About St. Alphonsus - St. Clement · Dearborn, Michigan
St. Alphonsus - St. Clement is a Roman Catholic parish in Dearborn, Michigan, in the Archdiocese of Detroit, created in 2015 by merging two historic neighboring congregations: St. Alphonsus (founded 1852 by German immigrant farmers in Springwells) and St. Clement (founded 1927 for English-speaking Catholics). The parish is part of the Rouge Family of Parishes along with St. Barbara, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and St. Maria Goretti, sharing priests and resources in the Archdiocese's "In Solidum" model. Mass is celebrated at the historic 1930 Neo-Gothic church on Calhoun Street and at the Allegria Village Chapel on Ford Road, and the parish offers an Igbo-language Mass every first and third Sunday for the West African Igbo community.
- Established
- 2015 (merger); 1852 (St. Alphonsus); 1927 (St. Clement)
- Patron
- St. Alphonsus Liguori (Italian bishop, moral theologian and Redemptorist founder, 1696–1787) and St. Clement I (fourth Pope, bishop of Rome, c. AD 88–99)
- Rector
- Rev. Terrence Kerner (Administrator & Moderator of the Rouge Family of Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Alphonsus - St. Clement is the spiritual home of a long-standing Dearborn Catholic community that traces its roots back more than 170 years to the German pioneers who founded St. Alphonsus in 1852. As part of the Rouge Family of Parishes it shares priests, directors of discipleship, music, charity and family ministries with four neighboring parishes, so parishioners have access to a wide range of formation and outreach. Worship is offered in a beautiful 1930 Neo-Gothic church and in the Allegria Village Chapel, with an Igbo-language Mass each first and third Sunday, a Tuesday Our Lady of Perpetual Help devotion, a Monday rosary and Saturday confessions — giving new and long-time parishioners alike multiple ways to pray and belong.
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)
- By appointment: call the Parish Office at 313-581-7495
Adoration times
- Short adoration of the Blessed Sacrament before the Igbo Community Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month
- Confessions (and anointing) offered at the Allegria Village Chapel every other month
Welcome & Mission
St. Alphonsus - St. Clement welcomes visitors to its historic church, inviting all to join in the 'life-giving mysteries of our faith.' The parish's stated mission is: 'We, the family of St. Alphonsus - St. Clement, are called by Jesus Christ to know Him and celebrate His Word. Sustained by the sacramental life rooted in the Eucharist, we reach out in service to all through faith, love, and fellowship.' The parish is part of the Rouge Family of Parishes and is committed to serving the Dearborn community across its three worship sites.
Parish History
The parish traces its roots to 1852, when German immigrant farmers from the Duengenheim-Urmersbach region founded St. Alphonsus in Springwells (later Dearborn). A second English-speaking parish, St. Clement, was canonically established by Archbishop Michael J. Gallagher on June 24, 1927. After more than a century of separate ministries, the two parishes merged in 2015 to form St. Alphonsus - St. Clement under the Archdiocese of Detroit's 'Families of Parishes' restructuring. The present Neo-Gothic church dates from 1928–1930.
- St. Alphonsus founded 1852 by the Esper family on their farm in Springwells
- St. Clement canonically established June 24, 1927 by Archbishop Michael J. Gallagher
- St. Clement's first Mass in its own church: June 24, 1928
- St. Alphonsus present church begun 1928, dedicated 1930 (Neo-Gothic, seats 1,200)
- Designated a Michigan state historical site in 1998
- St. Alphonsus - St. Clement merger: 2015
Rouge Family of Parishes
St. Alphonsus - St. Clement belongs to the Rouge Family of Parishes, working in the Archdiocese of Detroit's 'In Solidum' model — a group of priests share responsibility for every parish in the family, with one priest serving as moderator. Fr. Terrence Kerner is Pastor & Moderator of the family and Administrator at St. Alphonsus - St. Clement. The other parishes in the family are St. Barbara, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and St. Maria Goretti.
- Fr. Terrence Kerner — Pastor & Moderator of the Rouge Family
- Fr. Zbigniew Grankowski — Pastor, St. Barbara
- Fr. David Lesniak — Pastor, St. Maria Goretti
- Rev. Dr. Michael C. Nkachukwu — Associate Pastor at St. Alphonsus - St. Clement
- 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
Mass & Worship Schedule
Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:00 pm (Vigil) and Sunday at 10:00 am at St. Alphonsus - St. Clement, with an additional 6:00 pm Mass on Saturdays at the Allegria Village Chapel. Weekday Masses are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 9:00 am. An Igbo-language Mass, preceded by a short adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, is celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month for the Igbo community of West Africa. Mass is also livestreamed via the parish's YouTube channel.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 pm at the parish church
- Sunday: 10:00 am at the parish church
- Saturday 6:00 pm at the Allegria Village Chapel
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:00 am
- Igbo Community Mass: 1st & 3rd Sundays (with preceding Adoration)
Devotions
The parish continues several traditional devotions. The Rosary is prayed Monday evenings at 5:00 pm in Fr. Yagley Hall on Schaefer Road, north of the parish cemetery. The Our Lady of Perpetual Help devotion is celebrated Tuesdays immediately after the 9:00 am Mass. The parish also hosts a Heritage Garden and a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, mounted on the parish grounds in recent years.
- Rosary: Monday 5:00 pm, Fr. Yagley Hall (Schaefer Rd., north of cemetery)
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Tuesday after 9:00 am Mass
- Short Adoration before the Igbo Mass (1st & 3rd Sundays)
- Heritage Garden and Our Lady of Fatima statue on parish grounds
Music Ministry
The St. Alphonsus - St. Clement Music Ministry exists to glorify God and inspire the faithful through sacred music, rooted in the Church's liturgical traditions. Weekend liturgies are led by organ and cantor at the Saturday 4:00 pm Vigil and by organ/choir at the Sunday 10:00 am Mass until Pentecost, then by organ/cantor after Pentecost. Director of Music Ministries is Adam Morency, the parish organist.
- Saturday 4:00 pm Vigil — Organ/Cantor
- Sunday 10:00 am — Organ/Choir (until Pentecost), then Organ/Cantor
- Director of Music Ministries: Adam Morency ([email protected])
Igbo Community
Through the ministry of Fr. Dr. Michael C. Nkachukwu, the parish hosts an Igbo-language Mass for the Igbo community of West Africa every first and third Sunday of the month, preceded by a short adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Both the Mass and music are in Igbo, and the gatherings have brought greater visibility and reverence to the historic church.
- Igbo-language Mass: 1st & 3rd Sundays
- Preceded by a short adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
- Music and liturgy in Igbo
Faith Formation
Family Faith Formation is a cornerstone of parish life. In the late 20th century the parish school building, after St. Clement's elementary school closed in 1971, was used to host both Religious Education classes and a day-care program. Today Faith Formation is offered through the Rouge Family of Parishes' shared Family Ministries and Discipleship Formation teams.
- Family Faith Formation program
- Discipleship Formation (Rouge Family director: Larry Winey)
- Family Ministries (Rouge Family director: Dcn. Thomas Leonard)
Outreach & Heritage
The parish maintains an active outreach to the Allegria Village senior center chapel, with regular confession, anointing of the sick, and Mass. The parish also recently added a Heritage Garden and a statue of Our Lady of Fatima on the parish grounds, projects supported by alumni and friends of the historic parish.
- Allegria Village Chapel ministry (15101 Ford Road)
- Heritage Garden on parish grounds
- Our Lady of Fatima statue
- Alumni and friends engagement
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office is at 7469 Calhoun Street, Dearborn, MI 48126; weekend Masses are held in the historic church at 13540 Gould Street. The Allegria Village Chapel (15101 Ford Road) hosts a Saturday 6:00 pm Mass and additional sacramental ministry. Office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 am–3:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am–12:00 pm.
- Office: 7469 Calhoun St., Dearborn, MI 48126 — (313) 581-5218 / (313) 581-7495
- Church: 13540 Gould Street, Dearborn, MI 48126
- Allegria Village Chapel: 15101 Ford Road — (313) 846-7712 ext. 1121
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9–3, Fri 9–12
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stals-stclem.org/