Cardinal Mooney had established the parish nearly two years earlier and was to preside over the dedication ceremony on May 16, 1957. Cardinal Mooney was extremely popular in the area as he was the first Archbishop and Cardinal of Detroit and was also nationally recognized as he delivered Benediction at Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration earlier in the year. Cardinal Mooney passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on October 25th, 1958. He would be succeeded by Cardinal Dearden as Cardinal of Detroit.