About St. Frances Cabrini · Allen Park, Michigan
St. Frances Cabrini Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Allen Park, Michigan, part of the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Quo Vadis Domine Family of Parishes. Founded in 1947 — just one year after the canonization of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini — it was the first parish in the United States, and by the parish's own account the first in the world, to take Mother Cabrini as its patroness. The parish is best known in the Downriver community for its long-running Catholic school system (preschool through 12th grade), its daily Mass and confession schedule, and a notably active parish life that includes 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration, a robust faith-formation program, and outreach through the ChristNet Center for the homeless.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (Mother Cabrini)
- Rector
- Rev. John Herman (Family Moderator / Moderator In Solidum)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Frances Cabrini is a parish where Catholic education is woven into the life of the community — the parish's own grade school and high school have been central for more than 75 years. Daily Mass is offered every weekday morning at 8:30 AM, Saturday confessions at 3:00 PM, and Eucharistic Adoration is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the Adoration Chapel of St. Hugh. A large and active lay community runs ministries ranging from GriefShare and a senior group to the ChristNet Warming Center and the children's Liturgy of the Word, making it a parish where new families and longtime parishioners alike can find a concrete way to serve and be served.
Mass times at St. Frances Cabrini
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (and upon request)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the Adoration Chapel of St. Hugh (entry code available from the parish office)
About St. Frances Cabrini Parish
St. Frances Cabrini Parish was founded in 1947 in Allen Park, Michigan, just one year after the canonization of Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini in July 1946. It was the first Catholic parish in the United States — and, by the parish's own account, the first in the world — to adopt St. Frances Cabrini as its patroness. Today the parish sits within the Archdiocese of Detroit and belongs to the Quo Vadis Domine Family of Parishes, a collaboration of six Downriver Catholic parishes. The parish's foundational charism remains Catholic education and religious formation, paired with outreach to those in need. Its current motto is 'I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me.'
- Founded: 1947
- Patroness: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (canonized July 1946)
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit
- Family of Parishes: Quo Vadis Domine
History & Founding
The parish was created to serve the rapidly expanding suburban community of Allen Park and surrounding Downriver neighborhoods. Its founding pastor, the Reverend Clare Murphy, oversaw the construction of the church and both schools and is the source of the school motto: 'The soul of education is the education of the soul.' Fr. Murphy led the parish from its opening in 1947 until his death in 1963. A parish grade school opened in 1949 and a high school followed in 1960; together they now form Cabrini Catholic School, which spans Preschool through 12th grade on a single 40+ acre residential campus. The parish and its schools have continued their founding charism of faith-filled education and outreach for more than 75 years.
- 1947 — Parish opens; first in U.S./world to take St. Frances Cabrini as patron
- 1949 — Grade school opens
- 1960 — High school opens
- 1963 — Founding pastor Fr. Clare Murphy dies in office
- 2022 — Fr. Clare Murphy inducted into Cabrini High School Hall of Fame
Clergy & Parish Staff
As part of the Quo Vadis Domine Family of Parishes, St. Frances Cabrini is served by a team of priests in solidum alongside permanent deacons and lay staff. Rev. John Herman serves as Family Moderator and Moderator In Solidum, while Rev. Ryan Walters, Rev. Roberto Franca, and Rev. Johnson Pradeep, SAC serve as Priests in Solidum assigned to the family of parishes. Fr. Walters also serves as Director of Engagement and Fr. Pradeep as Director of Discipleship Formation. Three permanent deacons — Rev. Mr. Luis Flores, Rev. Mr. Fred Guardiola, and Rev. Mr. Dan Whalen — minister across the family of parishes. Mrs. Therese Tardiff and Mrs. Miranda Garcia are listed on the parish staff page; Tim Schneider serves as Director of Worship and Armando Bravo as Director of Worship for OCIA.
- Rev. John Herman — Family Moderator / Moderator In Solidum
- Rev. Ryan Walters — Parish Priest, Director of Engagement
- Rev. Roberto Franca — Priest In Solidum
- Rev. Johnson Pradeep, SAC — Priest In Solidum, Director of Discipleship Formation
- Rev. Leo Sabourin — Senior Priest in Residence (St. Constance)
- Rev. Mr. Luis Flores, Rev. Mr. Fred Guardiola, Rev. Mr. Dan Whalen — Permanent Deacons
- Mrs. Therese Tardiff — staff
- Mrs. Miranda Garcia — staff
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
The parish prepares members for the full sacramental life of the Church. Baptism Preparation is required before a baptism can be scheduled, and parents must be registered and active (envelope or online giving) parishioners of St. Frances Cabrini or one of the Quo Vadis Domine sister parishes for three months first. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared in a two-year process beginning in 1st grade; Confirmation is a two-year preparation completed in 8th grade. Adults seeking initiation participate in OCIA (formerly RCIA) with weekly formation hosted at both their home parish and St. Frances Cabrini; teens 13–17 participate in OCIT, a two-year process offered once for the entire Family of Parishes and held at the St. André Bessette campus in Ecorse. Holy Communion is brought to the homebound, the hospitalized, and those in nursing facilities by request.
- Baptism Preparation
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist (begins 1st grade)
- Confirmation (7th–8th grade, two years)
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults
- OCIT — Order of Christian Initiation for Teens
- Homebound / hospital visits with Holy Eucharist
Faith Formation (Discipleship Formation)
The Discipleship Formation Office (formerly Religious Education) provides catechesis for children grades 1–8, forming them in the Catholic faith and preparing them for the sacraments. Afterschool Discipleship Formation classes meet on Mondays at the Cabrini Elementary School campus, with two session blocks: 4:30–6:00 PM for grades 1–5 and 6:30–8:00 PM for grades 1–6. Confirmation preparation classes meet twice monthly: the first Monday from 6:30–8:30 PM and the third Sunday from 1:30–3:30 PM (preceded by the 12:30 PM Mass). The program is open only to families registered with one of the family-of-parishes member parishes (St. Frances Cabrini, St. André Bessette, St. Constance, St. Alfred, Our Lady of Angels, St. Mary Magdalen). The Mission Direct team oversees adult formation, including OCIA, and the parish's Adult Discipleship Groups.
- Afterschool Discipleship Formation, Mondays at Cabrini Elementary School
- OCIT — 2-year teen initiation process (held at St. André Bessette, Ecorse)
- OCIA — adult initiation (home parish + St. Frances Cabrini)
- Confirmation Preparation: 7th & 8th grade, meets twice monthly
- Baptism Preparation classes
- Contact: [email protected] / (313) 381-5601
Cabrini Catholic School
Cabrini Catholic School is the parish school system, providing a faith-filled environment for students from Preschool through 12th grade on a single 40+ acre campus in residential Allen Park. The grade school opened in 1949 and the high school in 1960, both founded under the leadership of Fr. Clare Murphy. The school's motto, drawn from Fr. Murphy's own teaching, is 'The soul of education is the education of the soul.' The high school is known athletically as the Cabrini Monarchs and maintains an active alumni and Hall of Fame tradition. School offices are at 15300 Wick Rd., the grade school at 15305 Wick Rd., with Holy Family Hall (used for faith-formation classes and many parish events) at 15310 Wick Rd.
- Preschool through 12th grade on one campus
- Grade school opened 1949; high school opened 1960
- Motto: 'The soul of education is the education of the soul.'
- High school athletic teams: Cabrini Monarchs
- Grade school office: (313) 429-1023 — 15305 Wick Rd.
- High school office: (313) 486-0394 — 15300 Wick Rd.
Parish Life & Ministries
St. Frances Cabrini is known for its unusually wide range of lay-led ministries. Worship ministries include altar servers, lectors, greeters, ushers, the parish choir (rehearsing Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM), and the Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass. Outreach and fellowship ministries include the Homebound Ministry, Funeral Lunch Program, Coffee & Donuts (4th Sunday), Hospitality Team, Senior Group (55+), Sewing Group (making sleeping mats and reusable sanitary pads), Card/Prayer Ministry, the Decorators team, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, and the Discipleship Groups (small groups of 8–10 meeting in homes or at the parish). The parish also publishes a dedicated Mental Health & Wellness Ministry page.
- Worship: Altar Servers, Lectors, Greeters, Ushers, Choir, Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Fellowship: Hospitality, Coffee & Donuts, Senior Group, Sewing Group
- Pastoral Care: Homebound, Funeral Lunch, Grief Ministry, Card/Prayer
- Service: St. Vincent de Paul, ChristNet Daytime Program, ChristNet Warming Center
- Formation: Discipleship Groups, Mental Health & Wellness Ministry
Outreach: ChristNet & Community Service
Two flagship outreach programs are run in collaboration with the parish. The ChristNet Daytime Resource Program links homeless men and women in Downriver Detroit communities with health services, housing, and job-skill development, while providing guests a light breakfast and lunch each day. Each February the parish hosts the ChristNet Warming Center for one week, providing overnight shelter for up to 30 homeless men and women — parishioners of all ages help by preparing and serving meals, chaperoning overnight, and providing morning coffee and breakfast. Beyond ChristNet, parishioners serve a hot meal at the local Drop-in Center on the third Wednesday of each month and staff the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- ChristNet Daytime Resource Program — daily meals and case management for the homeless
- ChristNet Warming Center — one-week overnight shelter each February
- Drop-in Center hot meal — 3rd Wednesday of each month
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference (listed on Contact page)
Quo Vadis Domine Family of Parishes
St. Frances Cabrini is a member of the Quo Vadis Domine Family of Parishes, a grouping of six Catholic parishes in the Downriver area organized under the Archdiocese of Detroit following Synod 16. The family is led by Family Moderator Rev. John Herman, with priests in solidum Rev. Ryan Walters, Rev. Roberto Franca, and Rev. Johnson Pradeep, SAC. Together the parishes share clergy, deacons, and lay staff across their ministries, allowing the gift of each community to be shared more intentionally. Sister parishes in the family are Our Lady of the Angels (Taylor), St. Alfred (Taylor), St. Constance (Taylor), St. Mary Magdalen (Melvindale), and St. André Bessette (Ecorse).
- St. Frances Cabrini — Allen Park
- Our Lady of the Angels — Taylor
- St. Alfred — Taylor
- St. Constance — Taylor
- St. Mary Magdalen — Melvindale
- St. André Bessette — Ecorse
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors are welcomed at all weekend Masses (Saturday 4:30 PM; Sunday 8:00, 10:00, and 12:30 AM). The parish office is open Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM and Saturday–Sunday 9:00 AM–2:00 PM, and can be reached at (313) 381-5601 or [email protected]. The office is closed July 3–6 for the Fourth of July holiday. To get involved, the parish encourages new and longtime members alike to consider joining one of its many ministries — from greeters and lectors to the choir, Discipleship Groups, the Sewing Group, or the ChristNet outreach — or to register for ongoing faith formation for their children through Discipleship Formation.
- Parish Office: 9000 Laurence Ave., Allen Park, MI 48101
- Phone: (313) 381-5601
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:00 PM; Sat–Sun 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Website: https://cabriniparish.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/francescabrinicatholic
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Clare Murphy1947–1963
Founding pastor; oversaw building of church and schools, established Cabrini High School in 1960; died in office in 1963. Source of the school motto: 'the soul of education is the education of the soul.'