About Our Lady of Mount Carmel · Emmett, Michigan
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Emmett, Michigan, located in St. Clair County in the Thumb region. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Detroit's Northwest Region, Thumb Vicariate, and is part of the Northwest Thumb 1 Family of Parishes alongside Sacred Heart Parish in Yale and St. John the Evangelist Parish in Allenton. Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 5:00 PM (livestreamed) and Sunday at 10:30 AM, with a Wednesday morning Mass at 8:30 AM. The parish traces its origins to a log church founded in 1853 by Father Lawrence Kilroy and is home to one of the oldest cemeteries in the area at Kenockee.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Rector
- Rev. H. Thomas Kuehnemund (Moderator, Priest In Solidum)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
Our Lady of Mount Carmel offers a tight-knit rural Catholic community in Michigan's Thumb with regular Masses that are livestreamed, weekday Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays, and Saturday confessions before Mass. Active organizations include the Knights of Columbus Council 7918, Daughters of Isabella Circle 452, Little Flowers girls' group, rosary groups, Bible study, Boomers and Beyond, Blue Knights, a COR men's group, and the Rosary Makers. Worship, faith formation for K–8, Vacation Bible School, student ministry for grades 6–12, and a homebound ministry round out a parish life rooted in Irish Catholic heritage and service to neighbors across the Thumb region.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM (heard in the parish hall)
Adoration times
- Monday 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish History
Our Lady of Mount Carmel was founded as a log church by Father Lawrence Kilroy in 1853 in Kenockee, serving a mostly Irish congregation in southeast St. Clair County. A monumental Neo-Gothic church was built in 1897, burned in 1966, and replaced by the present structure completed in 1970. Father John F. Farrell's 43-year pastorate (1923–1966) shaped the modern parish, including its school and convent. The 2003 Michigan Historical Commission marker preserves this story at the church site.
- 1853: Log church and cemetery founded in Kenockee by Father Lawrence Kilroy
- 1876: St. Patrick's Benevolent Society organized by Irish parishioners
- 1897: Neo-Gothic church built in Emmett
- 1923–1966: Father John F. Farrell serves the parish for 43 years
- 1966: 1897 church destroyed by fire
- 1970: Present church completed
- 1974: Parish school renamed John F. Farrell Elementary and joins Yale School District
- 2003: Michigan Historical Commission marker (L2131) erected
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by a team of priests in solidum under the leadership of Rev. H. Thomas Kuehnemund as Moderator, with Rev. Michael Gawlowski as a second priest in solidum and Deacon William Kolarik assisting. Together they shepherd the Northwest Thumb 1 Family of Parishes from offices shared with Sacred Heart (Yale) and St. John the Evangelist (Allenton).
- Rev. H. Thomas Kuehnemund — Moderator, Priest In Solidum
- Rev. Michael Gawlowski — Priest In Solidum
- Deacon William Kolarik — Deacon
Family of Parishes — Northwest Thumb 1
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is one of three parishes in the Northwest Thumb 1 Family of Parishes within the Archdiocese of Detroit's Thumb Vicariate, sharing clergy and ministry with two neighboring communities in St. Clair and northern Macomb/Lapeer counties.
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel — Emmett (810-384-1338)
- Sacred Heart — Yale (810-387-9800)
- St. John the Evangelist — Allenton (810-669-1029)
- Vicarate: Thumb Vicariate, Northwest Region
Parish Organizations
The parish is supported by a wide range of fraternal, devotional, and social organizations typical of long-standing rural Catholic communities. Local councils include Knights of Columbus 7918, Daughters of Isabella 452, and Squires for boys ages 6–12.
- Knights of Columbus 7918
- Daughters of Isabella 452
- Squires (boys 6–12)
- Little Flowers
- Bible Study
- Numerous Rosary Groups
- Parish & Finance Councils
- Cemetery Committee
- Funeral Luncheon
- Buildings & Grounds
- Boomers and Beyond
- Blue Knights
- COR men's group
- Altar Society
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation serves children from kindergarten through eighth grade, with a student ministry for grades 6–12 and Vacation Bible School for preK through ninth grade. Programs are coordinated across all three Northwest Thumb 1 parishes (OLMC, SHY, SJA).
- Faith Formation K–8th grade
- Vacation Bible School preK–9th
- Student Ministry 6th–12th grade
- Rosary Makers
- Safe Environments: Protecting God's Children workshops and background checks required
Worship & Music Ministry
Worship ministry involves many lay roles serving weekend and weekday liturgies across the family of parishes, supported by choirs and music programs.
- Sacristans
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Ushers and Greeters
- Music & Choir
Outreach & Service
Service and outreach flow through the Homebound Ministry, Giving Tree, and Holiday Food Baskets, along with 'Pop-up Missions' that respond to community needs as they arise. COR men's group and Boomers and Beyond also bring parishioners together in service.
- Homebound Ministry
- Giving Tree (OLMC/SHY/SJA)
- Holiday Food Baskets (SJA)
- Pop-up Missions (Fundraising, Hospitality, Cemetery Clean-ups)
- COR men's group
Cemeteries
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel–Kenockee Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in the area, originally forty acres of land donated by Mr. Michael Harrington. It is the original parish site and contains Father Lawrence Kilroy's grave among the Irish pioneers he served, as well as the burial place of Father John F. Farrell (on the site of the original 1853 log church). The parish also oversees Sacred Heart Cemetery in Yale. Inquiries can be directed to the parish office.
- Original 40 acres donated by Michael Harrington
- Burial site of Father Lawrence Kilroy
- Burial site of Father John F. Farrell (site of the original 1853 log church)
- Contact: 810-384-1338 (OLMC) or 810-387-9800 (SHY)
Online Giving & Parish Support
Online giving is available for all three parishes through the East Thumb Catholic Family 1 website, with separate links for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Sacred Heart, and St. John the Evangelist.
- Online giving portal via eastthumbcatholic.org
- Separate giving pages for OLMC, Sacred Heart (Yale), and St. John (Allenton)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Lawrence Kilroy1853 onward
Pioneer missionary priest who founded the log church and cemetery in Kenockee; first priest ordained in the Detroit diocese. Also founded St. Stephen's, Port Huron, and St. Philip's, Columbus. Buried in the old Kenockee cemetery.
- Rev. John F. Farrell1923–1966
Served for 43 years. Established Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, built a convent for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Monroe. The school was renamed John F. Farrell Elementary School when it joined the Yale School District in 1974. Died 1971 and buried in the Kenockee cemetery on the site of the original log church. His estate funds a scholarship to Detroit priests for study in Rome.