About Ave Maria Parish - St. Mary · Port Sanilac, Michigan
Ave Maria Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Saginaw, serving Michigan's 'Thumb' region from two historic worship sites: St. Denis Church in Lexington and St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Port Sanilac. The parish was formed on July 1, 2013, by merging three older parishes — St. Denis (Lexington), St. Mary (Port Sanilac), and St. Patrick (Croswell) — under Bishop Joseph R. Cistone's 'Planning Tomorrow's Parishes' initiative. It is led by a Director of Parish Life (Sister Maria Inviolata Honma, SMDG) and served sacramentally by a Parochial Vicar, with the Sisters of Our Mother of Divine Grace — known locally as the 'Nuns of the Thumb' — keeping their motherhouse at the Port Sanilac site since 2010.
- Established
- 2013
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title 'Ave Maria')
- Rector
- Sister Maria Inviolata Honma, SMDG (Director of Parish Life)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
Why belong here
Ave Maria Parish welcomes visitors and parishioners across the Thumb of Michigan with the rhythms of a small but active Catholic community: two historic worship sites, daily weekday Mass, Sunday and Saturday Vigil Masses, daily Holy Hour and Eucharistic Adoration from Sunday through Friday, regular confession, and a robust Faith Formation program for children and youth. Rooted in pioneer-era missionary history and now led by the Sisters of Our Mother of Divine Grace, the parish combines rural hospitality with full sacramental life — including faith formation classes on Wednesday evenings with bus transportation from Croswell and Lexington, youth ministry that takes teens to the March for Life, and opportunities for adults to grow as intentional disciples through catechesis and prayer.
Mass times at Ave Maria Parish - St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. (St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows, Port Sanilac) — before 10:00 a.m. Mass
- Friday 9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. (St. Denis, Lexington) — before 10:00 a.m. Mass
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. (St. Denis, Lexington) — before 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass
- Also by appointment
Adoration times
- Sunday through Friday, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows, Port Sanilac) — Holy Hour
- No Adoration on Saturdays or Mondays
About Ave Maria Parish
Ave Maria Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Saginaw serving the Thumb of Michigan from two worship sites: St. Denis Church in Lexington and St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Port Sanilac. Formed on July 1, 2013, by merging three earlier parishes under Bishop Joseph R. Cistone's 'Planning Tomorrow's Parishes' initiative, the parish is led by a Director of Parish Life and served sacramentally by a priest, with the Sisters of Our Mother of Divine Grace making their motherhouse at the Port Sanilac church. The parish website is avemariaparishmi.org and the diocese is the Diocese of Saginaw.
- Two worship sites: St. Denis (Lexington) and St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows (Port Sanilac)
- St. Patrick in Croswell: limited use, not a weekly Mass site
- Diocese: Saginaw
- Pastor equivalent: Director of Parish Life (Sister Maria Inviolata Honma, SMDG)
History
Catholic life in this part of Michigan's Thumb began with the missionary work of Father Frederick Baraga, who arrived in 1854 to serve Native Americans and newcomers. Early Catholic families in Lexington worshipped in a converted wagon shop deeded to Bishop LeFevre of Detroit in 1863 and known as Immaculate Conception Church; by 1869 a permanent parish was underway, with Father P. J. DeSmedt as first pastor. Father Christian Denissen, a Belgian priest, served seventeen years and built the present St. Denis church, dedicated July 12, 1882 by Bishop Borgess. The mission of St. Mary east of Carsonville was served first by Father DeSmedt, then Father Denissen (1872–1889), then Father James Walsh from Croswell until December 4, 1945, when Bishop Murphy — the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Saginaw — established St. Mary-Carsonville as a parish with Father Herbert Zacharias as its first resident pastor. In spring 1950 the St. Mary church building was moved from the hill by the cemetery to its present Port Sanilac location.
- 1854 – Father Baraga arrives in the Thumb
- 1863 – Property deeded to Bishop LeFevre for Immaculate Conception Church (Lexington)
- 1869 – Father P. J. DeSmedt becomes first pastor of Lexington mission
- 1880–1882 – St. Denis church built and dedicated July 12, 1882 by Bishop Borgess
- February 26, 1938 – Diocese of Saginaw erected under Bishop Murphy
- December 4, 1945 – St. Mary-Carsonville established as a parish; Father Herbert Zacharias first pastor
- Spring 1950 – St. Mary church moved to present Port Sanilac site
- October 8, 2010 – Sister Maria Inviolata named first Pastoral Administrator of St. Mary
- January 18, 2013 – Merger announced; July 1, 2013 – Ave Maria Parish officially formed
The 2013 Merger and 'Planning Tomorrow's Parishes'
In fall 2011, under Bishop Cistone's direction, the Saginaw Diocese engaged the Reid Group of Wisconsin to evaluate parish vitality. The two-year study concluded on January 18, 2013, with the announcement that St. Denis, St. Mary, and St. Patrick would merge into one new parish effective July 1, 2013. The parish frames the merger as a chance to 'build a new parish, like the pioneers who settled here in Michigan.' It also notes two underlying pressures across the diocese: a shortage of priests and declining Mass attendance, with the number of parishes dropping from 105 before the process to 56 by 2015.
- St. Denis and St. Mary kept as the two active worship centers
- St. Patrick in Croswell: limited use only, no weekly Mass
- Church buildings retained their dedication names
- New leadership model: Pastoral Administrator + Sacramental Priest
- Diocese of Saginaw parishes reduced from 105 (pre-merger) to 56 by 2015
Parish Leadership and Staff
Day-to-day pastoral leadership rests with the Director of Parish Life, supported by a Parochial Vicar and Sacramental Minister, religious sisters from the SMDG community, and lay staff in bookeeping and secretarial roles. Parish councils — Pastoral and Finance — provide lay governance.
- Director of Parish Life: Sister Maria Inviolata Honma, SMDG ([email protected])
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Bala Showry Madanu ([email protected])
- Sacramental Minister: Rev. Donald J. Eppenbrock ([email protected])
- Bookkeeper: Holly Johnson
- Secretary (St. Denis site): Sister Mary Philomena, SMDG
- Secretary (St. Mary site): Kathleen Marschall
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Sister Mary Teresita, SMDG
- Youth Ministry: Sister Maria Gabrielle, SMDG
- Pastoral Council Chair: Brad Yocca
- Finance Council Chair: Greg Jarmolowicz
Sisters of Our Mother of Divine Grace (SMDG)
The Sisters of Our Mother of Divine Grace — affectionately called the 'Nuns of the Thumb' — arrived at St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows in Port Sanilac in late summer 2010 at the invitation of Father Donald Eppenbrock, and soon converted the old St. Mary rectory into their convent. The community is central to the parish's identity: Sister Maria Inviolata was named the first Pastoral Administrator of St. Mary Parish on October 8, 2010, and continues to lead Ave Maria Parish as Director of Parish Life. The sisters staff religious education, youth ministry, and secretarial work, and they assist with Faith Formation at neighboring parishes such as Holy Family in Sandusky and Holy Name of Mary in Harbor Beach.
- Motherhouse at St. Mary, Port Sanilac (since 2010)
- Founded as a new religious community in the Diocese of Saginaw
- Sister Maria Inviolata: first Pastoral Administrator (2010); current Director of Parish Life
- Sister Mary Philomena: Secretary
- Sister Mary Teresita: Faith Formation
- Sister Maria Gabrielle: Youth Ministry
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation at Ave Maria Parish is grounded in the parish's vision of 'catechesis from the cradle to the grave' that helps parishioners become 'intentional disciples of Jesus Christ,' in line with the Second Vatican Council, recent popes, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Children's classes for ages 4½ (Pre-K) through 12th grade meet Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Center in Port Sanilac, with bus transportation provided weekly from Croswell and Lexington by Sanilac Transportation Company.
- Children's Faith Formation: Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Center, Port Sanilac
- Coordinator: Sister Mary Teresita, SMDG
- Bus transportation: Sanilac Transportation Company (from Croswell & Lexington)
- Open to Pre-K (4½ yrs) through grade 12
- Adult faith formation / RCIA referenced in parish catechetical mission
Youth Ministry
Ave Maria's Youth Ministry serves junior high and high school students and is led by Sister Maria Gabrielle, SMDG. The program follows the three USCCB goals for youth ministry: empowering young disciples, drawing them into the Catholic community's life and mission, and fostering total personal and spiritual growth. Recent years have included Bible Timeline study (Great Bible Adventure for Teens), and the group plans to attend the March for Life in Lansing when participation allows.
- Led by Sister Maria Gabrielle, SMDG
- Open to junior high and high school students
- Curriculum focus: Great Bible Adventure for Teens (Bible Timeline)
- Recent activity: March for Life, Lansing (January 2026, contingent on participation)
- Aligned with USCCB's three goals for youth ministry
Sacraments and Sacramental Records
Ave Maria Parish celebrates the seven sacraments through the parish office, with preparation programs available for baptism, first Communion, confirmation, marriage, and anointing of the sick. The Sacrament of Penance is offered at the published times and by appointment. Sacramental records are maintained at the parish of celebration, with copies of baptismal registers kept in the Diocese of Saginaw Archives; access to records is governed by diocesan policy.
- Reconciliation: scheduled times plus by appointment
- Marriage: preparation coordinated through the parish office
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation: through parish office
- Records: kept at parish of celebration; pre-1922 baptism, pre-1952 marriage, pre-1977 funeral records open to genealogists per diocese policy
Worship Sites and Visiting the Parish
Parishioners and visitors can worship at either of the parish's two historic church buildings. The Lexington office (St. Denis site) is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; the Port Sanilac office (St. Mary site) is open Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The mailing address is P.O. Box 399, Lexington, MI 48450-8323.
- St. Denis Church — 5366 Main St., Lexington, MI 48450
- St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows Church — 7066 W. Main St., Port Sanilac, MI 48469
- Parish office phone: 810-359-5400 (Lexington) / 810-622-9904 (Port Sanilac)
- Fax: 810-359-5833
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.avemariaparishmi.org
- Office hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (Lexington); Tue/Thu 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (Port Sanilac)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father P. J. DeSmedt1869–early 1870s
First pastor sent from Port Huron to develop the Lexington mission that became St. Denis Parish.
- Father CantersEight months after DeSmedt
Second pastor of the Lexington mission.
- Father Christian Denissen1872–1889 (17 years)
Belgian priest; purchased the Main/Denissen St. property and began building the 1882 St. Denis church.
- Father James Walsh1890–December 4, 1945
Irish-descent founding pastor of Croswell's St. Patrick; also served the St. Mary mission from Croswell until St. Mary was made a parish.
- Father Herbert ZachariasDecember 4, 1945–
First resident pastor of newly erected St. Mary – Carsonville parish (later Port Sanilac).
- Father Don(ald) Eppenbrock2010–present
Sacramental Minister / senior priest; welcomed the Sisters of Our Mother of Divine Grace to Port Sanilac in 2010 and has continued in sacramental ministry for Ave Maria Parish.
- Sister Maria Inviolata Honma, SMDGOctober 8, 2010–present
First Pastoral Administrator of St. Mary Parish (2010); continues as Director of Parish Life for Ave Maria Parish.