About Our Lady of the Assumption · Rothbury, Michigan
Our Lady of the Assumption Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish located in the Village of Rothbury, in Oceana County, on Michigan's western shore. Founded in 1923, it is one of three faith communities in a pastoral cluster served together by a single pastor: St. James Parish in Montague (est. 1876), Our Lady of the Assumption in Rothbury, and St. John the Baptist Mission in Claybanks (est. 1886). The parish is part of the Northwest Deanery of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, and its Sunday Mass is celebrated at 3000 Winston Road in Rothbury. On Aug. 13, 2023, the community gathered with Bishop David Walkowiak to celebrate the parish's 100th anniversary, just three days before the universal Church's feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Aug. 15).
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Assumption (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Ronald D. Hutchinson (appointed pastor of the cluster — St. James, Montague; Our Lady of the Assumption, Rothbury; St. John the Baptist, Claybanks — effective July 1, 2025)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Grand Rapids (Northwest Deanery, Oceana County)
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Assumption offers a small, accessible Catholic community in the heart of Oceana County where Sunday Mass, daily Mass, and regular Confession are part of the weekly rhythm. The parish church and hall are fully handicapped accessible, and being clustered with St. James in Montague and St. John the Baptist in Claybanks means members benefit from shared pastoral care, sacramental preparation, and faith-formation opportunities across three worship sites — a model explicitly encouraged by the Diocese of Grand Rapids. For Catholic families and individuals in the Rothbury area, it is a place to receive the sacraments, celebrate the 100-year-old parish's Marian heritage, and be part of a worshipping community preparing to merge into a larger unified parish with St. James.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:30 p.m. (listed via the cluster's published schedule)
Overview & Identity
Our Lady of the Assumption Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, located in the Village of Rothbury in Oceana County on Michigan's western shoreline. Established in 1923, the parish community gathers at 3000 Winston Road for Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m. The parish shares pastoral leadership with St. James Parish in Montague and St. John the Baptist Mission in Claybanks under a single pastor.
- Parish name: Our Lady of the Assumption
- Diocese: Grand Rapids (Northwest Deanery)
- County: Oceana County, Michigan
- Established: 1923
- Worship site: 3000 Winston Rd., Rothbury, MI 49452-9721
- Roman Rite / English-language liturgy
History & Centennial
The parish was founded in 1923, a century after which Bishop David Walkowiak joined the community on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023 for a 100th anniversary Mass. Father Peter Omogo and Father Norm Droski concelebrated. The bishop noted that the anniversary Mass fell just three days before the universal Church's feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15). A light buffet followed. The diocesan archives at Marquette University also note that St. James, Montague historically tended to the earlier St. Joseph Mission (Ottawa) at Hart/Elbridge in Oceana County (1883–1895, 1920s), a reminder that Catholic missionary life in this region predates the 1923 founding.
- Founded 1923
- 100th anniversary Mass celebrated Aug. 13, 2023 with Bishop David Walkowiak
- Centennial coincided with the Aug. 15 Feast of the Assumption
- Earlier Ottawa / Native American Catholic mission at Hart/Elbridge served from St. James, Montague (1883–1920s); sacramental records preserved at Marquette University
Cluster of Parishes
Our Lady of the Assumption does not stand alone. It is one of three faith communities in the same pastoral cluster, sharing a single pastor: St. James Parish in Montague, Our Lady of the Assumption in Rothbury, and St. John the Baptist Mission in Claybanks. The cluster has one parish office (5149 Dowling St., Montague), one phone number (231-893-3085), and one website (stjamescatholicparish.org). Confession at the cluster is offered Saturday afternoons, and Sunday Masses are scheduled across the three worship sites so that all parishioners can attend weekly.
- St. James Parish, Montague — est. 1876, worship site 5149 Dowling St., Montague
- Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Rothbury — est. 1923, worship site 3000 Winston Rd., Rothbury
- St. John the Baptist Mission, Claybanks — est. 1886
- Single business address: 5149 Dowling St., Montague, MI 49437
- Single phone/fax: 231-893-3085 / Fax 231-894-9929
Pastoral Plan & Forthcoming Merger
Under the Diocese of Grand Rapids' 'Rooted in Christ' pastoral plan published in June 2025, the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption in Rothbury — together with St. John the Baptist Mission in Claybanks — is directed to merge with St. James Parish in Montague. The plan states that the church buildings at Our Lady of the Assumption and St. John the Baptist will continue to be used for religious purposes, while a separate plan will be developed for other facilities until arrangements are made. The councils of the three churches are asked to establish a regular dialogue about the merger, prepare parishioners for the transition, and consider forming a single pastoral council and a single finance council.
- June 2025 Diocesan plan directs merger with St. James, Montague
- St. John the Baptist, Claybanks to be included in the same merger
- Rothbury church building to remain in use for religious purposes
- Single pastoral council and single finance council anticipated
Clergy & Leadership
The current pastor of the three-parish cluster is Very Rev. Ronald D. Hutchinson, appointed by Bishop Walkowiak effective July 1, 2025. Father Hutchinson previously served as rector of the Basilica of St. Adalbert, Grand Rapids, and as pastor of St. Mary Parish, Grand Rapids. He succeeds Father Peter Omogo, who served as administrator of the cluster until resigning effective May 2, 2025, when he was recalled to his home diocese in Nigeria. Father Norm Droski concelebrated the parish's 100th anniversary Mass.
- Current Pastor: Very Rev. Ronald D. Hutchinson (effective July 1, 2025)
- Previous Administrator: Rev. Peter Omogo (recalled to Nigeria, May 2, 2025)
- Father Norm Droski — concelebrated 2023 centennial Mass
Ministries & Faith Life
Pastoral and faith-formation ministries are organized cooperatively across the cluster of three parishes. Areas of shared ministry include sacramental preparation, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), religious education for children, youth ministry, and outreach to the homebound and elderly. The diocesan 'Rooted in Christ' plan directs the merged parishes of St. James (with OLA and St. John the Baptist) to continue and strengthen Catholic education and youth-ministry efforts in cooperation with neighboring parishes of the Northwest Deanery, including support of Bishop Baraga Academy. Standard parish liturgical ministries — lectors, Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, choir, altar servers — are supported at the Rothbury site as part of the cluster.
- Sacramental preparation (cluster-wide)
- OCIA (Christian Initiation)
- Religious education / youth ministry
- Pastoral care for homebound, elderly, and hospitalized
- Liturgical ministries (music, lectors, EMHCs, sacristans)
- Outreach and collaboration with Northwest Deanery parishes
Sacraments
Through the cluster arrangement, Our Lady of the Assumption offers access to the principal sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. Sunday Eucharist and a weekly Tuesday Mass are celebrated at the Rothbury worship site; Reconciliation is scheduled Saturday afternoons. Baptisms, Marriages, Anointing of the Sick, First Communion, and Confirmation are prepared and celebrated in cooperation with the cluster parishes; parishioners are asked to contact the shared parish office to begin preparation.
- Eucharist — Sunday 8:30 a.m., Tuesday 6:00 p.m.
- Reconciliation — Saturday afternoons
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, First Communion, Confirmation — through cluster preparation
Visit, Contact & Accessibility
Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish office by phone at 231-893-3085 (Fax 231-894-9929) or by email ([email protected]). The mailing/business address is 5149 Dowling St., Montague, MI 49437. The worship site at 3000 Winston Rd., Rothbury, MI 49452 is fully handicapped accessible, including the parish hall, and is locally described as 'west of the blinker light in the Village of Rothbury.' Online, the official website is stjamescatholicparish.org, which serves all three parishes of the cluster.
- Worship site: 3000 Winston Rd., Rothbury, MI 49452-9721
- Business/mailing: 5149 Dowling St., Montague, MI 49437
- Phone: 231-893-3085; Fax: 231-894-9929
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjamescatholicparish.org
- Handicapped-accessible church and hall
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Peter OmogoThrough May 2, 2025 (resigned/recalled to Nigeria)
Served the three-parish cluster as administrator; concelebrated the 100th anniversary Mass with Bishop Walkowiak on Aug. 13, 2023.
- Very Rev. Ronald D. HutchinsonEffective July 1, 2025
Previously rector of the Basilica of St. Adalbert, Grand Rapids, and pastor of St. Mary Parish, Grand Rapids; appointed pastor of the cluster by Bishop Walkowiak.