About Our Lady of Consolata Parish - St. Pancratius · Cass City, Michigan
Our Lady Consolata Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Saginaw, headquartered in the rural Thumb region of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. It is a multi-site parish family uniting St. Pancratius Church in Cass City (the parish church), Holy Family Church in Sebewaing, St. Agatha Church in Gagetown, and historically St. Michael Church in Wilmot, which are now linked as 'one community in faith.' The parish serves worshippers in Tuscola, Huron, and Sanilac counties with weekly Masses, the sacraments, faith formation for all ages, a men's prayer group, and an active 'Next Generation Parish' pastoral initiative led by Deacon David Gillespie and Sacramental Minister Rev. Robert J. Paré.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- Our Lady Consolata (parish name); St. Pancratius (parish church patron)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert J. Paré (Sacramental Minister)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw (Vicariate 1)
Why belong here
Our Lady Consolata Parish is a hub of Catholic life for the rural Thumb of Michigan, gathering four historic churches into 'one community in faith.' Parishioners can attend weekend Mass at St. Pancratius in Cass City or Holy Family in Sebewaing, gather for a weekly Men's Prayer group, receive faith formation for all ages (through Jill Susalla's OICA program), draw on the Sacramental Ministry of Father Robert J. Paré and the pastoral leadership of Deacon David Gillespie, and join the parish's Next Generation Parish initiative that has opened new lay leadership pathways in Engagement, Welcoming, and Faith Formation.
Mass times at Our Lady of Consolata Parish - St. Pancratius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–4:15 PM — St. Pancratius Church, Cass City
- Sunday 9:45–10:15 AM — Holy Family Church, Sebewaing
About Our Lady Consolata Parish
Our Lady Consolata Parish of Cass City is a multi-site Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Saginaw, formed in 2014 to unify several historic churches in Michigan's Thumb. The parish family includes St. Pancratius Church in Cass City (the parish church), Holy Family Church in Sebewaing, St. Agatha Church in Gagetown, and historically St. Michael Church in Wilmot. The parish describes itself as 'One Community in Faith' with weekend Masses across the Cass City and Sebewaing sites and a Sacramental Ministry in the care of Rev. Robert J. Paré.
Parish History & Restructuring
St. Pancratius Church itself was incorporated as a religious nonprofit in 1946, growing from earlier mission activity among German-settler farm families in western Tuscola County. In January 2014 the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw completed a three-year restructuring plan and announced new parish names across its 11-county territory. St. Pancratius was designated the parish church of the new 'Our Lady Consolata Parish,' with Holy Family in Sebewaing named a church for additional use and St. Agatha in Gagetown (and St. Michael in Wilmot) churches for occasional use. The parish has since entered the 'Next Generation Parish – Implementation Phase,' expanding lay-led priority teams.
- St. Pancratius Church founded/incorporated 1946 (EIN 38-1655380)
- Parish name established 2014 as part of Diocese of Saginaw restructuring
- Joined Diocese's 'Next Generation Parish' pastoral planning process
Parish Staff and Leadership
Day-to-day parish life is coordinated by Sacramental Minister Rev. Robert J. Paré and Deacon David Gillespie, who serves as Director of Parish Life. Amy Gruehn combines the roles of bookkeeper, cemetery administrator, and secretary; Jill Susalla directs Faith Formation and OICA. Governance is led by the Pastoral Council (chaired by Val Somerville) and the Finance Council (chaired by Matt Boucher).
- Rev. Robert J. Paré — Sacramental Minister ([email protected])
- Deacon David Gillespie — Director of Parish Life ([email protected])
- Jill Susalla — Faith Formation / OICA ([email protected])
- Amy Gruehn — Bookkeeper / Cemetery Administrator / Secretary ([email protected])
- Val Somerville — Pastoral Council Chair
- Matt Boucher — Finance Council Chair
Faith Formation and Sacraments
Faith Formation across the parish family is led by Jill Susalla and includes the OICA (Order of Initiation of Christian Adults) process, supporting adults preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation as well as ongoing faith formation for all ages. The parish is in a 'Year of Sacraments of Initiation' emphasis per its homepage, and Sacramental Ministry is provided by Father Robert J. Paré. Confession is offered before every weekend Mass at both church sites.
- OICA — Jill Susalla ([email protected])
- Sacramental Minister — Rev. Robert J. Paré
- Confession before each weekend Mass (Cass City and Sebewaing)
- Year of Sacraments of Initiation — parish-wide emphasis
Next Generation Parish Initiative
Our Lady Consolata Parish is moving into the Next Generation Parish Implementation Phase. Over the next two years the parish will expand the pool of parish leaders to help incorporate the parish plan, priorities and goals set by the envisioning team. Three priority teams have been formed, each with measurable goals and a leader inviting additional team members.
- Priority: Engagement — Val Peters-Somerville
- Priority: Welcoming — Paula Lounsbury
- Priority: Faith Formation — Rob Piaskowski
- Two-year implementation timeline
Locations and Contact
Our Lady Consolata Parish operates across three (and historically four) church locations in Michigan's Thumb. The mailing address and parish office are in Gagetown, while the parish church (St. Pancratius) is in Cass City. Office hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed for lunch 12:30–1:30 p.m.) and Friday 9 a.m.–12 noon.
- St. Pancratius Church (parish church) — 4306 Seeger St., Cass City, MI 48726
- Holy Family Church (additional use) — Sebewaing, MI
- St. Agatha Church (occasional use) — 4618 South St., Gagetown, MI 48735
- St. Michael Church (occasional use, historical) — Wilmot, MI
- Parish office phone: 989-665-1027
- Email: [email protected]
Pastoral Resources and Devotions at Home
The parish website links to several go-to resources for parishioners practicing the faith at home: a daily livestreaming Mass, FAITH Saginaw Magazine (the diocesan publication), a 'Spiritual Communion' prayer for use when unable to attend Mass, and tools to follow the daily Mass readings.
- Daily Livestreaming Mass (linked from the homepage)
- FAITH Saginaw Magazine (Diocese of Saginaw)
- Spiritual Communion prayer
- Today's Readings (daily, homepage feature)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Christian F. Tabares
Parochial Administrator (per joinmychurch.com listing).