, and coordinates the Family of Parishes initiative; functionally the strategic and regulatory counterpart for any capital, governance, or operational decision at the parish level.
• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: The largest Catholic church in the United States, located in Washington, D.C. It holds the same dual National Shrine and Minor Basilica designations and operates as a national pilgrimage destination with a comparable worship, formation, and visitor-services portfolio, making it the most analogous large-scale peer.

Regional players

• Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan: The regional Catholic charitable arm operating in the same southeast Michigan footprint as the Shrine, delivering overlapping social services (homeless support, food assistance) and competing for both donor dollars and volunteer engagement in the local community.
• Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament: The mother church of the Archdiocese of Detroit, sharing direct archdiocesan oversight with the Shrine. Operates as a large urban Catholic parish in the same metropolitan region with comparable Mass schedules, sacraments, and formation programs.

Others

• Shrine Catholic Schools: The Shrine's wholly-owned educational subsidiary (preschool through high school). Included as a directly affiliated entity rather than a true peer; included here for ecosystem completeness rather than comparability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYsjRY4fwq9dUhIr6EIAcfw
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalShrineoftheLittleFlowerBasilica
• Instagraminstagram.com/shrineofthelittleflower
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shrine-of-the-little-flower

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shrine Of The Little Flower