About Holy Name of Jesus · Wyoming, Michigan
Holy Name of Jesus Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Wyoming, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, established in 1908 and one of the oldest Catholic congregations in the city. It belongs to the Diocese of Grand Rapids and is pastored by Rev. Charles D. Brown, with Rev. Oscar Londoño Builes, MXY serving as Parochial Vicar. The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish each weekend, and serves a diverse West Michigan community from its worship site on Godfrey Avenue and parish office on Chicago Drive. Its longstanding presence, combined with active faith formation, youth ministry, and outreach programs like God's Kitchen and ESL tutoring, makes it a vibrant hub of Catholic life in Kent County.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Holy Name of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Charles D. Brown
- Diocese
- Diocese of Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids South Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Name of Jesus is one of Wyoming's oldest Catholic parishes, founded in 1908, with deep roots in the community and a welcoming bilingual identity. The parish offers a full sacramental life with weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, weekday Masses, Saturday reconciliation, and active faith formation for children and youth. Members can get involved in dozens of ministries — from catechesis, altar serving, choir, and lectors to Prison/Jail Ministry, Advent Giving Tree, God's Kitchen volunteering, and English as a Second Language tutoring — making it easy for any parishioner to live out their faith in service.
Mass times at Holy Name of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–4:00 PM
Parish Identity & Location
Holy Name of Jesus Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Wyoming, Michigan, established in 1908 in what was then Wyoming Township — a rural area just southwest of Grand Rapids being settled by Dutch Reformed, Catholic, and other Christian families along the streetcar corridors. Today the parish belongs to the Diocese of Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids South Deanery) and serves a bilingual, multicultural congregation from Kent County. The parish has two addresses: its worship site at 1630 Godfrey Avenue SW, Wyoming, MI 49509, and its business/parish office at 1048 Chicago Drive SW, Wyoming, MI 49509.
- Worship Site: 1630 Godfrey Ave. SW, Wyoming, MI 49509
- Parish Office: 1048 Chicago Drive SW, Wyoming, MI 49509
- Phone: 616-241-6489
- Fax: 616-241-6480
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Grand Rapids
- Deanery: Grand Rapids South
- Established: 1908
Parish History
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church was built in 1908, making it the earliest organized Roman Catholic congregation in the City of Wyoming, Michigan. Wyoming was then still a township — gypsum mines, farming, and the streetcar suburbs of the Galewood, Urbandale, and Burlingame neighborhoods being developed by the Grand Rapids, Holland and Chicago Railway were the dominant story. According to the city of Wyoming's official history, Holy Name of Jesus 'served as the place of worship for Roman Catholics in Wyoming' during this early period of settlement. The parish has continued to serve Catholic families in Wyoming through the township's 1959 incorporation as a city and into the present day, growing into a bilingual community offering Mass in both English and Spanish.
- 1908 — Parish founded and original church built in what is now Wyoming, MI.
- Original building served as the center of Catholic worship in Wyoming Township.
- Parish has grown with the community through Wyoming's 1959 incorporation as a city.
- Today it serves a bilingual English/Spanish Catholic congregation.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Charles D. Brown, who was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1993 and is listed by the Diocese of Grand Rapids as pastor of Holy Name of Jesus. He is assisted by Parochial Vicar Rev. Oscar Londoño Builes, MXY, a priest of the MXY religious order. The parish office team, listed on the parish website and Stewardship form, includes a Director of Religious Education, a Youth Ministry/Office Manager, a Finance Manager, and a Music Director.
- Rev. Charles D. Brown — Pastor (ordained June 5, 1993)
- Rev. Oscar Londoño Builes, MXY — Parochial Vicar
- Director of Religious Education
- Office Manager / Youth Ministry
- Finance Manager
- Music Director
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Name of Jesus offers a full faith formation program for children and youth, including preparation for First Communion and Confirmation. Religious Education classes meet on Sundays from 10:00–11:15 AM, and the parish invites parishioners to serve as catechists, catechist assistants, and Children's Liturgy of the Word leaders. The parish also has an active Youth Ministry program.
- First Communion preparation for children
- Confirmation preparation for children and young adults
- Religious Education classes — Sundays 10:00–11:15 AM
- Catechist and Catechist Assistant roles
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Youth Ministry / Youth Group
Small Groups & Adult Faith
The parish hosts small groups as part of its ongoing adult faith formation efforts, giving parishioners opportunities to grow in faith together in a more intimate setting outside the Sunday liturgy.
- Parish small groups for adult faith sharing
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
The parish maintains an RCIA team that prepares adults for full initiation into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Parishioners are invited to volunteer as RCIA team members through the Stewardship of Time and Talent form.
- RCIA Team Members — formation for adults entering the Church
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve in a wide range of liturgical roles during Mass and other ceremonies. The parish regularly schedules altar servers (Grades 4–12), lectors, ushers, sacristans, greeters, and altar linen caretakers, and offers roles coordinating the overall liturgical ministry team.
- Altar Servers (Grades 4–12)
- Lectors
- Ushers
- Sacristan
- Greeter Ministry
- Liturgical Ministry Coordinator
- Altar Linens (wash & iron)
Music Ministry
Music at Holy Name of Jesus is led by the parish Music Director and supported by volunteer choirs, cantors, and instrumentalists. The parish maintains a Church Choir for weekly liturgies and a Funeral Choir to support families at funeral Masses.
- Church Choir
- Funeral Choir
- Cantors
- Instrumentalists
- Music Director — Ms. Maria Cristina Martinez
Outreach & Service
Holy Name of Jesus has a strong outreach tradition, with ministries reaching the local poor, the incarcerated, immigrants, and the broader Grand Rapids community. The Stewardship form lists Advent Giving Tree, Prison/Jail Ministry, monthly God's Kitchen volunteering (on the 5th Sunday of the month), and English as a Second Language (ESL) tutoring as the parish's principal outreach commitments.
- Advent Giving Tree
- Prison / Jail Ministry
- God's Kitchen Volunteer — 5th Sunday of the month
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Tutor
Stewardship & Getting Involved
The parish actively invites parishioners to share their time and talent through its Stewardship of Time and Talent form, which lists every ministry — outreach, religious education, worship, choirs, and the Mass each parishioner primarily attends. The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin with parish news and events and welcomes new members.
- Stewardship of Time and Talent Form — sign up for a ministry
- Weekly Bulletin (published online)
- New parishioner registration ('Become a Member of Holy Name of Jesus Parish')
- Online giving
Practical Information
Parish office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with summer hours in July and August. The office is closed Saturday and Sunday. The church is handicapped accessible, and the parish can be reached by phone, fax, or email for sacraments, funeral arrangements, bulletin information, and general inquiries.
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Closed Saturday and Sunday
- Summer hours July–August (see bulletin)
- Church is handicapped accessible
- Phone: 616-241-6489
- Fax: 616-241-6480
- Email: [email protected]