About Annunciation of the Lord Parish - St. Michael · Port Austin, Michigan
Annunciation of the Lord Parish is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Saginaw that serves the rural 'Thumb' region of Michigan's Huron County from three churches: St. Michael in Port Austin (the parish seat), St. Mary of Czestochowa in Kinde, and St. Edward the Confessor in Kinde. The merged parish was formed in July 2013 from those three historic mission churches, which had long served Polish, German, Irish, French and other immigrant Catholic families along the Lake Huron shoreline. The community is led today by Parochial Administrator Father Craig G. Carolan, with Bishop Robert D. Gruss of Saginaw and Pope Leo XIV as higher authorities.
- Established
- 2013 (merged parish); St. Michael Church dates to 1869
- Patron
- The Annunciation of the Lord (parish patron); also honors St. Michael the Archangel, Our Lady of Czestochowa, and St. Edward the Confessor
- Rector
- Rev. Craig G. Carolan (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
Why belong here
Annunciation of the Lord Parish offers a genuine small-town Catholic home in the Huron County Thumb, with daily and Sunday Mass spread across three historic worship sites — St. Michael in Port Austin, St. Mary of Czestochowa and St. Edward the Confessor in Kinde. Members grow in faith through youth faith formation, Youth Group, OCIA (becoming Catholic), Bible Study, the Women's Holy Rosary Sodality, the Legion of Mary, the Knights of Columbus and the Daughters of Isabella, and serve through a wide range of liturgical and pastoral ministries. With weekly Eucharistic Adoration, First Friday devotions, First Saturday confessions and Rosary, and strong attention to the Right to Life and care of the sick, it is a praying, serving community that welcomes every talent offered in love.
Mass times at Annunciation of the Lord Parish - St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- St. Michael Church — Saturday 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
- St. Michael Church — Sunday 10:00 AM to 10:20 AM
- St. Mary of Czestochowa Church — Tuesday 6:30 PM and Thursday 9:00 AM (per diocese directory)
- By appointment any time
- Communal reconciliation services with private confession as announced
- First Saturday of every month beginning at 8:30 AM (confessions, Rosary and Mass)
Adoration times
- Every Tuesday at 5:00 PM at St. Edward the Confessor (prior to 6:00 PM Mass)
- Every Friday at 9:00 AM at St. Michael (following 8:30 AM Mass)
- First Friday Adoration and Devotions — first Friday of every month following 8:30 AM Mass
Welcome to Annunciation of the Lord Parish
Annunciation of the Lord Parish is a Catholic community of faith in the Diocese of Saginaw serving Huron County in Michigan's Thumb. From the parish office at 8661 Independence Avenue in Port Austin, the parish ministers across three worship sites — St. Michael in Port Austin, and St. Mary of Czestochowa and St. Edward the Confessor in nearby Kinde. The parish's stated mission is to be a witness to faith in Jesus Christ, a loving and prayerful people who seek peace and justice, show respect and mercy to all, and respond to the call to bring about the reign of God.
Our History
The parish traces its roots to the 1850s, when Catholic immigrant families — many of them Polish refugees fleeing Prussian domination, along with Irish, French and German settlers — arrived in the Huron County Thumb after the 1850 U.S. Graduation Act made land affordable. Early missionary priests from St. Michael's in Port Austin traveled the shoreline to serve scattered farming and lumbering families. In 1903, Polish parishioners in Dwight Township established their own St. Mary of Czestochowa parish in Kinde under Father J. Trzetrzynski. The present St. Mary of Czestochowa Church, a Polish-Romanesque cobblestone and brick building dedicated May 28, 1933, replaced the original after a fire on May 29, 1932. In 2013, St. Michael, St. Mary of Czestochowa, and St. Edward the Confessor were merged by the Diocese of Saginaw to form today's Annunciation of the Lord Parish.
- St. Michael Church, Port Austin — parish root since 1869; celebrated 125th anniversary in 1994
- St. Mary of Czestochowa Church, Kinde — established 1903; current church dedicated 1933; Michigan Historical Marker L849A
- St. Edward the Confessor Church, Kinde — third worship site of the merged parish
- Annunciation of the Lord Parish — formed July 2013 by merger of the three mission churches
Parish Staff and Leadership
The parish is led by Parochial Administrator Father Craig G. Carolan, supported by a small staff and faithful lay leaders. The Diocese of Saginaw directory lists the pastor's email as [email protected], and the Finance Council Chair (listed as John Wertz on the current parish site, and Brandt Rousseaux in an earlier diocesan directory) oversees the temporal affairs of the parish. Maintenance is provided by a team of volunteer staff and parishioners.
- Parochial Administrator — Fr. Craig G. Carolan ([email protected])
- Parish Secretary — Brenda Heilig
- Bookkeeper — Janice Pionk ([email protected])
- Faith Formation — Verna Murawski
- Youth Group — Cynthia Tait
- Webmaster — Sarah Behaeghe
- Finance Council Chair — John Wertz
- Maintenance — Jeff Heilig, George Maul, Clayton Parrish, Doris Wisneski
Faith Formation and Youth
The parish runs a full faith-formation program for children and youth, alongside OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those becoming Catholic, ongoing Bible Study, and resources on Catholic schools, vocations, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Youth Group is led by Cynthia Tait, with Faith Formation coordinated by Verna Murawski.
- Youth Faith Formation
- Youth Group
- OCIA — Becoming Catholic
- Bible Study
- Catholic Schools (resource link)
- Choosing Our Vocation (resource link)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (resource link)
Ministries and Parish Life
The parish invites parishioners to share their time and talent across liturgical, devotional, and service ministries. Liturgical roles include lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, altar servers, sacristans, ushers, musicians and cantors, and art and environment decorators; catechists and parent helpers support faith formation. Prayer and service groups include the Women's Holy Rosary Sodality, the Legion of Mary, the Knights of Columbus, the Daughters of Isabella, and a Right to Life ministry. Money counters and other helpers support parish operations.
- Liturgical: Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Sacristans, Ushers, Musicians, Cantors
- Formation: Catechists, Parent Helpers, Art and Environment Decorators
- Prayer and Service: Women's Holy Rosary Sodality, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, Daughters of Isabella, Right to Life
- Operations: Money Counters, Maintenance Team, Liturgical Ministers' Schedule
Become Involved
The parish says plainly: 'Your parish needs you! The opportunities to become involved are endless.' Members of all ages are encouraged to offer their gifts — even small ones — in loving service to God. Those interested in serving are invited to contact the Parish Office at 989-738-7521.
- Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, altar servers, sacristans, ushers
- Musicians, cantors, art and environment decorators
- Catechists and parent helpers
- Money counters and other support roles
- Contact: Parish Office, 989-738-7521
Sacraments
Annunciation of the Lord Parish celebrates the seven sacraments and welcomes parishioners at every stage of life, from Baptism through Marriage and Anointing of the Sick. The parish also provides pastoral care of the sick and homebound, including visits to those who cannot attend Mass in person.
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Holy Eucharist
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Holy Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- Pastoral Care of the Sick and Homebound
Church Locations
The merged parish is served from three worship sites, all located in the rural Huron County Thumb. The parish mailing address and main office are at St. Michael in Port Austin.
- St. Michael — 8661 Independence Avenue, Port Austin, MI 48467 (parish office)
- St. Mary of Czestochowa — 1709 Moeller Rd., Kinde, MI 48445
- St. Edward the Confessor — 5083 Park St., Kinde, MI 48445
Our Namesakes — The Four Patron Saints
The parish's name honors four Catholic patrons: the Annunciation of the Lord (the mystery of the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary), St. Michael the Archangel, Our Lady of Czestochowa (the 'Queen of Poland'), and St. Edward the Confessor. Together they reflect the parish's merged identity and the Polish, English and broader Catholic heritage of the Huron County community.
- The Annunciation of the Lord — principal parish patron, feast March 25
- St. Michael the Archangel — patron of St. Michael Church, Port Austin
- Our Lady of Czestochowa — patroness of St. Mary of Czestochowa Church, Kinde
- St. Edward the Confessor — patron of St. Edward the Confessor Church, Kinde
Parish Mission Statement
Adopted by the parish, the mission statement reads: 'We, the community of Annunciation of the Lord Parish, are a witness to our faith in Jesus Christ. We strive to be a loving and prayerful people. We seek peace and justice, and show respect and mercy toward all people. We do this to respond to our call to bring about the reign of God.'
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors may reach the parish office Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The bulletin and parish website list any changes to Mass times, Holy Day schedules, or special services.
- Address — 8661 Independence Avenue, P.O. Box 355, Port Austin, MI 48467
- Phone — 989-738-7521
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — https://www.annunciationofthelordparish.org/
- Parish Office Hours — Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Stanislaus (Stanley) Surman
Listed among pastors who have served the parish throughout the years
- Father J. Trzetrzynski
First pastor of St. Mary of Czestochowa Church when it was established in 1903
- Father Henry Podsiad
Directed construction of the present St. Mary of Czestochowa Church after the 1932 fire; dedicated May 28, 1933
- Father Shine
Pastor of St. Michael's at the time of the 125th anniversary (1994)