About St. Christopher · Detroit, Michigan
St. Christopher Church was a Catholic parish on Detroit's west side, rooted in the city's post-World War II growth and long served by the Archdiocese of Detroit. Named for the patron saint of travelers, the parish was known for its mid-century building, colorful stained-glass windows, and a community that drew first from Polish immigrants and later from Spanish-speaking families. After merging with St. Thomas Aquinas and being renamed St. Juan Diego Parish in 2019, St. Christopher Church closed in late 2025, with its final Mass celebrated on January 11, 2026. Today the St. Juan Diego Parish community continues to worship at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
- Established
- 1940s
- Patron
- Saint Christopher, patron saint of travelers
- Rector
- Fr. Noel Emmanuel Cornelio (became pastor in 2024)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Mass times at St. Christopher
Weekly Mass schedule
History and Founding
St. Christopher Parish was established in the 1940s during Detroit's post-war boom and served a growing Catholic community on the city's west side. The cornerstone of its mid-century church building was laid in 1965. The parish originally included many Polish immigrant families and later became home to a large Spanish-speaking community.
Merger and Renaming
As regional demographics and Mass attendance shifted, St. Christopher merged with St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. In 2019 the combined community was renamed St. Juan Diego Parish, though St. Christopher Church continued as a worship site for a time.
Closure
On December 2, 2025, Archbishop Edward Weisenburger issued a decree relegating St. Christopher Church to secular but not unbecoming use, effective December 21, 2025. The final Mass was celebrated on January 11, 2026. The St. Juan Diego Parish community now worships at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 5780 Evergreen Road.