About St. Cyril · Bannister, Michigan
St. Cyril Catholic Church is a small rural parish in the village of Bannister, Michigan, in Gratiot County, founded by Slovak and Czech immigrants and named for St. Cyril, one of the two brothers (Cyril and Methodius) known as the apostles of the Czech and Slovak nations. It belongs to the Diocese of Saginaw and, since 2013, has been linked with St. Peter Parish in nearby Chesaning as part of the diocese's 'Planning Tomorrow's Parishes' initiative. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 10:30 a.m., with weekday Masses on Tuesday, Wednesday, and First Friday/Saturday, and the parish is pastored by Rev. Andrzej Y. Boroch alongside a small staff and lay leadership drawn from the community.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- St. Cyril (of the brothers Cyril and Methodius, apostles of the Czech and Slovak nations)
- Rector
- Rev. Andrzej Y. Boroch
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
Why belong here
St. Cyril is a small, tight-knit rural Catholic community with deep roots among Slovak and Czech farm families of the Bannister area, and parishioners enjoy a personal, family-sized worship setting with the same pastor serving the linked St. Peter Parish in Chesaning. The parish offers the core sacraments and faith-formation ministries (Faith Formation, RCIA, Music Ministry) supported by a small but committed staff and lay leadership team. For Catholics in the Bannister area it is the local Sunday Mass home, and visitors are welcomed into a parish whose identity is rooted in immigrant faith, perseverance, and over a century of continuous worship on the same Main Street property.
Mass times at St. Cyril
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 11:30 a.m. (after Mass)
Parish History
St. Cyril Parish was founded by Slovak and Czech immigrants and named for St. Cyril, one of the two brothers Cyril and Methodius, the apostles of the Czech and Slovak nations. The community's first Masses were offered in the I.O.O.F. Hall in fall 1910, and a small church was built in 1911. Bishop Edward Kelly formally established the parish in October 1921 with Fr. Joseph Nimricheter as first pastor. A larger church was built in 1959–1960 to accommodate the growing congregation, and the present building was updated after the Second Vatican Council. In 2013 the parish was linked with St. Peter Parish in Chesaning under the Diocese of Saginaw's 'Planning Tomorrow's Parishes' program.
- Founded by Slovak and Czech immigrants
- First Masses: fall 1910, in the I.O.O.F. Hall above Campbell Grocery Store
- First church built in 1911 (cost ~$1,500)
- Parish formally established October 1921 by Bishop Edward Kelly
- First pastor: Fr. Joseph Nimricheter
- Current church groundbreaking June 1959; first Mass March 27, 1960
- Native son Msgr. Joseph Adamec appointed Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown by Pope John Paul II in 1987
- Linked with St. Peter Parish, Chesaning in 2013
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Cyril celebrates Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m. and offers a small number of weekday Masses throughout the week. Because the parish is linked with St. Peter Parish in Chesaning, some Masses and devotions are shared between the two communities.
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 a.m.
- Tuesday Mass: 9:00 a.m.
- Wednesday Mass: 5:30 p.m. (EST) or 4:00 p.m. (DST)
- First Friday Mass: 9:00 a.m.
- First Saturday Mass: 9:00 a.m.
- Word & Communion Service on weekdays when Mass is not scheduled
- Individual Reconciliation: Sunday 11:30 a.m. (after Mass)
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is pastored by Rev. Andrzej Y. Boroch, who began his ministry at St. Cyril and St. Peter parishes on July 1, 2024. He is supported by a Business Manager, a Secretary, ministry coordinators, and a Pastoral and Finance Council.
- Rev. Andrzej Y. Boroch — Pastor ([email protected])
- Ray Eickholt — Business Manager / Bookkeeper
- Kris Pullman — Secretary ([email protected])
- Theresa Sopocy — Faith Formation
- Gerri Winkler — Music Ministry
- Margaret Horak — RCIA
- Diane Korienek — Pastoral Council Chair
- Steve Sopocy — Finance Council Chair
Office & Contact
The parish office is located at 517 East Main Street in Bannister, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 96, Bannister, MI 48807-0096. Office hours are limited to two days a week.
- Physical address: 517 E. Main St., Bannister, MI 48807
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 96, Bannister, MI 48807-0096
- Phone: (989) 862-5270
- Fax: (989) 862-4534
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tuesday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Thursday 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Faith Formation & RCIA
Faith Formation for parish youth and the RCIA process for adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church are coordinated by parish lay leaders. These ministries reflect the small but committed Catholic community in the Bannister area.
- Faith Formation — Theresa Sopocy
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Margaret Horak
Music Ministry
Liturgical music at St. Cyril is coordinated by Gerri Winkler and supported by parish volunteers who sing and play at Sunday and weekday Masses.
- Music Ministry coordinator: Gerri Winkler
Diocese & Vicariate
St. Cyril Parish is part of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw and is located in Vicariate 5. The parish is also linked with St. Peter Parish in Chesaning under the diocese's 'Planning Tomorrow's Parishes' pastoral planning initiative.
- Diocese of Saginaw
- Vicariate 5 (Parish #19)
- Linked parish: St. Peter Parish, Chesaning (formed from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chesaning, and St. Michael Parish, Oakley)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Nimricheter1921–
First pastor of St. Cyril Parish, appointed by Bishop Edward Kelly when the parish was formally established in October 1921.
- Msgr. Joseph Adamec
Native son of the parish; in 1987 was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Bishop of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese in Pennsylvania.