St. Clare Montefalco

St. Clare of Montefalco Parish — Overview

St. Clare of Montefalco is a Roman Catholic parish in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, situated at the corner of Mack Avenue and Outer Drive at 1401 Whittier Road. A parish of roughly 850 families in the Archdiocese of Detroit, it belongs to the Northeast SERF 3 / Saints of the Lake Family of Parishes together with St. Ambrose, St. Matthew, and St. Paul on the Lake. Founded in 1926 by the Augustinian Order and long associated with the Dominican Sisters through its parish school, the parish today is pastored by the Rev. Andrzej Kowalczyk, C.S.M.A., of the Michaelite Fathers, who assumed pastoral care of St. Clare in 2012 when the Augustinians withdrew.

A Century of Faith — Parish History

St. Clare traces its roots to a 1923 petition by four laymen — Louis Rabaut, the Hon. P.J.M. Hally, E.J. Hickey, and B.A. Seymour — to Bishop Michael Gallagher for a Catholic parish on the Grosse Pointe Park side of the Pointes. Bishop Gallagher approved the request, the Augustinians agreed to staff it, and the Rev. James A. McDonald led the new community from its first organizational meeting on February 26, 1926, through the first Sunday Mass at the Colony Theater on October 3, 1926, and the parish's first baptism on May 5, 1926. The school opened in September 1927 under the Dominican Sisters with Sister Philomena O'Rourke as its first principal and 300 students (rising to 420 by the following June). A rectory, additional classrooms, and a convent followed in 1929. Pastors Rev. John L. Regnery (1929), Rev. John Barthouski (1931), and Rev. Philip Colgan — who served an extraordinary 29 years — guided a growing congregation that numbered about 2,500 families at its 50th anniversary in 1976. The current church building, designed by Diehl & Diehl in a Latin-cross plan, was dedicated on May 10, 1953, by Cardinal Edward Mooney. The convent closed and was demolished in 1996; a memorial garden and new parish office were dedicated in 1997; a 1999 restoration relocated the Baptismal font. The Midwest Augustinians withdrew in 2012, and the Michaelite Fathers — for whom St. Clare is the first parish assignment in North America — arrived with Fr. Andrzej Kowalczyk, C.S.M.A., as pastor. The parish celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2026 with Archbishop Edward Weisenburger.

• 1923 — Four laymen petition Bishop Gallagher for a parish in Grosse Pointe Park.
• 1926 (Feb 26) — First organizational meeting at the home of James Whitty.
• 1926 (May 5) — First baptism: Clare Henk.
• 1926 (Oct 3) — First Sunday Mass at the Colony Theater at Mack and Balfour.
• 1926 (Oct 31) — Ground broken on the school.
• 1927 (Sept) — St. Clare School opens under the Dominican Sisters.
• 1929 — Rectory, additional classrooms, and convent built.
• 1941 — Property purchased south of Mack between Audubon and Whittier.
• 1950 (Aug) — Ground broken on the new church.
• 1951 (Oct 21) — Cardinal Mooney lays the cornerstone.
• 1953 (May 10) — Church dedicated by Cardinal Mooney.
• 1953 (Sept) — Largest church mural in Michigan completed by Andrew R. Maglia.
• 1967 — Rev. John E. McLaughlin arrives just after Vatican II.
• 1976 — 50th anniversary; parish numbers about 2,500 families.
• 1981 (Sept 10) — Robert F. Prevost, OSA, ordained transitional deacon here.
• 1996 — Convent closed and demolished.
• 1997 — Memorial garden and new parish office dedicated.
• 1999 — Restoration and relocation of Baptismal font.
• 2012 — Augustinians withdraw; Michaelite Fathers arrive.
• 2026 — Centennial year, with Mass by Archbishop Weisenburger.

The Pope Leo XIV Connection

St. Clare of Montefalco holds a singular place in the life of the current pope. On September 10, 1981, a transitional deacon ordination was held in the church for two friars of the Augustinian Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel — including the then-Robert F. Prevost, OSA. The ordination was presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton. Prevost went on to be ordained a priest in Rome on June 19, 1982, later served as prior provincial of the Midwest Augustinians, then as prior general of the worldwide Augustinian order, spent many years as a missionary in Peru where he was named a bishop, and was elected Pope Leo XIV in 2025. The parish marked this history with a special weekend on September 12–13, 2026, honoring the 45th anniversary of the ordination, and continues to be highlighted on the parish's own website (stclarem.org) under a dedicated Pope Leo XIV page.

• Ordination date: September 10, 1981
• Ordaining bishop: Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton
• Religious family: Order of St. Augustine (Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Chicago)
• Future pope then known as: Robert F. Prevost, OSA
• Parish commemoration: Sept 12–13, 2026 weekend honoring the ordination anniversary

Architecture of the 1953 Church

The church at 1401 Whittier was designed by the prominent Detroit firm Diehl & Diehl, founded by George F. Diehl in the 1920s and later joined by his son Gerald G. Diehl. The building follows a Latin-cross plan, with a main floor seating 1,100 and auxiliary capacity for another 1,000. Notable features reported at the time of dedication include a soundproof room where mothers could attend services with small children without disturbing worship, a circular choir area behind a semi-screen at the back of the altar, mosaic decoration throughout, and a vast sanctuary-wall mural — reported as the largest church mural in Michigan — painted on heavy canvas specially woven for the project and measuring 94.5 feet long by 16 feet high. The mural, depicting Creation, Redemption, and Judgment, was created by Detroit ecclesiastical painter Andrew R. Maglia and took a year to complete. A 1999 restoration remodeled and re-located the Baptismal font to create the present-day interior layout.

• Architects: Diehl & Diehl (George F. Diehl & Gerald G. Diehl)
• Plan: Latin cross
• Main-floor seating: 1,100 (auxiliary capacity: 1,000)
• Muralist: Andrew R. Maglia
• Cornerstone laid: October 21, 1951, by Cardinal Edward Mooney
• Dedicated: May 10, 1953, by Cardinal Edward Mooney

St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic School

St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic School has operated continuously since September 1927, when it opened under the Dominican Sisters with Sister Philomena O'Rourke as its first principal and 300 students. Today the school continues as a parish school with an all-faiths enrollment, describing itself on its website as 'a Gospel presence in our diverse community' dedicated to 'a quality Catholic education focused on Faith, Academics, and Life-Long Service.' It weathered the 2020 pandemic through distance learning and in 2022 received a Resilience in Business Award from the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce.

• Founded: September 1927
• Original staff: Dominican Sisters
• First principal: Sister Philomena O'Rourke
• Web: stclareschool.net

Saints of the Lake Religious Education & Family of Parishes

Religious Education at St. Clare is delivered through the Saints of the Lake Family of Parishes program, which combines St. Ambrose, St. Clare of Montefalco, St. Matthew, and St. Paul on the Lake. St. Clare Faith Formation families attend classes on Monday afternoons or evenings (4:30–5:30 PM or 6:30–7:30 PM) at St. Paul on the Lake, while all sacraments are received at the home parish of St. Clare. Chris Ulewicz serves as Director of Religious Education. Family-of-Parishes tuition for Religious Education runs $250 for one child up to $465 for four or more children, with financial-hardship accommodations available.

• Family of Parishes: Northeast SERF 3 (Saints of the Lake)
• Partner parishes: St. Ambrose, St. Matthew, St. Paul on the Lake
• Class times: Monday 4:30–5:30 PM or 6:30–7:30 PM at St. Paul on the Lake
• Director of Religious Education: Chris Ulewicz

Parish Ministries & Groups

St. Clare's 2022 Ministry Book lists more than 30 active lay ministries and groups, ranging from liturgical roles (Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Sacristans, Music Ministry) to formation and outreach (Faith Formation, Christian Meditation, Christian Service, Evangelization, Marriage Prep, Baptismal Prep, St. Vincent de Paul, Stephen Ministry, Ministry of Care, Knights of Columbus, Young Adult Ministry), community life (Hospitality, Garden Club, Bereavement, Connect Ministry, Little Lambs, Intercessory Prayer, Choose Life, Parish Council, Parish Team, PIC, Marketing), and operational support (Finance Council, Business Office/CSA, Money Counters, St. Clare School Commission, St. Clare Auction).

• Liturgical: Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Sacristans, Music Ministry
• Formation & outreach: Faith Formation, Christian Meditation, Marriage Prep, Baptismal Prep, St. Vincent de Paul, Stephen Ministry, Ministry of Care, Knights of Columbus, Young Adult Ministry, Choose Life Committee, Christian Service, Evangelization
• Community: Hospitality, Garden Club, Bereavement Committee, Connect Ministry, Little Lambs, Intercessory Prayer
• Operations: Finance Council, Parish Council, Parish Team, PIC, St. Clare School Commission, St. Clare Auction, Money Counters

Clergy, Staff & Visiting

The parish is led by Moderator and Pastor Rev. Andrzej (Andrew) Kowalczyk, C.S.M.A. (Michaelite), who arrived in 2012. He is assisted by Priests In Solidum Rev. James Bilot, Rev. Timothy Pelc, Rev. Duane Novelly, and Rev. Andrew Smith, and by Deacon Richard Shubik. Chris Ulewicz serves as Director of Religious Education. The parish office can be reached at 313-647-5000, and the church is located at 1401 Whittier Road, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230, at the corner of Mack Avenue and Outer Drive.

• Moderator / Pastor: Rev. Andrzej Kowalczyk, C.S.M.A.
• Priests In Solidum: Rev. James Bilot; Rev. Timothy Pelc; Rev. Duane Novelly; Rev. Andrew Smith
• Deacon: Richard Shubik
• Director of Religious Education: Chris Ulewicz
• Phone: 313-647-5000
• Address: 1401 Whittier Rd, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230

Centennial Anniversary (2026)

St. Clare of Montefalco's 100th anniversary is being marked through multiple events in 2026. A weekend celebration on September 12–13 honors the 45th anniversary of the September 10, 1981 ordination of Robert F. Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV) as a transitional deacon at the parish. The official centennial Mass is scheduled for 10:00 AM on Sunday, October 11, celebrated by Archbishop Edward Weisenburger, followed by an anniversary dinner at The War Memorial at 5:00 PM. The parish website maintains a dedicated centennial page at stclarem.org/100th-anniversary.

• Sept 12–13, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV ordination anniversary weekend
• Oct 11, 2026 (10:00 AM) — Centennial Mass with Archbishop Edward Weisenburger
• Oct 11, 2026 (5:00 PM) — Anniversary dinner at The War Memorial