Christ the Good Shepherd

Welcome & Mission

The parish describes itself as 'a diverse community united in faith in Christ Jesus.' Its mission is rooted in the Eucharist, and the community is continually 'molded into the Body of Christ' through three commitments: witnessing to the Gospel by sharing resources and serving others, supporting Catholic education, and building friendship with one another. Christ the Good Shepherd welcomes visitors and new parishioners into this daily rhythm of prayer, formation, and fellowship.

Parish History

Founded in 1947 by Father Joseph Torzewski to serve Lincoln Park's booming post-war population, Christ the Good Shepherd began celebrating Mass at Hoover Public School before its first church was dedicated in 1948. The parish school opened in 1950 under the Sisters of St. Joseph and grew rapidly, peaking at 1,548 students in 1961. The current church was built in 1955, originally designed to function as a gymnasium, and a larger convent and additional classrooms followed in 1957 and 1961. The Sisters of St. Joseph era ended in 1978, the convent closed in 1985, and the parish continued to expand its facilities — adding the Christ the Good Shepherd Activities Building (gym, locker rooms, cafeteria, and kitchen) in 2000. The parish's commitment to Catholic education extended region-wide when, in 1965, it co-founded Aquinas High School with St. Pius Parish; Aquinas remained open until 2000.

• 1947 — Parish founded by Fr. Joseph Torzewski
• 1948 — First church dedicated (now the 'old gym')
• 1950 — School construction begins; Sisters of St. Joseph arrive; 330 students enrolled
• 1955 — Current church built (designed as a gym)
• 1957 — Larger convent (now Parish Center) and eight new classrooms added
• 1961 — Six more classrooms added; school hits peak enrollment of 1,548
• 1965 — Co-founds Aquinas High School with St. Pius Parish
• 1972–1975 — Co-pastorate of Fr. Adolph Redwick and Fr. Leo Phalen
• 1978 — Last sister-principal, Sr. Kathleen Lupton, departs; 'old church' becomes gym
• 1985 — Convent closes; last Sisters of St. Joseph depart
• 2000 — Activities Building (gym, locker rooms, cafeteria, kitchen) opens; Aquinas High School closes
• 2010 — Decision to enter merger-school arrangement with Mount Carmel and Wyandotte Catholic schools
• 2011 — John Paul II Catholic School merger school opens in the CGS building
• 2019 — Merger dissolved; St. John Paul II Classical Catholic School launched; St. Henry Parish merges into Christ the Good Shepherd; Fr. David Bechill becomes pastor
• 2021 — Fr. Bechill appointed Family-Pastor of Downriver Vicariate Family 2

Pastor & Clergy

Rev. David (Ryan) Bechill has served as pastor of Christ the Good Shepherd since July 2019. In 2021 he was named Family-Pastor of the Downriver Vicariate Family 2, coordinating pastoral care across Christ the Good Shepherd and three partner parishes. He is assisted by a team of priests in solidum and a permanent deacon.

• Rev. David Bechill — Pastor (Primarily Responsible)
• Rev. Brendan McCarrick, S.A.C. — Priest in Solidum
• Rev. Don LaCuesta — Priest in Solidum
• Rev. Mark Borkowski — Full-Time Priest Support
• Rev. Stephen Mutie, S.A.C. — Priest in Solidum
• Deacon Charles Dault

Parish Staff

Beyond clergy, the parish is served by a small lay staff that supports liturgy, faith formation, parish administration, and the on-site school.

• Randy Bowers — Parish Office (313-928-1324 ext. 114, [email protected])
• John Orischak — Parish Office
• Music Minister — ([email protected])
• Holly Tockstein — (313-928-1324 ext. 115, [email protected])
• Allison Accardo — Coordinator of Faith Formation (313-382-1818, [email protected])

Parish Office

The parish office is located at 1540 Riverbank Street, Lincoln Park, MI 48146, with weekday hours that vary by day. Thursday is closed, and the office opens Sunday mornings around Mass times for parish business.

• Parish Office: 313-928-1324 — [email protected]
• Faith Formation Office: 313-382-1818 — [email protected]
• Monday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Tuesday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Wednesday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Thursday: Closed
• Friday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Sunday: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Faith Formation & Sacraments

The Faith Formation Office, led by Coordinator Allison Accardo, supports sacramental preparation for parishioners of every age. Infant Baptism (children through first grade) is arranged through the parish office; children second grade and up who are not yet baptized are guided through the appropriate steps by the Coordinator. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion require a two-year preparation program, as does Confirmation, which also presumes prior Baptism and First Communion. An official Baptismal Certificate (or certificate of reception into the Catholic Church) is required for each.

• Infant Baptism — contact parish office (313-928-1324)
• Baptism for older children (2nd grade +) — contact Coordinator of Faith Formation (313-382-1818)
• First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion — two-year preparation program
• Confirmation — two-year preparation program; Baptism and First Communion required
• Marriage — preparation through the parish

St. John Paul II Classical Catholic School

Christ the Good Shepherd's on-site parish school was relaunched in fall 2019 as St. John Paul II Classical Catholic School, following the 2019 dissolution of the eight-year John Paul II Catholic School merger arrangement with Mount Carmel and Wyandotte Catholic schools. The school offers a classical Catholic curriculum that 'emphasizes truth, beauty, and goodness as it has been revealed to us by God,' supporting families in the education and faith formation of their children. The school is led by Principal Melissa Manczak.

• School Office: 313-386-0633 — [email protected]
• Principal: Melissa Manczak — [email protected]
• Curriculum: classical Catholic education rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness
• Succeeds the 2011–2019 John Paul II Catholic School merger arrangement

Parish Life & Fellowship

Beyond Mass and the sacraments, Christ the Good Shepherd sponsors a calendar of fellowship events, fundraisers, and community-building activities for parishioners of all ages. These reflect the parish's commitment to 'friendship with one another' expressed in its mission statement.

• Trail Life (youth outdoor adventure program)
• Kroger Community Rewards (parish fundraising through grocery purchases)
• Bubba's 33 Fundraising
• Baseball Game Social Outing
• Summer with the Saints (parish summer program)

Music Ministry

The parish maintains a Music Ministry that supports sung liturgy at weekend and daily Masses. Inquiries and participation can be directed to the Music Minister via the parish office.

• Contact: [email protected]
• Parish Office: 313-928-1324

Family of Parishes: Downriver Vicariate Family 2

Since 2021, Christ the Good Shepherd has been part of the Archdiocese of Detroit's 'Family of Parishes' model, grouped as Downriver Vicariate Family 2. Pastor Fr. David Bechill was appointed Family-Pastor to coordinate the shared pastoral team across these four Downriver-area parishes.

• Christ the Good Shepherd Parish — Lincoln Park (1540 Riverbank)
• Our Lady of the Scapular Parish — Wyandotte
• St. Pius X Parish — Southgate
• St. Vincent Pallotti Parish — Wyandotte

Visiting & Contacting Christ the Good Shepherd

Parishioners and visitors can reach Christ the Good Shepherd three ways: by phone at the parish office (313-928-1324), by email at [email protected], or in person at 1540 Riverbank Street, Lincoln Park, MI 48146. The Sunday Bulletin and parish website list the most up-to-date Mass, confession, and event information.

• Address: 1540 Riverbank St., Lincoln Park, MI 48146
• Parish Office Phone: 313-928-1324
• Faith Formation Phone: 313-382-1818
• School Phone: 313-386-0633
• Parish Email: [email protected]
• Pastor Email: [email protected]
• Faith Formation Email: [email protected]
• School Email: [email protected]