Presentation/Our Lady of Victory

About Presentation Our Lady of Victory

Presentation Our Lady of Victory Parish is an urban Catholic parish on Detroit's northwest side and one of the historic Black Catholic communities of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Its public self-description, drawn directly from the parish website, reads: 'an urban parish that strives to proclaim the Good News of Christ and the beliefs of the Roman Catholic faith, focuses on increasing our love for God through worship; serves as stewards in the community and continues the ministry of Jesus Christ through prayer and evangelization.' The parish proclaims '83 Years Strong!! 1943 – 2026' on its homepage, honoring its foundress Anna 'Madre' Bates.

History

Our Lady of Victory was founded in 1943 as the fourth Black Catholic mission opened by the Archdiocese of Detroit, growing out of a decade of advocacy by Anna 'Madre' Bates — a West Indian Catholic woman who organized catechesis with the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and eventually secured funding from the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine to launch the mission when Black Catholics were excluded from neighboring parishes including Presentation. The mission grew rapidly; the Oblate Sisters of Providence arrived in 1948. In 2017 it was grouped into Trinity Family 1, and effective January 1, 2025 it was transferred with St. Scholastica Parish into Trinity Vicariate Family 4 under Archbishop Vigneron's Families of Parishes plan.

• 1943 — Our Lady of Victory mission established by Anna 'Madre' Bates in northwest Detroit/semi-rural Ferndale
• 1941 — eight-foot, half-mile segregation wall built nearby by the city of Detroit
• 1948 — Oblate Sisters of Providence assigned to the mission
• Early clergy included Franciscan Fathers Alvin Dean and Hubert Roberge
• 2017 — grouped with Corpus Christi, SS. Peter and Paul (Westside), St. Juan Diego, St. Mary of Redford, and St. Scholastica in Trinity Family 1 (One in the Spirit Family)
• December 9, 2024 — Archbishop Vigneron's decree transferring the parish (with St. Scholastica) to Trinity Vicariate Family 4, effective January 1, 2025

Clergy, Staff & Councils

The parish is currently administered by Rev. Marco Kiyan, PES — a priest of the Priestly Fraternity of the Emmanuel Society — who was appointed Administrator of both Presentation Our Lady of Victory and St. Scholastica effective January 1, 2025. He succeeds Deacon Hubert Sanders, who served as Pastoral Administrator from July 2003 through December 2024 and continues to serve the community as a deacon. The parish is supported by a business manager, coordinators of religious education, worship, and adult formation, a sacristan, and the heads of the Ushers and St. Vincent de Paul ministries.

• Rev. Marco Kiyan, PES — Administrator (since January 1, 2025)
• Deacon Hubert Sanders — Deacon; Pastoral Administrator 2003–2024
• Mrs. Wanda Sanders — Coordinator of Religious Education
• Deacon Hubert Sanders — Adult Formation
• Ms. Jeanine Murphy — Business Manager / Administrative Assistant / Worship Coordinator
• Ms. Mary Maurant — Sacristan
• Mr. Anthony Timbers — Ushers Ministry Coordinator
• Ms. Monika Uriel — St. Vincent de Paul Society; Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court #189
• Parish Council: Gail Bond (Chair), Stacey Dick, Jesse Goodwin, Belinda Danzy, Thomas Diggs, Monika Uriel
• Finance Council: Jonathan Sanders (Chair), Stacey Busby, Anthony Timbers, Michael Vincent

Ministries & Organizations

The parish offers a wide range of lay-led liturgical and outreach ministries. Worship ministries include Ministers of Service, Altar Servers, Ushers, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Service, supported by the Adult Choir. Community and formation groups include Men of Victory, the 50 & Over Group, the F.I.T.T. Ministry, Youth Ministry, Junior Daughters, and the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver (with Ladies Auxiliary Court #189). Outreach is led through the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

• Worship: Ministers of Service, Altar Servers, Ushers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Service, Adult Choir
• Fellowship: Men of Victory, 50 & Over Group
• Formation: Religious Education (Mrs. Wanda Sanders), Adult Formation (Deacon Hubert Sanders), F.I.T.T. Ministry, Youth Ministry, Junior Daughters
• Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul Society, Parish Outreach, Knights of Peter Claver, Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court #189

Family of Parishes — Trinity Vicariate Family 4

On December 9, 2024, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron issued a decree transferring Presentation Our Lady of Victory Parish and St. Scholastica Parish (both in Detroit) to a new Family of Parishes called Trinity Vicariate Family 4, effective January 1, 2025. The prior 'One in the Spirit Family of Parishes' grouping — Corpus Christi, SS. Peter and Paul (Westside), and St. Mary of Redford — continues as a separate family. The new two-parish family is served jointly by Rev. Marco Kiyan, PES, who is Administrator of both parishes.

• Decree issued December 9, 2024 by Archbishop Vigneron
• Effective January 1, 2025
• Family parishes: Presentation Our Lady of Victory (Detroit) and St. Scholastica (Detroit)
• Served by Administrator Rev. Marco Kiyan, PES

Visit Us & Contact

The parish now worships in the chapel on the St. Scholastica Campus at the corner of Outer Drive and Southfield in Detroit. The parish office is located at 17305 Ashton (in the Convent). Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone at 313-255-9000 or by email at [email protected]; emergency lines are listed at 313-330-1332 and 586-596-2089.

• Chapel / worship location: 8201 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48219 (St. Scholastica Campus)
• Parish Office / mailing: 17305 Ashton (in Convent), Detroit, MI 48219
• Phone: 313-255-9000
• Email: [email protected]
• Emergency contact: 313-330-1332 / 586-596-2089
• Website: www.presentationourladyofvictory.org