About Saint George [Ruthenian] · Bay City, Michigan
St. George Byzantine Catholic Church is a Ruthenian (Byzantine) rite Catholic parish serving the East Side of Bay City, Michigan, as a member of the Eparchy of Parma. The small faithful community gathers for the Sunday Divine Liturgy at 11:30 a.m. in a historic building that was relocated to its present site in 1885 and adapted as a Catholic church in 1967. Today the parish numbers roughly 65 households and is currently pastored jointly with St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church in Flushing.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- Saint George
- Rector
- Very Rev. James Jude Batcha (pastor since September 2018, serving jointly with St. Michael the Archangel Byzantine Catholic Church in Flushing, MI)
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma (geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw)
Why belong here
St. George offers a small, tightly-knit Byzantine Catholic community on Bay City's East Side where every household is known, surrounded by the living tradition of the Ruthenian rite — the same faith as Roman Catholics, expressed in the Divine Liturgy, iconography, and the church's unmistakable gold onion domes. As part of the Eparchy of Parma, the parish is in full communion with the Pope and the worldwide Catholic Church while preserving its distinct Eastern heritage. A visit here is a chance to worship as Byzantine Catholics have for centuries and to belong to a parish that has faithfully served its neighborhood for nearly six decades.
Mass times at Saint George [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish Overview
St. George Byzantine Catholic Church is a Ruthenian (Byzantine) rite Catholic parish located on the East Side of Bay City, Michigan. The small but devoted faith community is part of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma and is in full communion with the Pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, while preserving its distinct Eastern Christian liturgical and spiritual heritage.
- Parish name: St. George Byzantine Catholic Church
- Rite: Byzantine (Ruthenian)
- Jurisdiction: Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma
- Geographic territory: Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw
- Sunday Divine Liturgy: 11:30 AM
History
The parish's life story is intertwined with that of its building. The structure was first erected in 1837 as the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Bay City on Madison Avenue and Ninth Street, moved in 1885 to 204 N. Van Buren Street, and in 1967 became the home of a new Byzantine Catholic community. Father Cyril Attak celebrated the first Divine Liturgy here on September 24, 1967.
- 1837: Building constructed as the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Bay City
- 1885: Structure relocated to 204 N. Van Buren Street
- Late 19th century – 1960: Home of Hebrew Congregation Shaary Zedek
- June 1967: Building purchased by the Byzantine Catholic community
- September 24, 1967: First Divine Liturgy celebrated; Father Cyril Attak, founding pastor
- November 2015: Three gold onion domes installed
- 2017: 50th anniversary of the parish
The Building and the Gold Domes
In November 2015, St. George made a striking visual statement of its Byzantine identity when two large gold European-style onion domes — built of carbon fiber by a Cleveland manufacturer — were hoisted onto the 179-year-old church roof, along with a third, smaller gold dome over a rear entrance to the church hall. The project, costing roughly $10,000, was completed in advance of the parish's 50th anniversary. Each dome has a specific dedication.
- Style: European-style onion domes, reminiscent of churches in Ukraine and Russia
- Material: Carbon fiber, manufactured in Cleveland
- Large front dome: dedicated to the living and deceased members and clergy of the mother parish, St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church in Flushing
- Larger dome over the altar: dedicated to the members of St. George Parish in Bay City
- Smallest dome over the rear entrance: represents 'welcome, mercy and hospitality'
Clergy and Pastoral Care
St. George has been served by a succession of Byzantine Catholic priests, beginning with founding pastor Father Cyril Attak in 1967. Today the parish is jointly pastored with its mother parish, St. Michael the Archangel Byzantine Catholic Church in Flushing, by the Very Rev. James Jude Batcha, who has served both communities since September 2018.
- Father Cyril Attak — founding pastor (1967)
- Rev. David A. Hannes — pastor in 2015, led the dome installation
- Very Rev. James Jude Batcha — current pastor (since September 2018), also pastor of St. Michael the Archangel in Flushing, MI
Liturgy and Schedule
As a Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic parish, St. George celebrates the full Byzantine liturgical tradition in English, with portions of the Divine Liturgy sung in Church Slavonic as is customary in Ruthenian communities. The published weekend schedule is a single Sunday Divine Liturgy at 11:30 AM. Weekday Mass times, confession, adoration, and other devotions are not currently published in online directories; parishioners and visitors are encouraged to call the parish office for the current schedule.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy: 11:30 AM (English, with Slavonic chants)
- Weekday Mass: not listed online — call (989) 892-0763 for current schedule
- Confession: not listed online
- Adoration / other devotions: not listed online
Location, Contact and Online Presence
St. George Byzantine Catholic Church is located on the East Side of Bay City, Michigan, in the same Van Buren Street building it has occupied since 1885. The parish does not maintain an independent website; its primary online presence is a Facebook page used for parish news and updates.
- Address: 204 N. Van Buren Street, Bay City, MI 48708-6519
- Telephone: (989) 892-0763
- Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stgeorgebaycity
- Diocesan affiliation (Byzantine): Eparchy of Parma — http://www.parma.org/
- Geographic affiliation (Roman): Diocese of Saginaw
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Cyril Attak1967–
Founding pastor; celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the building on September 24, 1967.
- Rev. David A. Hannes
Served as pastor and was the priest who led the 2015 installation of the gold onion domes ahead of the parish's 50th anniversary.
- Very Rev. James Jude Batcha2018–Present
Currently pastors St. George jointly with the mother parish, St. Michael the Archangel Byzantine Catholic Church in Flushing, Michigan.