About Our Lady of Great Oak · Bellevue, Michigan
Our Lady of Great Oak Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish located in rural Bellevue, Michigan, in the southeastern corner of Barry County, just south of Hastings on Lacey Road between M-37 and M-66. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Kalamazoo and is part of the Lacey Parish Collaborative, which also includes St. Ann Parish in Augusta and St. Ambrose Parish in Delton. A single Sunday Mass is celebrated each week, and the parish works with its collaborative partners to provide adult and youth faith formation. Our Lady of Great Oak is within easy reach of Light of Christ Academy, a Catholic Montessori and classical school serving students from age 3 through 8th grade in nearby Augusta.
- Patron
- Our Lady (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. David Pinto
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kalamazoo
Why belong here
Our Lady of Great Oak offers the warmth of a small rural Catholic parish with the resources of a broader collaborative. Parishioners worship together at a single weekly Sunday Mass, share faith-formation opportunities for both adults and youth with neighboring St. Ann (Augusta) and St. Ambrose (Delton), and have easy access to Light of Christ Academy — a Catholic Montessori and classical school serving ages 3 through 8th grade just 20 minutes away in Augusta. For Catholics in the Lacey/Bellevue area looking for an intimate community rooted in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, it is a faithful and welcoming home.
Mass times at Our Lady of Great Oak
Weekly Mass schedule
About Our Lady of Great Oak Parish
Our Lady of Great Oak is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the rural community of Lacey and the surrounding area of Bellevue, Michigan. It sits on Lacey Road between M-37 and M-66, south of Hastings, in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. A single weekly Sunday Mass gathers the parish family, and the community is enriched through the Lacey Parish Collaborative, which links it with St. Ann Parish in Augusta and St. Ambrose Parish in Delton.
- Location: 6574 Lacey Road, Bellevue, MI 49021
- Diocese: Diocese of Kalamazoo
- Pastor: Fr. David Pinto
- Parish Secretary: Sue Jeska
- Phone: 269-731-4721
Parish History
Our Lady of Great Oak has long served as a Catholic mission parish for the rural Lacey area. Diocesan records show it has been administered together with neighboring St. Ambrose in Delton for decades. In May 2016, Bishop Paul J. Bradley announced a new pastoral plan — the first reorganization of its kind in the 45-year history of the Diocese of Kalamazoo — creating 28 Parish Collaboratives across the diocese. Our Lady of Great Oak was grouped with St. Ann (Augusta) and St. Ambrose (Delton) to form the Lacey Parish Collaborative. Fr. John Fleckenstein was named the first pastor of the collaborative under this plan, with Fr. Robert Johansen as Parochial Vicar. Since then, Fr. Francis Marotti, Fr. James Richardson, and now Fr. David Pinto have led the parish. Fr. James Richardson was reassigned in November 2020 while remaining Canonical Pastor of St. Ambrose and Our Lady of Great Oak.
- Part of the Lacey Parish Collaborative under Bishop Bradley's 2016 pastoral plan
- Collaborative also includes St. Ann, Augusta and St. Ambrose, Delton
- Pastoral appointments are made for six-year terms
- Fr. Carl F. Peltz served as Pastor of Our Lady of Great Oak earlier in his ministry
Mass & Worship
The parish gathers for a single weekly Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM, celebrated in English. As a smaller rural parish, it does not publish a full weekly schedule of daily Masses, confessions, or adoration on its listing — visitors are encouraged to confirm times directly with the parish office before traveling.
- Sunday Mass: 8:30 AM (English)
Faith Formation
Adult and youth faith formation opportunities are offered cooperatively through the Lacey Parish Collaborative, drawing together parishioners from Our Lady of Great Oak, St. Ann in Augusta, and St. Ambrose in Delton. This pooling of resources allows the small rural parishes to offer programming that none could sustain alone.
- Adult faith formation (collaborative-wide)
- Youth faith formation (collaborative-wide)
Light of Christ Academy
Approximately 20 minutes from the parish in Augusta, Light of Christ Academy is a Catholic school that serves students from age 3 through 8th grade. It uses a combined Montessori and classical curriculum and is the partner school of the Lacey Parish Collaborative. Families of Our Lady of Great Oak parishioners draw on the academy for Catholic elementary and middle-school education.
- Catholic Montessori and classical school
- Located in Augusta, MI
- Serves ages 3 through 8th grade
- Approximately 20 minutes from Our Lady of Great Oak
Lacey Parish Collaborative
The Lacey Parish Collaborative was formed under Bishop Paul J. Bradley's 2016 pastoral plan, the first such reorganization in the Diocese of Kalamazoo's 45-year history. The collaborative groups Our Lady of Great Oak with St. Ann Parish in Augusta and St. Ambrose Parish in Delton, sharing pastoral leadership, faith formation, and — through St. Ann — the Light of Christ Academy.
- St. Ann Parish, Augusta
- St. Ambrose Parish, 11137 Floria Road, Delton, MI 49046
- Our Lady of Great Oak Parish, Lacey/Bellevue
- Shared faith formation and pastoral leadership
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone during business hours. The mailing address is 6574 Lacey Road, Bellevue, MI 49021. As with any small rural parish, calling ahead is the best way to confirm Mass times, holy day schedules, and the availability of sacraments such as confession or anointing of the sick.
- Address: 6574 Lacey Road, Bellevue, MI 49021
- Phone: 269-731-4721
- Parish Secretary: Sue Jeska
- Website (Diocese of Kalamazoo Parish Finder): https://www.diokzoo.org/parishfinder
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Adams
Previously served as Pastor, St. Ann Parish, Augusta and Canonical Pastor of St. Ambrose, Delton and Our Lady of Great Oak Mission, Lacey; reassigned in 2016.
- Fr. John Fleckenstein2016 – July 2017
Appointed Pastor of the new Lacey Parish Collaborative (St. Ann Augusta, St. Ambrose Delton, Our Lady of Great Oak Lacey) under Bishop Bradley's 2016 pastoral plan; reassigned to St. Philip, Battle Creek.
- Fr. Francis Marotti2017
Named to succeed Fr. Fleckenstein as pastor of the Lacey Parish Collaborative.
- Fr. James Richardsonuntil late 2020
Served as Pastor of the collaborative and of Light of Christ Academy; appointed Pastor of St. Philip, Battle Creek while remaining Canonical Pastor of St. Ambrose and Our Lady of Great Oak.
- Fr. Carl F. Peltz
Served as Pastor of Our Lady of Great Oak Parish, Lacey during his ministry in the Diocese of Kalamazoo; ordained 1977.
- Fr. Robert Johansen2016 –
Named Parochial Vicar of the Lacey Parish Collaborative in 2016 while also serving as chaplain to Battle Creek-area hospitals.