About Holy Angels Catholic Church · Sturgis, Michigan
Holy Angels Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Sturgis, Michigan, in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. Its Catholic roots in Sturgis reach back to 1864, when twelve people gathered for the first Mass celebrated by visiting priest Father C. Ryckaert in the home of William McLoughlin. The parish was officially established in 1921, with Fr. William Graeber becoming its first resident pastor in 1922. Today Holy Angels serves a bilingual community with Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish, and is pastored by Fr. Andrew Raczkowski, VF, who also serves as Dean of the Southern Deanery for the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
- Established
- 1864 (first Mass) / 1921 (official parish)
- Patron
- Holy Angels
- Rector
- Fr. Andrew Raczkowski, VF
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kalamazoo
Why belong here
Holy Angels is a welcoming, bilingual parish rooted in more than 160 years of Catholic life in Sturgis, offering daily and weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a Communion Service on Wednesdays. The parish also operates a sick-and-homebound visitation ministry bringing the Body and Blood of Christ to those who cannot attend Mass, and its lector ministry provides formation and ongoing training for parishioners who wish to proclaim Scripture at the liturgy. Pastored by Fr. Andrew Raczkowski — currently serving as Dean of the Southern Deanery of the Diocese of Kalamazoo — the parish combines a historic faith community (founded 1921, with Catholic roots in Sturgis dating to 1864) with active ministry to the sick, the homebound, and a growing Hispanic Catholic population in St. Joseph County.
Mass times at Holy Angels Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (per Discover Mass)
- Saturday 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM or anytime by appointment (per parish listings)
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Sanctuary on Tuesdays and Thursdays (per parish website)
- Thursday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (per Catholic Church Directory)
- Weekday adoration following the 8:30 AM Mass (per Discover Mass)
Parish History
The Catholic community in Sturgis traces its roots to 1864, when twelve people gathered for the first Mass celebrated by visiting priest Father C. Ryckaert in the home of William McLoughlin. Mass was celebrated in various homes for fifteen years until 1879, when the original Holy Angels church was built on donated land with the volunteer labor, money, and materials of the parishioners. The parish was officially established in 1921, and Fr. William Graeber became the first resident pastor in 1922. In 1948, Holy Angels became the first church in Sturgis to found a parochial school. By 1955 the original building had been outgrown; a groundbreaking was held that year and the new church was completed the following year. The parish describes its story as 'a continuation of the ongoing story of God's goodness to His people throughout all the ages.'
- 1864 — First Mass celebrated by Fr. C. Ryckaert in the McLoughlin home (12 attendees)
- 1879 — Original church built on donated land by parishioner volunteers
- 1921 — Holy Angels canonically established as an official parish
- 1922 — Fr. William Graeber arrives as first resident pastor
- 1948 — Holy Angels becomes the first church in Sturgis to found a parochial school
- 1955 — Groundbreaking for a new, larger church
- 1956 — New church building completed
Architecture & Buildings
The present Holy Angels church was designed and built by the Miller-Davis Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan, replacing the original 1879 structure. It features gothic tracery windows, a detail documented in archival photographs of the building held by Western Michigan University Libraries. Over the years, the parish buildings and grounds have seen many changes and improvements while the faith and devotion of the parishioners has remained constant.
- Designed and built by the Miller-Davis Company (Kalamazoo, MI)
- Distinctive gothic tracery windows
- Completed 1956, replacing the 1879 original
Clergy & Staff
Holy Angels is pastored by Fr. Andrew Raczkowski, VF, who serves as both Pastor of Holy Angels and Pastor of St. Joseph in White Pigeon. In March 2024, Bishop Edward M. Lohse appointed Fr. Andrew as Dean of the Southern Deanery of the Diocese of Kalamazoo for a five-year term expiring January 1, 2030. The parish office is staffed by Parish Secretary Angelica Delgado. The parish also lists a deacon on its ministry pages.
- Fr. Andrew Raczkowski, VF — Pastor (also Dean, Southern Deanery; Pastor, St. Joseph, White Pigeon) — ext. 104
- Angelica Delgado — Parish Secretary — ext. 12
- Deacon (referenced on the Lector ministry page)
Parish Ministries
Holy Angels offers its parishioners a number of ways to participate in the life and mission of the Church, from proclaiming the Word of God as a lector, to visiting the sick and homebound, to accompanying men discerning a call to Holy Orders.
Lectors (Proclaimers of the Word)
Lay persons who proclaim the Holy Scriptures during the Liturgy of the Word at Mass. The ministry of lector is one of the most visible roles of service in the liturgy; as a proclaimer of the Word, the lector helps facilitate the public prayer of the Church. Those who serve are asked to make the Word of God an integral part of their lives through regular study and prayer of Scripture. Training is required for this ministry and a workbook is provided to help in preparation of the readings. Lectors are scheduled according to their availability.
- Public prayer and proclamation of Holy Scripture at Mass
- Requires training and use of a provided workbook
- Open to all parishioners who meet the requirements
Sick & Homebound Visitation
The parish's visitation program is designed to see that any person wishing to be visited by a lay minister on a regular basis is accommodated. Visits can include the Body and Blood of Christ, or simply a friendly visit, and each parishioner decides the amount of visits they desire as part of their care plan. All information is considered confidential. Fr. Andrew serves as the priest minister for sick visits, while the Spanish-speaking visitation ministry (Ministerio de la Visitación a los Enfermos) can be reached through the parish office.
- Lay-ministry visits on a regular basis
- Visits may include Holy Communion
- Confidential care plan tailored to each person
- Spanish-language visits coordinated through the parish office
Holy Orders & Vocations
Men who feel they may be called to the priesthood are invited to contact Fr. Andrew at the parish or the Diocese of Kalamazoo Office of Vocations for guidance and discernment support.
- Contact: Fr. Andrew Raczkowski — 269-651-5200 ext. 104
- Also directed to the Diocese of Kalamazoo Office of Vocations
Parish School
In 1948, Holy Angels became the first church in Sturgis, Michigan to found a parochial school, marking a significant milestone for Catholic education in the community.
- Founded 1948 — first parochial school in Sturgis
Diocese & Deanery
Holy Angels Parish belongs to the Diocese of Kalamazoo. In March 2024, Bishop Edward M. Lohse appointed Pastor Fr. Andrew Raczkowski as Dean (Vicar Forane) of the Southern Deanery of the diocese, a five-year term that expires on January 1, 2030. In that role, Fr. Andrew continues as Pastor of both Holy Angels, Sturgis and St. Joseph, White Pigeon.
- Diocese: Kalamazoo
- Deanery: Southern
- Current Dean: Fr. Andrew Raczkowski, VF (term 2024–2030)
- Bishop: Most Reverend Edward M. Lohse
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are welcome to stop in to pray at the church, which is generally open from 8:30 AM until 10 AM unless there is a scheduled event. If the church is locked, visitors may stop by or call the parish office and staff will let them in.
- Parish office: (269) 651-5200
- Fr. Andrew extension: 104
- Parish Secretary (Angelica Delgado): ext. 12
- Email: frandrewholyangelssturgis.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father C. Ryckaert1864
Visiting priest who celebrated the first Mass in Sturgis in the home of William McLoughlin
- Fr. William Graeber1922-
First resident pastor, following the parish's official establishment in 1921