About St. Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Parish · Saint Clair Shores, Michigan
St. Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Parish is a parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit located at 21100 Madison Street in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan. The parish identifies itself as "a joyful Catholic family where Christ is our Teacher," with a strategy of placing Christ at the center of parish life, especially through the Eucharist and Adoration. It is currently pastored by Father Joe Barron, a member of the religious institute Pro Ecclesia Sancta (P.E.S.), whose charism is to promote holiness through the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The parish is paired with St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School, a pre-K through 8th grade school established in 1956.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- Saint Isaac Jogues (17th-century French Jesuit missionary and North American Martyr, martyred in 1646)
- Rector
- Rev. Joe Barron, P.E.S.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Isaac Jogues welcomes families, returning Catholics, and newcomers with the message 'God and the entire Community of St. Isaac Jogues Parish joyously welcome you back home.' The parish combines a parish school (pre-K through 8th grade) with a full faith-formation program for children in grades 1–8, CYO athletics, multiple liturgical ministries (lectors, ushers, greeters, Eucharistic ministers, music), outreach to the homebound and those in nursing/assisted living facilities, and a strong devotional life centered on the Eucharist — including weekly Thursday Adoration, Rosary, and Benediction.
Mass times at St. Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM
- Thursday: 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 5:00 PM (preceding the 6:00 PM Mass), followed by Rosary and Benediction
About St. Isaac Jogues Parish
St. Isaac Jogues is a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Detroit located at 21100 Madison Street in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Its stated strategy is to place Christ at the center of everything, holding the Eucharist as the source and summit of parish life. The parish describes itself as 'a joyful Catholic family where Christ is our Teacher' and welcomes new members through a dedicated 'Join Our Parish' page that reaches out especially to those who have been away from the Church.
- Mission: worship the Lord and welcome others into a Christ-centered life
- Parish Office: 21100 Madison St., St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
- Phone: 586-778-5100, ext. 5
History of the Parish and School
St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School was established in St. Clair Shores in 1956, opening in the 1956-1957 school year with 154 students in grades 5 through 8 under the direction of the Sisters of Divine Providence, who faithfully served the community through the mid-1990s. In 2014, then-pastor Father Darrell Roman welcomed the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist into the school, restoring consecrated religious presence to the community. The school installed a state-of-the-art science lab and curriculum in 2015 and has grown to serve preschoolers through 8th grade with an average of 200 students and class sizes around 20.
- 1956: School founded under the Sisters of Divine Providence
- Mid-1990s: End of original Sisters of Divine Providence service
- 2014: Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist invited by Fr. Darrell Roman
- 2015: State-of-the-art science lab and curriculum installed
- Today: Pre-K through 8th grade, average 200 students, average class size 20
Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently led by Father Joe Barron, a priest of the religious institute Pro Ecclesia Sancta (P.E.S.), whose charism is to live and promote the vocation to holiness through the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Father Joe grew up in the western suburbs of Minneapolis in a large family (seven boys and one girl), loves baseball, basketball, and football, and moved to St. Clair Shores from Minnesota in July 2023. He is assisted by Senior Active Deacon James Berch and by Sister Maria Guadalupe, O.P., of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.
- Pastor: Rev. Joe Barron, P.E.S.
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. James Berch
- Religious: Sr. Maria Guadalupe, O.P. (Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist)
Parish Staff
Beyond the clergy, the parish and school are supported by a team of lay staff handling operations, music, faith formation, athletics, and administration.
- Director of Operations / Business Manager: Jason Petrella
- Bookkeeper: Mary Nowak
- Director of Music: Nancy Milich
- Administrative Assistant: Lucy (Bemiss) Slater
- School Secretary / Tuition Bookkeeper: Matthew Zinser
- Advancement & Formation Coordinator: Abel Sanchez
- Athletic Director: John Poggiolo
- School Principal: Alicia VanCoillie
Liturgical Ministries
The Worship Commission coordinates the parish's liturgical ministries, including the Ministry of Music, Lectors, Ushers, Greeters, and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, who also bring Communion to the homebound and to those in nursing and assisted-living facilities.
- Music: contact Matthew Zinser ([email protected])
- Lectors: Dave Ellis ([email protected])
- Ushers: Rick Zaremski ([email protected])
- Greeters: Marietta Lavis ([email protected])
- Worship Commission Chair: Deacon Jim Berch ([email protected])
Faith Formation for Children, Youth, and Teens
The parish equips people of all ages for the journey of faith through ongoing Religious Education for children in grades 1–8 and CYO athletics. Lucy Bemiss coordinates faith formation and can be reached at 586-842-3744 or [email protected].
- Religious Education (grades 1–8): Lucy Bemiss, 586-842-3744
- CYO Athletics: John Poggiolo ([email protected])
- CYO focus: Catholic values, sportsmanship, fair play
St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School
St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School educates students from preschool (age 3) through 8th grade in the heart of St. Clair Shores. With an average enrollment of about 200 students and a class size near 20, the school offers 21st-century technology in every classroom (Promethean boards, iPads), a 2015 state-of-the-art science lab, an award-winning CYO athletic program, and extracurriculars such as choir, band, drama, chess, gardening, and art.
- Grades: Preschool (age 3) through 8th
- Average enrollment: ~200 students
- Religious leadership: Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
- Principal: Alicia VanCoillie
Parish Leadership Groups
Three councils collaborate with the pastor: the Parish Council (advisory, ambassadors for the parish), the Finance Council (administration of finances and strategic planning), and the Worship Commission (liturgical ministries and sacramental functions including RCIA).
- Parish Council members: Fr. Joe Barron, Deacon James Berch, Pat Dery, Erin Paul, Dan Mahalak, Sr. Maria Guadalupe, Lisa Smith, Mary Kay Sobota, Amy Sledz
- Finance Council members: Fr. Joe Barron, Jason Petrella, Dan Mahalak, Steve Brune, Jackie Radansky, Jim Wasukanis, Nancy Milich, Debbie Alvaro, Gerri Krause, Christine Venet
Parents' Club
The Parents' Club is a Christ-centered organization that provides volunteer and extraordinary financial support to the St. Isaac Jogues school community through social, academic, faith, and recruitment activities. All are welcome to attend meetings the third Wednesday of each month (September–May) at 7:00 PM in the Parish Hall.
- President: Michelle Buckman
- Vice President: Emily Weirath
- Secretary: Katie Archibald
- Treasurer: Lisa Fournier
- Trustee: Jamie Houth
- Contact: [email protected]
Join Our Parish
St. Isaac Jogues actively welcomes new members and returning Catholics through its 'Join Our Parish' page, emphasizing that God's love, mercy, and forgiveness are greater than any issue that may have kept someone away. Prospective parishioners fill out an online form and a parish team member follows up.
- Especially welcomes those who have been away from the Church
- Online registration form available on the parish website
- Pastoral follow-up by parish staff
Stay in Touch
The Parish Office handles inquiries by phone, fax, and email during weekday hours. The parish also maintains a Facebook page for news and community updates.
- Parish Office: 21100 Madison St., St. Clair Shores, MI 48081
- Phone: 586-778-5100, ext. 5
- Fax: 586-778-4458
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–4:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–noon; closed Sat/Sun/Holy Days
- Facebook: facebook.com/stisaacjoguescatholic
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Darrell Roman
Pastor in 2014 who invited the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist to serve at the school
- Rev. Joe Barron, P.E.S.2023–present
Current pastor; member of Pro Ecclesia Sancta; moved to St. Clair Shores from Minnesota in July 2023