About St. Alphonsus ~ St. Clement · Dearborn, Michigan
St. Alphonsus – St. Clement Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Dearborn, Michigan, formed in 2015 through the merger of two historic neighboring parishes: St. Alphonsus (established 1852 by German immigrant farmers) and St. Clement (established 1927 for English-speaking residents). It belongs to the Archdiocese of Detroit and is a member of the Rouge Family of Parishes alongside St. Barbara, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and St. Maria Goretti. The parish worships today in the 1930 Neo-Gothic St. Alphonsus church on Schaefer Road, as well as at the Allegria Village Chapel on Ford Road.
- Established
- 2015 (merged); St. Alphonsus est. 1852; St. Clement est. 1927
- Patron
- St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. Clement
- Rector
- Rev. Terrence Kerner (Administrator / Moderator of the Rouge Family of Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Alphonsus – St. Clement welcomes parishioners into a community rooted in 170+ years of Catholic tradition in Dearborn — from the pioneer German-immigrant founders of St. Alphonsus in 1852 to today's multi-parish Rouge Family of Parishes. The parish sustains a classic liturgical life with weekday and Sunday Mass, Saturday confessions, perpetual help devotions, a Monday rosary, and a Music Ministry led by organ, cantor, and choir. Members also serve the wider community through St. Vincent de Paul, and family faith formation (including OCIA/RCIA) is offered collaboratively through the Rouge Family.
Mass times at St. Alphonsus ~ St. Clement
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm (no confessions on the first Saturday of the month)
History of St. Alphonsus – St. Clement Parish
The parish is a 2015 merger of St. Alphonsus (founded 1852 by German immigrants) and St. Clement (founded 1927 by Archbishop Michael J. Gallagher for English-speaking residents). St. Alphonsus traces its origin to the Esper family farm in what was then Springwells, and St. Clement was born from the auto-industry boom that made the area one of the fastest-growing communities in 1920s America.
- 1846: Log cabin school built on Peter Joseph Esper's farm
- 1852: Esper family donates 4 acres; St. Alphonsus Parish established
- 1874: Larger St. Alphonsus church built
- 1927: Archbishop Michael J. Gallagher canonically establishes St. Clement Parish
- 1928: Construction begins on present Neo-Gothic St. Alphonsus church
- 1930: Bishop Gallagher dedicates St. Alphonsus church on May 18
- 1969: New St. Clement church dedicated October 23
- 1998: St. Alphonsus designated a Michigan state historical site
- 2003: St. Alphonsus High School closes
- 2005: St. Alphonsus elementary school closes
- 2015: St. Alphonsus and St. Clement merge into today's parish
Architecture & Historic Church Building
The parish's principal worship space is the 1930 St. Alphonsus church, a Neo-Gothic landmark seating 1,200 designed by architect Arthur des Rosiers. The first Mass was celebrated in the new building on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1929, and Bishop Gallagher formally dedicated it on May 18, 1930.
- Style: Neo-Gothic
- Architect: Arthur des Rosiers
- Capacity: 1,200
- Pewabic tile floors
- Paintings by Detroit artist Alfred Wrobbel
- 38-foot high altar of Roman stone and Italian marble
- Designated Michigan state historical site in 1998
Parish Cemetery
The St. Alphonsus cemetery was originally established next to the 1874 church and later moved one block north to its present location to accommodate road construction. It holds approximately 300 burials representing most of the pioneer families of East Dearborn. Many descendants of those pioneer families are still members of the parish.
- Approx. 300 burials of East Dearborn pioneer families
- Grave of Henry Ford's maternal grandfather
- Tradition that Henry Ford visited his grandfather's grave the day he died
- Monday Rosary prayed at Fr. Yagley Hall on Schaefer Road, north of the cemetery
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening at 4:00 pm in the main church and at 6:00 pm in the Allegria Village Chapel, with one Sunday Mass at 10:00 am. Weekday Masses are celebrated Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 9:00 am. Confessions are heard Saturdays at 3:00 pm (no confessions on the first Saturday of the month). The parish also live-streams Mass on YouTube for those unable to attend in person.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 pm (main church)
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 6:00 pm (Allegria Village Chapel)
- Sunday Mass — 10:00 am
- Tuesday Mass — 9:00 am
- Wednesday Mass — 9:00 am
- Thursday Mass — 9:00 am
- Confessions — Saturday 3:00 pm (no confessions first Saturday)
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish nurtures a steady devotional life with two regular gatherings: the weekly Monday Rosary and the Tuesday Our Lady of Perpetual Help novena devotion.
- Rosary — Mondays at 5:00 pm at Fr. Yagley Hall (Schaefer Road, north of the cemetery)
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help — Tuesdays after the 9:00 am Mass
- Live-streamed Mass on YouTube for the homebound
Music Ministry
St. Alphonsus – St. Clement Music Ministry exists to glorify God and inspire the faithful through sacred music rooted in Catholic liturgical tradition. It supports both weekend liturgies — Saturday 4 pm Vigil with Organ/Cantor, Sunday 10 am with Organ/Choir through Pentecost (then Organ/Cantor) — and seeks to deepen the prayer experience of the congregation.
- Director of Music Ministries: Adam Morency (Parish Organist)
- Contact: [email protected]
- Saturday 4 pm Vigil — Organ/Cantor
- Sunday 10 am — Organ/Choir through Pentecost, then Organ/Cantor
Faith Formation & OCIA (RCIA)
Faith formation for children and adult initiation are coordinated at the Rouge Family of Parishes level. Classes are hosted at St. Kateri Church and are open to families from St. Kateri, St. Maria Goretti, and St. Alphonsus – St. Clement parishes. RCIA is now called OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults.
- Family Faith Formation for children (held at St. Kateri Church)
- OCIA / Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (held at St. Kateri Church)
Parish Outreach & Fellowship
Parish Life and Faith at St. Alphonsus – St. Clement gathers members around outreach, ministry, faith, and fellowship. The St. Vincent de Paul Society is one of the principal outreach arms mentioned on the parish website, and parishioners are invited to participate in a wide range of parish activities.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Parish Life and Faith (outreach, ministry, fellowship)
- Parish Activities
Rouge Family of Parishes
St. Alphonsus – St. Clement is one of four parishes in the Rouge Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit. The family operates under an 'In Solidum' model in which a team of priests shares responsibility for each parish, with a moderator coordinating collaboration. Lay directors lead formation, engagement, charity, family ministry, worship, and mission support across the family.
- St. Alphonsus – St. Clement (Dearborn)
- St. Barbara (Dearborn) — Pastor: Fr. Zbigniew Grankowski
- St. Kateri Tekakwitha (Dearborn) — Pastor: Fr. Terrence Kerner
- St. Maria Goretti (Dearborn Heights) — Pastor: Fr. David Lesniak
- Moderator: Fr. Terrence Kerner
- Larry Winey — Director of Discipleship Formation
- Dcn. Regis Buckley — Director of Engagement
- Therese Terns — Director of Evangelical Charity
- Dcn. Thomas Leonard — Director of Family Ministries
- Kevin Jakubowicz — Director of Worship
- Rob Ciavaglia — Director of Mission Support
Clergy & Staff
Parish leadership includes Fr. Terrence Kerner as Administrator and Moderator of the Rouge Family, with Fr. Dr. Michael C. Nkachukwu joining as Associate Pastor effective July 1, 2025. Marilyn Filip serves as parish Administrator; Adam Morency is Director of Music Ministries and Parish Organist.
- Rev. Terrence Kerner — Administrator / Moderator
- Rev. Dr. Michael C. Nkachukwu — Associate Pastor (joined July 2025)
- Marilyn Filip — Administrator (staff)
- Adam Morency — Director of Music Ministries / Parish Organist
Locations, Contact & Office Hours
The parish operates from three Dearborn locations. The main office (7469 Calhoun Street) is open Monday–Thursday 9:00 am–3:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am–12:00 pm. Weekend Mass is offered at the main church (13540 Gould Street) and at Allegria Village Chapel (15101 Ford Road).
- Office: 7469 Calhoun Street, Dearborn, MI 48126
- Church: 13540 Gould Street, Dearborn, MI 48126
- Allegria Village Chapel: 15101 Ford Road, Dearborn, MI 48126
- Office Phone: (313) 581-5218 / (313) 581-7495
- Village Chapel Phone: (313) 846-7712 ext. 1121
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9 am–3 pm; Fri 9 am–12 pm