About Miles Christi Family Center · South Lyon, Michigan
Miles Christi Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan is the United States headquarters of the Miles Christi ('Soldier of Christ') religious order, a Roman Catholic clerical institute of priests and brothers originally founded in Argentina. It is not a territorial parish but a Religious and Family Center dedicated to the sanctification of the laity — especially young people and families — through spiritual direction, Ignatian retreats, formation groups, youth activities, and daily Mass and Adoration in its chapel. Construction began in 2010 and the Center was dedicated, blessed and celebrated its first Mass on May 23, 2015. An adjacent residence houses the priests and brothers who run the Center's programs and serve as chaplains at local Catholic schools.
- Established
- 1994 (order); 2015 (Family Center)
- Rector
- Fr. Stephen Sanguinetti, MC (mentioned as the Center's priest/director in 2016 reporting)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit (hosted on the order's property, but the Center itself belongs to the Miles Christi religious order, not to a parish — the order operates here by invitation of the Archbishop of Detroit)
Why belong here
Miles Christi Family Center exists to help Catholic families and young people grow in holiness and discern God's call. Whether through weekend Ignatian retreats, personal spiritual direction, weekly formation groups, or simply daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration in its intimate chapel, the Center provides space for serious Catholic formation that many parishes cannot offer. Its priests and brothers also serve as chaplains at St. Catherine of Siena Academy in Wixom and Father Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor, and they host Bible studies, summer camps, monthly family days, and recollections for men, women, and young adults.
Mass times at Miles Christi Family Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
- During the Spiritual Exercises weekend retreats
Adoration times
- Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel (ongoing)
About the Miles Christi Family Center
Miles Christi Family Center is the United States headquarters of the Miles Christi ('Soldier of Christ') religious order — a Roman Catholic clerical institute of priests and brothers founded in Argentina in 1994 and established in Michigan in October 2000 at the invitation of Cardinal Adam J. Maida. The Center was built to serve as a hub for the sanctification of the laity, especially young people and families. It provides space for the formation of future priests and brothers, study groups for Catholic formation, personal spiritual direction, apostolic programs, youth activities, Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel, and spiritual talks. The Center is not a parish in the canonical sense; it is a religious and family center operated by the order on land in Lyon Township, across from and down the street from South Lyon East High School.
- 25300 Johns Road, South Lyon, MI 48178
- Phone: (248) 596-9677
- Email: [email protected]
History of Miles Christi in the United States
Miles Christi was established on December 20, 1994 as a Public Clerical Association of the Faithful in the Archdiocese of La Plata, Argentina, by Fr. Roberto Juan Yannuzzi. It was elevated to a Clerical Religious Order on February 11, 1999, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Two priests and a brother were sent to America in 1999, and in October 2000 they arrived in Michigan at Cardinal Adam Maida's invitation. The first U.S. home was St. John's Center in Plymouth; later the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence donated their Northville convent building to the order. Construction of the Family Center in South Lyon began in 2010, and the building was dedicated, blessed, and celebrated its first Mass on May 23, 2015. The order expanded to San Diego in 2008 and to Colorado thereafter, and today more than 60 priests and brothers travel the country giving retreats, talks, and spiritual direction.
- Founded in Argentina: December 20, 1994
- Elevated to Clerical Religious Order: February 11, 1999
- Arrived in Michigan: October 2000
- Expanded to San Diego: 2008
- South Lyon Family Center dedicated: May 23, 2015
The Chapel and Eucharistic Devotion
The Center's intimate chapel seats about 70 people and is described as 'ideally outfitted for the Extraordinary Form, with a High Altar, Communion Rail, and no freestanding altar.' Above the altar is a depiction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the Latin inscription from Galatians 2:20: 'Dilexit me et tradidit se ipsum pro me' ('He loved me and gave Himself up for me'). Statues of Our Lady and St. Joseph with the Child Jesus are venerated in the sanctuary. The chapel hosts daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM, a Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Saturdays at 8:30 AM (with hymns), and Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM. Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is offered on an ongoing basis, and Confessions are heard before Sunday Mass from 10:30 to 11:00 AM.
- Daily Mass Mon–Fri at 8:00 AM
- Saturday Low Mass (Extraordinary Form) at 8:30 AM
- Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM
- Confessions Sun 10:30–11:00 AM
- Ongoing Eucharistic Adoration
Spiritual Direction and Retreats
A fundamental activity of the Miles Christi community is offering personal spiritual direction. The priests also preach the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola — a weekend silent retreat with spiritual talks and time for personal meditation in silence. Each day of the Spiritual Exercises includes Holy Mass, Holy Rosary, and an opportunity for confessions. Miles Christi also holds mornings and evenings of recollection separately for men, women, and young adults. In addition to retreats at the South Lyon Center, Miles Christi priests and brothers preach the Spiritual Exercises in over 40 locations across the United States, and the order has locations in Michigan, California (San Diego), and Colorado (Denver).
- Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Weekend silent retreats
- Mornings and evenings of recollection for men, women, and young adults
- Personal spiritual direction
- Preached in 40+ U.S. locations
Youth and Family Activities
The Family Center exists to help Catholic families and young people strengthen their Catholic identity and connect with other Catholics who want their families on the path to holiness. Activities include weekly formation groups for boys and girls, Bible studies, summer camps, and a monthly Family Day. Boys' groups (typically ages 12–15) gather in the chapel for prayers before moving to a downstairs recreation area for snacks and fellowship. The Center's priests and brothers also serve as chaplains at two local Catholic high schools — St. Catherine of Siena Academy in Wixom and Father Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor — and are available to assist Archdiocese of Detroit parishes on weekends, when many also travel the country facilitating retreats and raising awareness of Miles Christi.
- Monthly Family Day
- Bible studies
- Summer camps
- Weekly boys' and girls' formation groups
- Chaplaincy at St. Catherine of Siena Academy (Wixom) and Father Gabriel Richard High School (Ann Arbor)
Formation of Priests and Brothers
A central purpose of the South Lyon Family Center is the formation of future Miles Christi priests and brothers. Formation typically takes 10–12 years for a man to be ordained a Miles Christi priest and includes rigorous study in the liberal arts and the development of a strong 'cultural background' in order to serve the laity well. The Center houses formation activities on-site, while Miles Christi candidates discerning a vocation also gather at the order's other communities.
- 10–12 years of formation before priestly ordination
- Liberal arts and humanities studies
- On-site formation at the Family Center
Locations and Contact
The Miles Christi Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan is the U.S. headquarters of the order. The order also maintains communities in San Diego, California (established 2008) and Denver, Colorado. Mailing address and contact details for the South Lyon Center are listed below; inquiries about retreats can also be directed to [email protected].
- South Lyon, MI (U.S. HQ): 25300 Johns Rd, South Lyon, MI 48178 — (248) 596-9677 — [email protected]
- San Diego, CA: 16935 W. Bernardo Dr., Ste. 245, San Diego, CA 92127 — (858) 768-0872 — [email protected]
- Denver, CO: 1060 St. Francis Way, Denver, CO 80204 — (303) 800-8337 — [email protected]
Suppression of the Order (2020–2024)
In February 2020, Pope Francis dismissed Miles Christi's founder Fr. Roberto Juan Yannuzzi from the clerical state after he was found guilty of crimes against the Sixth Commandment with adults, absolution of the accomplice, and abuse of authority. The process had been initiated in 2016 when order members alerted the Archdiocese of La Plata of irregularities and abuse. In 2022, then-Bishop Jorge García Cuerva was appointed pontifical commissioner for Miles Christi. On February 6, 2024, Pope Francis approved the formal suppression of the Miles Christi religious institute, with the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life ordering the suppression on February 19, 2024. The South Lyon Family Center remains the visible hub of the order's continued U.S. ministry and outreach to Catholic families.
- Founder dismissed from clerical state: February 2020
- Pontifical commissioner appointed: 2022
- Order formally suppressed by the Vatican: February 2024