About St. Elizabeth · Tecumseh, Michigan
St. Elizabeth Parish in Tecumseh, Michigan is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Lansing that also includes St. Dominic Oratory in nearby Clinton. Worship is celebrated in English at the historic 506 N Union Street church, with a Sunday morning Mass additionally offered at the St. Dominic Oratory at 220 Brown Street, Clinton. The parish serves Catholics across Lenawee County in Tecumseh and Clinton, with ministries spanning faith formation, youth ministry, RCIA, family life, worship/liturgy, and outreach. St. Elizabeth is led by Fr. Daniel Wheeler as pastor, with two deacons—David Hammer and Ray Pizana—and a lay staff that includes a Director of Religious Education and Children's and Youth Ministry (Heather Marsh), a parish secretary, and a bookkeeper.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth (of Hungary or the Visitation; the parish's historical record does not specify which)
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel Wheeler
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth offers a full Catholic sacramental and devotional life in the heart of Lenawee County, with multiple Sunday Masses in English (Saturday evening and two Sunday morning Masses at St. Elizabeth Church, plus a Sunday morning Mass at St. Dominic Oratory in Clinton), weekday noon Masses on Monday and Wednesday, and Saturday confessions before the vigil Mass and Sunday confessions at St. Dominic Oratory. Parishioners can grow in faith through RCIA, faith formation for youth, Vacation Bible School, youth ministry, Family Life Ministry, Worship/Liturgy ministries, adult faith groups, Migrant Ministry, and a ministry to the homebound and bereaved. The parish maintains an online giving portal and a parish app, and publishes an annual report—signs of an active, well-organized community that welcomes new members in Tecumseh and Clinton.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:50 PM (St. Elizabeth Church)
- Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM (St. Dominic Oratory, before the 9:00 AM Mass)
Parish History
The 'St. Elizabeth' name reaches back to 1913, when Tecumseh's first Catholic church—a small Gothic Revival building of locally gathered fieldstone—was built at 302 E. Chicago Boulevard (designed by Father Edwin Fisher). The current parish on N. Union Street traces its formal founding to 1947, and the congregation moved into the new facility in 1952. The 1913 stone church, soon sold, was ultimately purchased and restored by the City of Tecumseh in 1982 and is now the Tecumseh Area Historical Museum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
- 1913: First Catholic church in Tecumseh built at 302 E. Chicago Blvd. ('Old Stone Church')
- 1913 stone church designed by Father Edwin Fisher in Gothic Revival style
- NRHP reference #86001572; Michigan State Historic Site designated May 8, 1986
- 1947: Current St. Elizabeth Parish formally founded (Diocese of Lansing)
- 1952: Parish moves to 506 N Union Street
- 1982: City of Tecumseh acquires and restores the 1913 stone church; dedicated as Tecumseh Area Historical Museum in 1986
St. Dominic Oratory, Clinton
Catholics in Clinton were originally served by Saint Dominic Parish (a mission or territorial parish since 1853). In 2001 the administration of St. Dominic was transferred to St. Elizabeth Parish, and on April 19, 2009, Bishop Earl Boyea formally suppressed St. Dominic Parish and established its church as St. Dominic Oratory under the pastoral care of St. Elizabeth Parish, with Fr. Daniel Wheeler serving as pastor of the combined parish.
- St. Dominic Oratory address: 220 Brown St, Clinton, MI 49236
- Sunday Mass at St. Dominic: 9:00 AM (English)
- Confessions at St. Dominic: Sundays 8:30–8:50 AM
- Rev. Peter Clark serves as Priest in Residence at St. Dominic Oratory
- Parish merger decree issued by Bishop Earl Boyea, Diocese of Lansing, April 2009
Clergy and Staff
St. Elizabeth is led by Pastor Rev. Daniel Wheeler and is assisted by a Priest in Residence, two deacons, and a lay staff that runs faith formation, youth ministry, administration, and parish life.
- Pastor: Rev. Daniel Wheeler
- Priest in Residence (St. Dominic Oratory): Rev. Peter Clark
- Deacon David Hammer — Adult Faith Groups, Family Life Ministry, Worship/Liturgy
- Deacon Ray Pizana — Migrant Ministry, Worship/Liturgy
- Heather Marsh — Children's and Youth Ministry / Director of Religious Education
- Stacey Knepper — Parish Secretary (communications, bulletin, family life, liturgy, stewardship, homebound visitation)
- Linda Lips — Bookkeeper (accounting, development, stewardship)
- Bob Januszek — RCIA Instructor
- Stan Ames — Parish Council Chair
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Faith formation for children, youth, and adults is coordinated through the Children's and Youth Ministry (CYM) office, with Heather Marsh serving as both Director of Religious Education and CYM coordinator. The parish runs an annual Vacation Bible School (most recently a 'Passport to Peace' themed program with dozens of youth and adult volunteers) and supports youth ministry across elementary, middle school, and high school ages.
- Religious Education (Youth)
- Christian Initiation (Youth)
- Youth Ministry (elementary, middle, high school)
- Child and Youth Protection
- Pre-School Co-ordinator role (part of CYM)
- Annual Vacation Bible School (parish center, 506 N. Union St.)
RCIA and Adult Faith
Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church are accompanied through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), taught by parishioner Bob Januszek. Christian Initiation for adults, adult faith groups, and a Singles Ministry round out the formation offerings for adults.
- RCIA — instructor Bob Januszek ([email protected], 517-423-5410)
- Adult Faith Groups (including Deacon David Hammer)
- Singles Ministry
Family Life, Outreach, and Parish Life
Pastoral care extends beyond the church walls through Family Life Ministry, Funeral Ministry, Marriage Preparation, Visitation of the Homebound, Migrant Ministry (under Deacon Ray Pizana), and Parish Life activities that build community among parishioners. Outreach and fundraising are supported through the annual Diocesan Service Appeal (DSA).
- Family Life Ministry (Deacon Hammer, Stacey Knepper)
- Marriage Preparation
- Funeral Ministry
- Visitation / Homebound
- Migrant Ministry (Deacon Ray Pizana)
- Parish Life and Stewardship
- Development / Fundraising / DSA
Worship, Music, and Liturgy
Liturgical life is coordinated through the parish's Worship/Liturgy ministry, which involves both deacons (David Hammer and Ray Pizana), the parish secretary, and the CYM director. The parish maintains the worship environment across its two worship sites (St. Elizabeth Church and St. Dominic Oratory) and prepares liturgies for the scheduled Mass times.
- Worship / Liturgy ministry (multi-staff, multi-deacon involvement)
- Weekend and weekday Mass schedule (see Mass and Confession Schedule section)
- Confession schedule coordinated at both worship sites
- Lay liturgical roles supported through parish staff and ministries
Giving, Communications, and Facilities
The parish enables online giving through a dedicated portal and maintains a parish app for ongoing engagement. Internal communications, the bulletin, and the parish website are managed through the secretary's office, and Building/Facilities/Maintenance work keeps both worship sites and the parish center operational. Linda Lips serves as bookkeeper and supports accounting, development, and stewardship.
- Online giving (linked from the parish homepage)
- St. Elizabeth Parish App (mobile)
- Communications / Bulletin / Web (Stacey Knepper)
- Bookkeeping / Accounting (Linda Lips)
- Building / Facilities / Maintenance
- Parish Council (Stan Ames, Chair)
Cemetery
Cemetery ministry at St. Elizabeth Parish falls under the direct oversight of Pastor Rev. Daniel Wheeler, providing a continuation of the Church's pastoral care for the deceased and their families.
- Cemetery ministry under Fr. Daniel Wheeler (Pastor)