About Christ the King · Flint, Michigan
Christ the King Catholic Parish, located on Seymour Avenue in Flint, Michigan, is a Roman Catholic faith community founded in 1929 in the African American Catholic tradition. Conceived and built by Father Norman DuKette — the first African-American priest ordained in Michigan — the parish was originally organized as the "Colored Catholic Mission," with its first Mass celebrated on the Feast of Christ the King. Today Christ the King continues its founding mission to evangelize and minister to a multi-ethnic community in the city of Flint, offering weekly Sunday Mass, a Wednesday Mass with confession, and a food pantry that serves residents of ZIP code 48503.
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- Christ the King
- Rector
- Fr. Thomas Firestone (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
Why belong here
Christ the King is more than a Sunday Mass — it is a Black Catholic faith community with deep roots in Flint, founded in 1929 to serve families and factory workers drawn to the city. Members worship in a multi-ethnic congregation, are fed by a Wednesday food pantry serving ZIP code 48503, and are led by a parish council representing peace and justice, evangelization, Christian service, spirituality and worship, health and safety, communications, and building stewardship — a place where newcomers quickly find both spiritual nourishment and a concrete ministry to their neighbors.
Mass times at Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Following 11:00 AM Mass on Wednesdays
- By appointment
Parish Identity & Founding Mission
Christ the King describes itself as a faith community founded in the African American Catholic tradition to answer God's "Call" to be a guiding light and disciples of Jesus Christ. Through their gifts and talents, parishioners strive to evangelize and minister to the entire multi-ethnic community of Flint. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Lansing and is one of the 'Faith in Flint' partner entities.
- Faith community founded in African American culture
- Multi-ethnic evangelization and ministry
- Diocese of Lansing parish
- Part of the 'Faith in Flint' Catholic coalition
Our History
The parish's story begins in 1929 with a young Black priest, Father Norman DuKette, assigned to organize a Catholic mission in Flint. The very first Mass of the new mission — then called the "Colored Catholic Mission" — was celebrated on the Feast of Christ the King at St. Joseph Church, with Fr. DuKette and just two prospective members. Membership grew to five, then to many, and in 1937 the community purchased a house and lot on Clifford Street. A second building was moved onto the Clifford site in 1946 and renovated into a church and hall, which served the parish for the next twenty years.
- 1929 — First Mass on the Feast of Christ the King at St. Joseph Church
- 1937 — Clifford Street property purchased
- 1946 — Building moved and renovated into a church and hall
- 1969 — Church condemned for I-475 expressway; diocese proposed merger, rejected by parishioners
- 1971 — Fr. DuKette retires; Seymour Avenue site completed under Fr. Matarazzo
Father Norman DuKette, Founder
Father Norman DuKette was ordained in 1926 for the Diocese of Detroit — the first African-American priest in Michigan and only the fifth Black priest in the United States at the time. After two years at Detroit's St. Benedict the Moor Parish, he was transferred to Flint in 1929 to establish Christ the King, where he served for 41 years until retiring in 1970. He continued to celebrate daily Mass as pastor emeritus until his health failed. He died during Holy Week 1980 — Easter Sunday — after 51 years of service to Christ the King and its people.
- First African-American priest ordained in Michigan
- Founded Christ the King in 1929 as the 'Colored Catholic Mission'
- Served Flint for 41 years before retiring
- Died Easter Sunday 1980 and lay in state at his beloved church
- Father DuKette Intercultural Center opened 1977
- DuKette Catholic School opened 1980 in his honor; closed 2008
Rebuilding on Seymour Avenue
When the original church on Clifford Street was condemned for the I-475 expressway and the Diocese suggested the community merge into other parishes, Christ the King refused to dissolve. With permission to rebuild, the parish purchased property on Seymour Avenue in north-central Flint. The new site was completed under Fr. Michael Matarazzo after Fr. DuKette retired in October 1971, and 1811 Seymour Avenue has remained the home of Christ the King ever since.
- Displaced by I-475 construction
- Refused merger into other Flint parishes
- Rebuilt at 1811 Seymour Avenue
Liturgy & Sacraments
The parish celebrates Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM and Wednesday Mass at 11:00 AM (with confessions to follow as needed). Sunday Mass is also live streamed on the parish's Facebook page (ChristTheKingFlint). Confessions are heard following the 11:00 AM Wednesday Mass and are also available by appointment.
- Sunday 9:00 AM (English)
- Wednesday 11:00 AM (English) — confessions to follow
- Sunday Mass live streamed on Facebook
- Confession by appointment
Food Pantry & Outreach
Christ the King runs a parish food pantry that opens every Wednesday from 12:00 to 2:00 PM at the white carport across from the church at 1832 Seymour Avenue. The pantry serves residents of ZIP code 48503 only, by referral through Love, Inc. at 810-235-4990, with a limit of one visit per month. The pantry is part of the parish's long-standing commitment to serving Flint's most vulnerable neighbors.
- Wednesdays 12:00–2:00 PM
- 1832 Seymour Avenue (white carport across from CTK Church)
- Serves ZIP code 48503 by referral only (Love, Inc. 810-235-4990)
- One visit per month
Parish Staff & Leadership
Day-to-day operations are led by Fr. Thomas Firestone (Administrator), supported by Stephanie Murphy (Office Manager) and Lazarre Johnson (Maintenance). Lay leadership is exercised through the Parish Council (Margaret Hudspeth, President) and Finance Council (Jim Rouse, Chair), with ministry coordinators spanning peace and justice, evangelization and community involvement, communications, health and safety, spirituality and worship, Christian service, calendar/activities, and building stewardship.
- Fr. Thomas Firestone — Administrator
- Stephanie Murphy — Office Manager
- Lazarre Johnson — Maintenance
- Margaret Hudspeth — Parish Council President
- Jim Rouse — Finance Council Chair
Parish Pastoral Councils
The parish is governed with broad lay participation. Council members are assigned to areas including Peace and Justice, Evangelization & Community Involvement, Activity/Calendar, Communication & Publicity, Health and Safety, Spirituality and Worship, Christian Service, Building Commission, and At-Large representation, mirroring the parish's emphasis on holistic ministry to body, mind, and spirit.
- Lorene Randall — Peace and Justice
- Sharon Allen — Evangelization & Community Involvement
- Karen Johnson — Activity / Calendar
- Sam Stewart — Health and Safety
- Helen Hobson — Spirituality and Worship
- Renae Banks-Rowser — Christian Service
- Juanita Humphrey — At Large Representative
Visiting & Contact
Visitors and parishioners can reach the church at 810-233-0402 (fax 810-963-2182) or [email protected]. The parish office is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The church is located at the crossroads of Lapeer Road and Dort Highway (west of Dort Hwy).
- 1811 Seymour Avenue, Flint, MI 48503
- Phone: 810-233-0402
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tue/Wed/Thu 10 AM–2 PM
- Crossroads: Lapeer Rd and Dort Hwy (west of Dort Hwy)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Norman DuKette1929–1971
Founder; first African-American priest ordained in Michigan (Detroit, 1926); built Christ the King from a tiny mission into a parish; retired in 1971; died Easter Sunday 1980 after 51 years of service. The Father DuKette Intercultural Center (1977) and DuKette Catholic School (opened 1980, closed 2008) were named in his honor.
- Fr. Michael Matarazzo1971–
Succeeded Fr. DuKette and completed the new Seymour Avenue church site after the parish was displaced by I-475.
- Fr. Lawrence Parkhurst
- Fr. Rod Brown
- Fr. Leo Ramer
- Sr. Joanne Fedewa1989–
Pastoral Coordinator with various sacramental ministers.
- Fr. Vincent de Lorenzo
- Fr. Carl Simon
- Fr. Patrick Ischei
- Fr. John Aduba
- Fr. George Puthepedika
- Fr. Philip Schmitter
Has a profile page on the parish website (christthekingparishflint.org/people/fr-phil-schmitter).
- Fr. Paul Donnelly
- Fr. Thomas Firestone
Current Administrator.