About Diocese of Kalamazoo
The Diocese of Kalamazoo (Latin: Dioecesis Kalamazuensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the southwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, erected on December 19, 1970 by Pope Saint Paul VI as part of the post-Vatican II drive to create smaller, more pastoral dioceses. It is a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Detroit and serves nine counties — Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch — across roughly 5,337 square miles. The Cathedral of Saint Augustine in downtown Kalamazoo is the mother church, and the diocese today comprises about 59 parishes and missions served by roughly 20 Catholic schools, with Bishop Edward M. Lohse installed as the fifth bishop of Kalamazoo in July 2023.
- Bishop
- Edward M. Lohse
- Established
- 1970
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of Saint Augustine (Kalamazoo)
- Territory
- Nine counties of southwestern Michigan: Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch — covering approximately 5,337 square miles (13,817 sq km).
- Parishes
- 59 (parishes and missions)
- Province
- Archdiocese of Detroit (Metropolitan Province of Detroit; USCCB Region VI)
About the Diocese of Kalamazoo
The Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo is the local Catholic Church for the southwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Erected on December 19, 1970, it covers 5,337 square miles across nine counties and is led today by Bishop Edward M. Lohse, the fifth ordinary of the diocese. The diocesan curia — its central administrative offices — sits at 215 N. Westnedge Avenue in downtown Kalamazoo, directly across from the Cathedral of Saint Augustine.
- Established December 19, 1970 by Pope Paul VI
- Suffragan of the Archdiocese of Detroit, USCCB Region VI
- Nine counties served — Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch
- Approximately 59 parishes and missions, plus about 20 Catholic schools
- Mother church: Cathedral of Saint Augustine, 542 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo
- Bishop Edward M. Lohse installed July 25, 2023
History
Before 1971, southwest Michigan Catholics belonged either to the Diocese of Grand Rapids (Allegan and Barry counties) or to the Diocese of Lansing (the seven other counties). In line with the post-Vatican II policy of creating smaller local churches, Pope Paul VI divided these two dioceses on December 19, 1970 and joined the resulting territory into a single, new, mid-sized diocese, with St. Augustine in Kalamazoo as the cathedral. Within ten years the diocese had built itself a chancery, a school secretariat, and the structures for Catholic Charities, becoming a template for the 1970s wave of new U.S. dioceses.
- Erected December 19, 1970 by Pope Paul VI
- First bishop: Paul V. Donovan (installed July 21, 1971)
- Second bishop: Alfred J. Markiewicz (1995–1997)
- Third bishop: James A. Murray (1998–2009)
- Fourth bishop: Paul J. Bradley (2009–2023)
- Fifth (current) bishop: Edward M. Lohse (2023–present)
Past Bishops
The diocese has had only five bishops across its 55-year history. Two of them — Bishop Alfred J. Markiewicz and Bishop James A. Murray — died while no longer in office but both within the diocese's lifetime, and the current bishop, Edward M. Lohse, succeeded Bishop Paul J. Bradley after Bradley's retirement in May 2023. Bishop Markiewicz's sudden death in 1997 after only two years is the most tragic chapter in the diocese's episcopal succession.
- Bishop Paul V. Donovan — Installed July 21, 1971; served until January 22, 1994; motto 'To Serve Rather Than Be Served'; died April 28, 2011.
- Bishop Alfred J. Markiewicz — Installed January 31, 1995; died in office January 9, 1997; motto 'An Instrument of Your Peace.'
- Bishop James A. Murray — Installed January 27, 1998; resigned June 2009; motto 'Rejoice in the Lord Always'; died June 5, 2020.
- Bishop Paul J. Bradley — Installed June 5, 2009; resignation accepted May 23, 2023; motto 'Waiting in Joyful Hope.'
- Bishop Edward M. Lohse — Ordained and installed July 25, 2023; first bishop of Kalamazoo transferred from the Diocese of Erie.
Cathedral of Saint Augustine
The Cathedral of Saint Augustine is the mother church of the diocese and seat (cathedra) of the bishop. Located at 542 West Michigan Avenue in Kalamazoo, it was founded as a parish in 1856, served by two earlier wood-and-brick church buildings before the present Gothic Revival brick structure was completed and consecrated in 1951. When the diocese was erected in 1970 the parish church was elevated to cathedral status. Today it is pastored as a parish in its own right while remaining the site of major diocesan liturgies including the ordination and installation of bishops.
- Parish founded 1856
- Present Gothic Revival brick church dedicated 1951
- Elevated from parish church to cathedral on December 19, 1970
- Rector: Very Rev. Robert Creagan
- Site of every episcopal ordination in the diocese since 1971
Parish Finder & Mass Schedule
The diocese operates a fully online Parish Finder (diokzoo.org/parishfinder) that lets visitors locate the next available Mass, confession time, or Eucharistic Adoration across the nine-county territory. The tool filters by language (English, Spanish, Latin, French, Italian, Polish, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese, and others), day of week, and time of day, and includes many of the diocese's 62 faith communities.
- Saturday Vigil Masses: typically 4:00–5:30 p.m. (varies by parish)
- Sunday morning Masses: usually 8:00, 9:00, 10:30, and 11:00 a.m.
- Multiple Spanish-language Masses offered across the territory, including Sundays at St. Joseph (Kalamazoo) and weekday evenings at several parishes
- Friday Adoration / First-Friday overnight Adoration practiced at St. Joseph Parish Kalamazoo
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel at St. Monica, Kalamazoo
Catholic Schools (Preschool – Grade 12)
The Office of Catholic Schools, part of the Secretariat for Catholic Education and New Evangelization, oversees a system of roughly twenty preschool-through-grade-12 Catholic schools across the diocese. The schools share the three-fold mission of faith, knowledge, and service and are marketed as 'Dynamic. Distinctive. Devoted.'
- Hackett Catholic Prep (Kalamazoo) – Grades 9–12, 1000 West Kilgore Rd.
- St. Philip Catholic Central (Battle Creek) – Grades 9–12, 20 Cherry St.
- Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School (St. Joseph) – Grades 6–12, 915 Pleasant St.
- St. Joseph Catholic Middle School (Battle Creek) – Grades 6–8, 44 N. 25th St.
- Multiple PK–5 and PK–8 elementary schools across the nine counties
- Diocesan-wide curriculum support, professional development, and Title/grant assistance
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Forming Disciples (Formando Discípulos in Spanish) is the umbrella program for catechetical ministry, encompassing parish-based religious education, certification tracks for catechists, family catechesis, and youth catechesis. It serves the diocese's roughly 59 parishes, training DREs and family catechists in both English and Spanish.
- Youth Catechesis (parish-based religious education, sacramental prep)
- Adult Catechesis and certification tracks for catechists
- Family Catechesis (Catequesis Familiar)
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) resources across the curriculum
Youth Ministry
The Office of Mission and Ministry runs diocesan-wide youth programs built around parish youth ministry, retreats, scouting, and family faith. High-school-age youth preparing for Confirmation can attend The Presence, a weekend Eucharistic encounter held annually in late February / early March that fulfills the Confirmation retreat requirement.
- The Presence annual retreat (grades 9–12) — February 27–March 1, 2026
- Catholic Committee on Scouting (Religious Emblems, vocations awareness)
- Strong Catholic Families, Strong Catholic Youth initiative
- Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry Policies and forms
- Safe Environment training (Virtus) required for all adult volunteers
Young Adult Ministry
The Young Adult office serves as a bridge between high-school graduation and college-campus ministry. It partners with Newman Connection to identify every graduating senior from diocesan high schools and share their names with the Catholic campus minister at the college they will attend, helping young Catholics maintain parish connections while away from home.
- Newman Connection senior-handoff program for college-bound grads
- Coordination with Western Michigan University (St. Thomas More Parish) and other Catholic campus ministries
- Young-adult faith events, faith-sharing groups, and service opportunities
Vocations & Seminarians
The Office of Vocations discerns and forms men called to the priesthood and supports women discerning religious life. The diocese currently has seminarians at every stage of formation — propaedeutic (Pre-Theology), philosophy, and theology — and publishes their names and photos on the diocese website so the faithful can keep them in prayer.
- Office of Vocations contact form for inquirers
- Seminarians listed by stage of formation (Propaedeutic, Philosophy, Theology)
- Diocesan Vocation Prayer recited at every parish
Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo (CCDOK)
Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo (mission: 'We are God's hands providing housing, health, and hope to His children') is the social-services arm of the diocese. Operating from 1819 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, CCDOK runs seventeen distinct service lines across the nine counties and is one of the largest non-governmental social-service providers in southwest Michigan.
- The Ark — shelter and services for homeless / in-crisis youth
- Bridges — supportive housing and rapid-rehousing
- Baraga Manor Apartments — senior housing
- Caring Network — free, confidential pregnancy and parenting support
- Mental Health Counseling — individuals, youth, couples, and families
- Heating Assistance (utility help)
- Addiction services, adoption, foster care, case management
- Migrant services and parish social ministry across the territory
Outreach & Special Ministries
The Office of Mission and Ministry coordinates a small set of pastoral outreach programs that address human dignity questions and accompany parishioners and non-Catholics alike. These ministries are intentionally low-profile, confidential, and parish-rooted.
- Courage — spiritual support for Catholic men and women with same-sex attractions
- Sanctity of the Human Person — diocesan pro-life formation and resources
Diocesan Leadership & Pastoral Offices
The diocese is led by the bishop with the help of a vicar general, the Secretariat for Catholic Education and New Evangelization, the diocesan finance office, and the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth. The current vicar general is Rev. Fabio Garzon; the metropolitan archbishop overseeing the Province of Detroit is Archbishop Edward Weisenburger.
- Bishop: Edward M. Lohse
- Vicar General: Rev. Fabio Garzon
- Metropolitan Archbishop: Edward Weisenburger (Detroit)
- Bishop Emeritus: Paul J. Bradley
Safe Environment & Child Protection
The Office for the Protection of Children and Youth oversees background checks and Virtus training for every adult employee or volunteer of the diocese and every parish. No adult — clergy, staff, or volunteer — may work with minors in any diocesan program without clearance through this office.
- Mandatory Virtus (Protecting God's Children) training
- Diocesan background check on file with the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth
- Parish/collaborative Safe Environment Coordinator in every parish
Deaneries
The diocese is divided into deaneries — regional groupings of parishes — that were updated in March 2025. Deanery leadership helps the bishop coordinate confirmations, retreats, deanery days, and priest personnel across contiguous parishes.
- Parish and Deanery Map updated March 2026
- Deaneries updated March 2025
Notable Parishes of the Diocese
Among the 62 faith communities counted by GCatholic in 2025, several stand out for size, historic significance, language ministry, or pastoral reach. St. Augustine in Kalamazoo is the cathedral; St. Joseph in Kalamazoo serves a growing Spanish-speaking population; St. Mary in Kalamazoo operates as the Kalamazoo Oratory of St. Philip Neri; and parishes such as San Felipe de Jesús in Fennville serve Spanish-speaking farmworkers in western Allegan County.
- Cathedral of St. Augustine, Kalamazoo (cathedral)
- St. Joseph, Kalamazoo (weekly Spanish Mass, campus-adjacent ministry)
- St. Mary, Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo Oratory of St. Philip Neri)
- St. Monica, Kalamazoo (perpetual adoration chapel)
- St. Thomas More, Kalamazoo (WMU Newman Center)
- St. Philip, Battle Creek (diocesan high school parish)
- San Felipe de Jesús, Fennville (Spanish-language parish in Allegan County)
- Our Lady of the Lake, St. Joseph (high school campus)
- St. Mary of the Assumption, Bronson (one of the oldest parishes in the diocese)
Deaneries and Mission Areas
Although GCatholic lists 62 faith communities, the diocese itself counts 59 parishes and missions as of 2025. 'Missions' in diocesan parlance are parishes-in-formation or smaller worship communities served by a larger parish cluster; they include communities such as Sts. John and Bernard in Benton Harbor and Holy Family in Decatur.
- Battle Creek deanery (Calhoun County)
- Kalamazoo deanery
- Benton Harbor / St. Joseph deanery (Berrien County)
- Paw Paw / Allegan deanery
- Coldwater / Branch deanery
- Hastings / Barry deanery
Contact & Visiting
The diocesan chancery is open during regular business hours and can be reached by phone, mail, or — for many offices — email through staff listings on the diocesan website. Visitors to the cathedral are welcome at weekend liturgies; confirmations, ordinations, and the Chrism Mass are listed on the diocesan calendar each year.
- Diocesan Curia: 215 N. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007
- Phone: (269) 349-8714
- Cathedral of Saint Augustine: 542 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI
- Website: https://diokzoo.org
