About Our Lady of La Salette · Berkley, Michigan
Our Lady of La Salette is a Roman Catholic parish in Berkley, Michigan, part of the Archdiocese of Detroit and a member of the Northwest South Oakland 5 'Family Sent on Mission' that also includes Transfiguration (Southfield), Divine Providence (Southfield), and Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Oak Park). The parish traces its origins to 1921 and was originally named Our Lady of Refuge before taking its current name in 1932 when the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette were invited to staff it. Today the parish gathers for weekend and weekday Mass in its 1967 church and an attached Parish Activities Building chapel, supported by a committed lay staff, two deacons, and a team of priests serving in solidum.
- Established
- 1921 (parish formally established 1924 as Our Lady of Refuge; renamed Our Lady of La Salette 1932)
- Patron
- Our Lady of La Salette (Our Lady Reconciler of Sinners); originally Our Lady of Refuge
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Patrick J. Connell (Priest in Solidum / Family Pastor within the In Solidum team; Fr. Jeffrey Scheeler, OFM serves as Moderator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit (Family of Parishes: Northwest South Oakland 5, South Oakland Vicariate)
Why belong here
Our Lady of La Salette is a parish where the Eucharist is the center of life — its own mission statement names 'the living and welcoming presence of Jesus Christ' as that center, with worship, Gospel proclamation, service, and the New Evangelization flowing from it. It is part of a four-parish 'Family Sent on Mission' that shares priests and resources, so parishioners have access to a wider liturgical schedule (including weekday Mass at neighboring Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Oak Park) while still belonging to a tight-knit Berkley community. Concrete ways to belong include the Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, the parish's music and faith-formation programs, the La Salette Counting Ministry, Bible studies, the novena devotion, and the annual parish garage sale — all visible on the parish's own announcements and bulletin pages.
Mass times at Our Lady of La Salette
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at Transfiguration Parish
- Saturday at 12 noon at Transfiguration Parish
- By appointment — contact Fr. Scheeler or Fr. Chateau
Adoration times
- First Monday (Eucharistic Adoration, per Archdiocese of Detroit parish directory)
Our Story — A Century in Berkley
Our Lady of La Salette began in 1921 when a handful of Catholics in the Berkley area pooled their money to buy land on Catalpa. Within three years they had a parish — Our Lady of Refuge — and by 1927 a church had been moved to the corner of Coolidge and Harvard. The Depression nearly killed the parish, but in 1932 the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette were invited in, the name was changed, and volunteer labor — especially on a hand-dug basement — kept the community alive. A school followed in 1943, a new rectory in 1963, and the present church in 1967. The La Salette Missionaries served for 62 years before returning the parish to archdiocesan staffing in 1994. Archbishop Vigneron celebrated the parish's 100th anniversary on November 17, 2024.
- 1921 — land purchased on Catalpa
- 1924 — parish of Our Lady of Refuge established
- 1927 — church moved to Coolidge & Harvard
- 1932 — Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette arrive; parish renamed
- 1943 — school opens in a garage; Sisters of Mercy staff it
- 1947–1953 — present school built in three stages
- 1963 — new rectory built
- 1967 — present church constructed
- 1988 — Father Landry Parish Center built
- 1994 — La Salette Missionaries withdraw; parish returns to the Archdiocese of Detroit
- June 6, 2013 — school closes after 70+ years
- November 17, 2024 — 100th anniversary Mass with Archbishop Vigneron
Mission & Identity
The parish's published mission statement reads: 'We, the Roman Catholic Family of Our Lady of La Salette, have the living and welcoming presence of Jesus Christ as the center of our life, especially in the Eucharist. Through worship, the proclamation of the Gospel, service, and the work of the New Evangelization, we continue the reconciling ministry of Jesus Christ.' That mission flows directly from the La Salette charism of reconciliation given to Mary at the 1846 apparition in the French Alps, where the Weeping Virgin called sinners to conversion.
Sacraments
Baptisms are arranged through Deacon Daniel Darga; marriages are scheduled by contacting one of the priests on the In Solidum team. Confessions are heard on the family schedule at Transfiguration Parish (Tuesday 10:30 a.m. and Saturday 12 noon) or by appointment with Fr. Scheeler or Fr. Chateau. The parish also coordinates Communion and Sick Calls for parishioners who are hospitalized or homebound.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Our Lady of La Salette is coordinated by Br. Al Mascia, O.F.M., and the parish participates in the wider 'Family Sent on Mission' catechetical life that also serves Transfiguration, Divine Providence, and Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Bible studies are offered regularly, and sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation is part of parish life.
- Coordinator: Br. Al Mascia, O.F.M.
- Bible Studies
- Sacramental preparation
- Safe Environments compliance
Music Ministry
Music at La Salette is led by Minister of Music Peter A. Rogers. The parish bulletin highlights a wide repertoire that ranges from classic hymns of praise and devotion (such as Ralph Vaughan Williams' 'Come Down, O Love Divine') to music suited to the church's seasons, including livestreamed Masses during the Easter season and beyond.
Outreach & Parish Life
Outreach is anchored by the parish's own Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, supported by lay-led ministries and the annual parish Garage Sale. The Knights of Columbus lead parish processions and are visible at major celebrations such as the 100th anniversary Mass. The La Salette Counting Ministry recognizes long-serving volunteers like Jenny Stibitz for decades of faithful service.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- Knights of Columbus
- Parish Garage Sale
- La Salette Counting Ministry
- Novena devotion
- Lenten Penance Service
Family of Parishes (Northwest South Oakland 5)
Since July 1, 2021, Our Lady of La Salette has been part of the South Oakland Vicariate's Northwest South Oakland 5 'Family Sent on Mission,' together with Church of the Transfiguration (Southfield), Divine Providence (Southfield), and Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Oak Park). The family shares an In Solidum team of priests: Fr. Patrick Connell, Fr. Jeffrey Scheeler OFM (Moderator), Fr. Paul Chateau, Fr. Tomas Miliauskas MIC, Fr. Jeremy Harrington OFM, Fr. Raphael Ozoude OFM, and Fr. John Vandenakker CC (Weekend Priest Support). This sharing of clergy is what allows the parish to publish weekday Mass at a sister church while keeping its own weekend schedule intact.
Campus & Facilities
The parish campus at 2600 Harvard Road centers on the 1967 church and includes the Father Landry Parish Center (built in 1988 on the site of the 1953–1967 church) and a Parish Activities Building that houses the weekday Mass chapel. The 1799 Coolidge building — the original rectory sold during the Depression — still stands in the neighborhood as a reminder of the parish's earliest days.
- 1967 church
- Father Landry Parish Center (1988)
- Parish Activities Building / weekday chapel
- Historic former rectory at 1799 Coolidge
Our Lady of La Salette School (1943–2013)
Our Lady of La Salette School opened in 1943 with just two classrooms in a garage and an inaugural enrollment of 100 children, staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. The present school building was constructed in three stages between 1947 and 1953 and, by the early 1960s, was educating well over 1,000 students. After more than 70 years of continuous Catholic education, the school closed on June 6, 2013. Generations of Berkley Catholics trace their faith formation to its halls.
Parish Office & Stewardship
Parish office hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Appointments at other times can be arranged by calling (248) 541-3762 ext. 110. Stewardship is supported through Online Giving via ParishSoft, the annual Catholic Services Appeal (CSA), and traditional Sunday offerings.
The La Salette Crucifix
The parish maintains a distinctive 'La Salette Crucifix' — a centerpiece of the 1846 apparition at La Salette, where the weeping Virgin Mary revealed a crucifix 'resplendent in light.' The parish website has a dedicated page for this devotion.
Visiting & Contact
Our Lady of La Salette Roman Catholic Church is located at 2600 Harvard Road, Berkley, Michigan 48072-1597. Phone (248) 541-3762, fax (248) 541-4250. Email [email protected]. Livestream and bulletin links are available at www.lasalette-church.org, and the parish can be followed on Facebook at facebook.com/LaSaletteBerkley and watched on Vimeo at vimeo.com/lasaletteberkley.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.)1932–1994
Religious order invited by the Archdiocese of Detroit to staff the parish during the Depression; they renamed the parish Our Lady of La Salette and oversaw its growth, the school, and the construction of the 1967 church. Withdrew in 1994.
- Archdiocese of Detroit clergy1994–present
Pastoral responsibility returned to the archdiocese in 1994. Fr. Patrick J. Connell has served as Pastor and, after the 2021 archdiocesan restructuring, as Family-Pastor / Priest in Solidum for the Northwest South Oakland 5 family (effective July 1, 2021).