Fr. Kieruj then built a new and large school, a larger rectory, a convent for the nuns, parish hall and other buildings. The school has 22 classrooms. The hall would be the center of activity.

April 23,1919, Fr. Felix Kieruj passed away. The tremendous amount of work in the building and maintaining the various functions of the parish took its toll on him. He had gone to Colorado Springs, Colorado to recuperate. It was there that he died. During the period that Fr. Kieruj was away, Fr. Baweja had administered to the needs of the parish.

The body of Fr. Kieruj was brought back to Detroit and lay in state in St. Francis Church. Three days later the Right Rev. Michael J. Gallagher, Bishop of the Diocese of Detroit with the Rev. Fr. F. Gzella as honorary deacon, and the Rev. Fr. A. Grudzinski as the honorary subdeacon, sang the requiem Mass.

After the Mass the body of Fr. Kieruj was escorted by the people of St. Francis Parish, who walked in a solemn procession, along with the church societies and a police escort to the Michigan Central Railroad Station, where it was shipped to La Salle, Illinois, for burial

May 24,1919, Fr. Alexander Grudzinski became the pastor of St. Francis and a change was to transpire. The church was $160,000 in debt. The hall would no longer be the center of parish activities. The people were expected to conduct themselves with dignity and piety. He begged and ordered the people to give generously to the collection basket. His plan worked. With a great deal of determination, Fr. Grudzinski paid off the debt in nine years. Many considered it a miracle because he did not hold any bazaars, festivals or any other fund raising activities for this purpose.