About St. Agnes · Freeland, Michigan
St. Agnes Parish of Freeland is a Roman Catholic parish in the small Saginaw County community of Freeland, Michigan, belonging to the Diocese of Saginaw (Vicariate 3). The parish worships at 300 Johnson Street and, according to its IRS tax-exempt record, was formally established in 1946. Today it is led by Pastor Rev. Christian F. Tabares with Parochial Vicar Rev. Suman Kondavveeti, supported by a parish secretary, pastoral assistant, faith-formation director, youth ministry team, music director, bookkeepers, maintenance director, communications specialist, and a parish/finance council. Its mission statement describes the community as 'the Body of Christ, for our parish family and beyond, where each person is welcomed to worship and encouraged to serve others.'
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- Saint Agnes of Rome
- Rector
- Rev. Christian F. Tabares
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
Why belong here
St. Agnes is a welcoming, mid-sized Catholic parish in the Diocese of Saginaw where weekly Mass is offered Tuesdays at 6:00 pm, Fridays at 8:30 am, the First Saturday of the month at 8:30 am, Saturday Vigil at 4:00 pm, and Sundays at 10:30 am. Parishioners are invited into a full sacramental and devotional life with weekly reconciliation, Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration from 5:00 to 6:00 pm, and a staffed prayer line. Faith formation is offered for children in grades K–6, with a separate Youth Ministry team leading older students, and the parish supports a music ministry, communications, and parish/finance councils so members can serve and belong. The parish's stated mission is to be 'the Body of Christ, for our parish family and beyond,' making it an accessible, service-oriented community for Catholics in Freeland and the surrounding Saginaw County area.
Mass times at St. Agnes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 5:00 – 6:00 pm
- Saturday: 3:00 – 3:45 pm
- First Saturday: 8:00 am
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Parish Mission and Vision
The parish states its mission plainly on its website: 'We are the Body of Christ, for our parish family and beyond, where each person is welcomed to worship and encouraged to serve others.' Its vision is for the people of St. Agnes to experience and celebrate their faith in truth and love, serve the needs of others, teach one another, and thereby strengthen and inspire the parish family and beyond to embody Jesus Christ. These statements frame the parish's worship, formation, and outreach.
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by a pastor and parochial vicar, with a full lay staff supporting faith formation, youth ministry, music, communications, finances, and maintenance. The parish website's 'Parish Mission and Staff' page lists the team together with their contact emails.
- Rev. Christian F. Tabares — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Suman Kondavveeti — Parochial Vicar
- Kim Rosebush — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Julie DeSimpelare — Pastoral Associate / Pastoral Assistant ([email protected])
- Marianne Nowak — Assistant Bookkeeper ([email protected])
- Don Hemgesberg — Bookkeeper ([email protected])
- Kristin Bercel — Faith Formation Director, K–6th grade ([email protected])
- Shelley Helmreich — Director of Music ([email protected])
- Jennifer Howard — Director of Maintenance ([email protected])
- Janet Alexander — Youth Ministry Leader
- Alexandria Serrato — Communications Specialist ([email protected])
- Frank Tomsich — Pastoral Council Chair
- Charles Lickly — Finance Council Chair
Youth Ministry Team
In addition to the parish's Faith Formation program for younger children, the parish maintains a separate Youth Ministry team that supports middle- and high-school-aged parishioners under the leadership of Janet Alexander.
- Luke Bercel
- Jacob Johnson
- Julia Palomarez
- Izabella Rosebush
Faith Formation (K–6th)
Faith Formation for children from Kindergarten through 6th grade is directed by Kristin Bercel and is presented on the parish website as a distinct ministry page where families can find information and scheduling for parish catechetical offerings.
- Director: Kristin Bercel ([email protected])
- Grades served: Kindergarten through 6th
Music and Liturgy
Music for parish liturgies is coordinated by Director of Music Shelley Helmreich. The Music Ministry supports the regular weekend and weekday Mass schedule as well as holy days and seasons throughout the liturgical year.
- Director of Music: Shelley Helmreich ([email protected])
Parish Prayer Line
The parish operates a Prayer Line ministry so parishioners can submit and receive prayer intentions from the community. The prayer line number is shared on the parish's mission and staff page.
- Prayer Line: (989) 695-5652
Bulletins and Communications
St. Agnes publishes a weekly parish bulletin available online through its website, with an option to sign up to receive bulletin information by email each Tuesday. Alexandria Serrato serves as Communications Specialist for the parish.
- Weekly bulletin posted online
- Tuesday email sign-up available
- Communications Specialist: Alexandria Serrato
Online Giving
The parish supports online giving as a convenient way for parishioners and visitors to support its mission and operations. The online giving option is linked directly from the parish homepage.
Diocese and Wider Catholic Context
St. Agnes Parish of Freeland is a parish church within the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, listed in the diocese's parish directory under Vicariate 3. It appears alongside other Saginaw-area parishes such as Holy Spirit (Shields), St. John Vianney (Saginaw), Christ the Good Shepherd, St. Dominic, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, and the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption in Saginaw itself.
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Saginaw
- Vicariate: 3
- Parish church address: 300 Johnson Street, Freeland, MI 48623
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Andrew S. LaFramboisethrough at least 2022
Listed as Pastor of St. Agnes Parish of Freeland in the 2020 and 2022 editions of the Diocese of Saginaw parish directory.
- Rev. Christian F. Tabarescurrent
Current pastor per the parish website and the Diocese of Saginaw parish page; serves alongside parochial vicar Rev. Suman Kondavveeti.