About Our Lady of Mount Carmel · Temperance, Michigan
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a Roman Catholic parish in the Village of Temperance, Michigan, part of the Archdiocese of Detroit's Monroe Vicariate and the South Monroe 3 Family of Parishes. The parish was established in 1957 as a mission of St. Anthony Parish and was raised to full parish status on April 13, 1960, with Fr. William G. Hunt as its first pastor. Today the parish serves the south Monroe County community from its church at 8330 Lewis Avenue, offering weekend and weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, religious education, and a range of lay ministries including a St. Vincent de Paul conference, the Knights of Columbus (Council 8902), Catholic War Veterans, and Gabriel's Gift Baby Closet.
- Established
- 1957
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert Slaton (Moderator / Priest In Solidum, as listed in the Archdiocese of Detroit directory)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit (Monroe Vicariate; South Region; South Monroe 3 Family of Parishes)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a small, family-sized parish that has worshipped in the Village of Temperance for more than 65 years and continues to mark milestones — including its 60th anniversary in 2020 — with the same loyalty. It offers the full sacramental life of a Catholic parish: weekend and weekday Masses, Saturday confession, Eucharistic Adoration, religious education for K–8, and a recently added Sunday nursery and full-time youth ministry. Active lay apostolates are woven into parish life, including a St. Vincent de Paul conference for those in need, the Knights of Columbus Council 8902, Catholic War Veterans, the Christophers ministry bringing Communion to the homebound and shut-ins, and Gabriel's Gift Baby Closet for mothers in need — making it a place where a new family can quickly find a way to belong.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (also listed Wednesday per the home page schedule block)
Adoration times
- Monday & Wednesday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish History
The parish traces its origin to a September 22, 1957 meeting at St. Anthony Parish's rectory between Msgr. Bernard Kearns, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Detroit, and St. Anthony's pastor Rev. Hugo Noetzel, who was tasked with finding a temporary Mass location in the Village of Temperance. He chose the Rotary Hall at Carr's Park, and on October 13, 1957 Fr. Paul Berg celebrated the first Mass to a standing-room-only crowd of about 250. The mission was named Our Lady of Mount Carmel on November 14, 1957; given autonomous-mission status on March 28, 1958; raised to parish status on April 13, 1960; and the first pastor, Fr. William G. Hunt, was officially installed on April 20, 1960. Archbishop John F. Dearden solemnly blessed the present church on June 7, 1959, after its first midnight Christmas Mass in 1958.
- 1957: First Mass at Rotary Hall, Carr's Park (Oct 13)
- 1957: Named Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Nov 14)
- 1958: Granted autonomous-mission status; Fr. Hunt appointed administrator (Mar 28)
- 1958: Ground broken on Lewis Avenue church (Aug 17)
- 1958: First Mass in new church, midnight Christmas (Dec 25)
- 1959: Archbishop Dearden blesses the church (Jun 7)
- 1960: Raised to parish status (Apr 13); Fr. Hunt installed as first pastor (Apr 20)
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
Religious Education is offered for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8. Classes meet Monday and Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 6:45 PM at the parish. Sacramental preparation retreats are scheduled for First Communion and Confirmation candidates.
- Monday 5:30–6:45 PM — Grades K–1 and 3–7
- Tuesday 5:30–6:45 PM — Grades K–8
- Fees: $110 for one student; $155 for two; $185 for three or more
- First Communion Retreat fee: $50
- Confirmation Retreat fee: $50
- Contact: [email protected] (Faith Formation Assistant)
Parish Ministries and Organizations
A wide range of lay-led ministries serve both the parish and the wider south Monroe County community, from spiritual and sacramental work (Eucharistic Ministers, Sacristans, Ushers) to outreach to the homebound, families in need, and veterans. The Ladies Guild traces its origin to the small group of women who prepared the altar at the original Rotary Hall Masses.
- St. Vincent de Paul Conference
- Knights of Columbus — Council 8902
- Catholic War Veterans (meets 4th Thursday, 7:00 PM at OLMC)
- Christophers (Eucharistic Ministers to the homebound, sick, and local nursing care facilities)
- Eucharistic Ministers (Communion distribution at Mass)
- Sacristans
- Ushers
- Gabriel's Gift Baby Closet (diapers, formula, wipes, clothing for mothers in need)
- Ladies Guild
- Full-time Youth Ministry (since 2018)
- Sunday Nursery (since 2019)
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, including ongoing Reconciliation on Saturdays, religious-education-based preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation, and the Christophers ministry that brings Holy Communion to the homebound, sick, and residents of local nursing care facilities.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion (with retreat)
- Confirmation (with retreat)
- Matrimony / Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Communion brought to the homebound by the Christophers
Resurrection Cemetery
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish operates Our Lady of Mount Carmel Resurrection Cemetery on parish grounds. Former pastor Fr. Daniel Nusbaum, who served 2004–2008, was interred there in 2017, fulfilling his wish to be buried at the parish he loved.
- Parish-operated cemetery
- Burial site of Fr. Daniel Nusbaum (d. November 9, 2017)
Around the Parish — Notable Moments
OLMC has marked several milestones, including the 60th anniversary in 2020, which was reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. The parish responded by livestreaming Sunday Mass starting Easter Sunday 2020 and resumed public Masses with safety protocols in May–June 2020, later adding two Sunday Masses again.
- 60th Anniversary: 2020
- Parish school: opened September 1967; closed 1970
- Old 'convent' on Donna Drive (owned since 1966): sold July 2020
- Deacon Marty Selmek ordained October 6, 2012
- Full-time Youth Minister hired July 2018
- Sunday Nursery added 2019
- Livestream Mass launched Easter Sunday 2020
Contact, Location, and Family of Parishes
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is part of the Archdiocese of Detroit's Monroe Vicariate, South Region, and belongs to the South Monroe 3 Family of Parishes along with St. Anthony Parish in Temperance and St. Joseph Parish in Erie. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
- Address: 8330 Lewis Avenue, Temperance, MI 48182
- Phone: 734-847-2805
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Archdiocese of Detroit — Monroe Vicariate — South Monroe 3 Family of Parishes
- Family parishes: St. Anthony (Temperance) and St. Joseph (Erie)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William G. Hunt1960–1979
Appointed first pastor April 20, 1960, after serving as administrator of the autonomous mission from 1958. Retired in 1979; died of a massive heart attack.
- Rev. Leo J. Smith1979–1982
Arrived October 1964 as a 'temporary' assistant during Fr. Hunt's illness and stayed eighteen years. Installed as pastor in 1979; oversaw post–Vatican II renovation of the church. Retired in 1982.
- Rev. Alfred Miller1982–2002
Succeeded Fr. Smith in 1982; retired in July 2002 after 21 years of service to the parish.
- Rev. Steven L. Vileo2002–2004
Assigned as pastor in 2002, served two years, left in June 2004.
- Rev. Daniel Nusbaum2004–2008
Came to OLMC in July 2004 after 39 years on the Mount St. Mary's College faculty; installed September 19, 2004. Retired June 2008. Died November 9, 2017; buried in OLMC Resurrection Cemetery.
- Rev. Stephen Rooney2008–2013
Appointed effective July 1, 2008; previously 13 years as pastor of St. Michael the Archangel, Monroe, and Vicar of the Monroe Vicariate. Transferred July 2013 to Our Lady on the River, Marine City.
- Rev. Don LaCuesta2013–
Installed as pastor on August 1, 2013, after the July 2013 transfers of Frs. Rooney and Slaton.