About Blessed Trinity · Frankenmuth, Michigan
Blessed Trinity Catholic Church is a parish in Frankenmuth, Michigan, a historic German-heritage community in the Saginaw Valley. Founded in 1967 by 45 Catholic families meeting for the first time in folding chairs in a local high school gym, the parish has grown into a vibrant three-generation community in the Diocese of Saginaw. Today it serves weekend Masses from a church complex on East Tuscola Street and supports faith formation for children, youth, and adults, along with music, outreach, and seasonal Eucharistic adoration.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- The Blessed Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick M. Jankowiak
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw (Vicariate 2)
Why belong here
Blessed Trinity offers a warm, multi-generational Catholic home in the heart of Frankenmuth, with reverent Sunday and weekday Masses (the 9:00 Sunday Mass is livestreamed for the homebound), Saturday confessions, and seasonal Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Families are served by a Director of Faith Formation running Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for ages 3-5 and faith formation for grades 1-5, a dedicated Youth Ministry, Adult Faith Formation, and a Music Ministry led by a director and assistant. The parish is also known for its long-standing outreach — giving a percentage of its annual collection to community ministries such as Saginaw's Rescue Mission and the Eastside Soup Kitchen — and for its cooperative spirit with the wider Frankenmuth community, including volunteering at the Bavarian Festival.
Mass times at Blessed Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm
- By appointment (email Fr. Patrick Jankowiak or call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (seasonal)
Our History
Blessed Trinity Parish was born in 1967 from the hard work and generosity of 45 founding Catholic families in the predominantly Lutheran German-heritage town of Frankenmuth. What began as folding chairs in a high school gymnasium — with the first Mass on April 23, 1967 — grew into a vibrant parish and a physical campus that today spans an original 1976 church (now gathering and office space), a new church dedicated in 2004, permanent classrooms, a parish library, a youth ministries area, and a parish cemetery blessed by Bishop Joseph Cistone in June 2010.
- April 23, 1967: First Mass celebrated in local high school gymnasium by 45 founding families
- 1967: Established as a mission of St. Christopher Church, Bridgeport
- Summer 1967: 7.5 acres purchased on Tuscola Road for the future church
- 1969: Sunday Mass moved to Frankenmuth United Methodist Church social hall
- Summer 1974: Groundbreaking for own church building
- April 11, 1976: Father Charles Kehoe celebrates first Mass in the new building
- 1993: Eastward expansion adds classrooms, parish library and offices
- Nov. 14, 2004: Father Fred Kawka celebrates first Mass in the new (expanded) church
- June 2010: Bishop Joseph Cistone blesses the parish cemetery
Pastoral Staff
Blessed Trinity is served by a pastor, a pastoral associate, and a team of parish staff responsible for faith formation, youth ministry, music, communications, maintenance, and finance.
- Pastor — Fr. Patrick Jankowiak
- Pastoral Associate — Karen Smith
- Director of Faith Formation — Shelly Lemanski
- Director of Youth Ministry — Emily Cramer
- Director of Music — Alissa Hetzner
- Music Assistant — Steve Holovach
- Parish Secretary — Lori Snyder
- Bookkeeper — Carol Maurer
- Director of Maintenance — Vince Perretti
- Technology Director — Andrew Toering
- Pastoral Council Chair — Steve Kueffner
- Finance Council Chair — Stephen Carter
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Blessed Trinity runs a full family catechetical program for children, youth, and adults. The children's program includes the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium for ages 3-5 and a Tuesday-evening faith formation class for grades 1-5. Registration for the 2025-2026 program year opened with sessions beginning September 23.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for ages 3-5 — meets Sunday mornings at 11:00 am
- Faith Formation for grades 1-5 — meets Tuesday evenings at 6:00 pm
- Director of Faith Formation: Shelly Lemanski ([email protected])
Youth Ministry
Blessed Trinity's Youth Ministry describes itself as 'about being a disciple of God — His hands, His feet, His spokesperson here on earth.' Through community building, service, and discussion of social justice issues, the program invites teens to deepen their Catholic faith together as a way of life.
- Director of Youth Ministry: Emily Cramer
- Program linked at btcyouthpage
- Contact: [email protected]
Adult Faith Formation
Adult Faith Formation is listed alongside the children's and youth programs as one of the three core formation offerings at Blessed Trinity.
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music is led by a Director of Music and a Music Assistant, supporting the parish's weekend and weekday Mass schedule in the new church dedicated in 2004.
- Director of Music: Alissa Hetzner ([email protected])
- Music Assistant: Steve Holovach
Outreach & Community Life
Blessed Trinity has long-standing ties to the wider Frankenmuth and Saginaw Valley community. Parishioners volunteer at the annual Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival, and the parish gives a percentage of its annual collection each year to community ministries — including Saginaw's Rescue Mission and the Eastside Soup Kitchen.
- Annual percentage of parish collection donated to local charities
- Saginaw Rescue Mission
- Eastside Soup Kitchen
- Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival volunteering
Parish Leadership & Councils
Lay leadership at Blessed Trinity is exercised through a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council that work alongside the pastor and pastoral associate in guiding the life of the parish.
- Pastoral Council Chair — Steve Kueffner
- Finance Council Chair — Stephen Carter
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
Whether you are visiting Frankenmuth, just returning to the Church, a long-time parishioner, or searching for a place to worship, Blessed Trinity welcomes you. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday mornings; the office is closed on Fridays.
- Address: 958 East Tuscola Street, Frankenmuth, MI 48734
- Phone: 989-652-3259
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:30 am – 3:00 pm (closed Friday)
- Website: http://www.btmuth.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph FavaraApril – Sept. 1967
Founding pastor of the new mission
- Father Chester Pilarski1967–1970
- Father Kenneth Lerczak1970–1973
- Father Charles Kehoe1973–1979
Celebrated the first Mass in the new church building on April 11, 1976
- Father Chester Pilarski1979–1986
Returned for a second tenure as pastor
- Father William Taylor1986–1995
- Father Fred Kawka1995–2007
Celebrated the first Mass in the new (expanded) church on November 14, 2004
- Father Robert Byrne2007–2018
- Deacon Larry Deford2018–2019
Pastoral Administrator during the interim
- Father Patrick Jankowiak2019–present
Current pastor