About St. John Vianney · Shelby Township, Michigan
St. John Vianney Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Shelby Township, Michigan, in the North Macomb Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Founded in 1979 as a worship satellite of St. Lawrence Parish and named after the patron saint of parish priests, the community today gathers for weekend and daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and an active ministry of faith formation, outreach, and pastoral care. The parish belongs to the Northeast North Macomb 3 Family of Parishes and is currently moderated by Rev. James Grau, with associate priests and deacons serving alongside a large lay staff.
- Established
- 1979
- Patron
- St. John Vianney (Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney), the Curé d'Ars and patron saint of parish priests
- Rector
- Rev. James Grau (Moderator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit (Vicarate: North Macomb; Region: Northeast; Family of Parishes: Northeast North Macomb 3)
Why belong here
St. John Vianney offers a full sacramental and parish life — multiple weekend Masses (including two with incense), daily Mass with a Rosary beforehand, weekly Confession five days a week, and a weekly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration. Families raising children in the faith will find a robust K–8 Religious Education program, Confirmation prep, a home-based family option, and the Shine adaptive curriculum for children with special needs, along with a dedicated Youth Ministry. For those seeking community, there are Stephen Ministers, a Parish Health Ministry, a Mental Health Ministry called 'The Road to Emmaus,' a Christian Service group, the Knights of Columbus, Confraternity for Holy Souls, an Intercessory Prayer Ministry, and the parish-run Agape Center for emergency assistance in northern Macomb County.
Mass times at St. John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Friday 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Saturday 4:00 p.m.
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:45 p.m. (Thursday Night Prayer)
- First Friday: 5:45 p.m. Thursday through 10:00 a.m. Friday
Our Story — From Worship Satellite to 1,250-Seat Parish
St. John Vianney Parish began in 1979 when Cardinal Dearden recognized the need for a new worship satellite of St. Lawrence Parish in the growing Shelby Township area. Mass was first celebrated for twenty families at Shelby Junior High School, and later at Crissman Elementary. Rev. Jerome Machlik was named founding pastor and became friend, shepherd, and counselor to many.
- 1979 — Parish established as a satellite of St. Lawrence Parish
- Rev. Jerome Machlik named founding pastor
- Early Masses held at Shelby Junior High School and Crissman Elementary
- The 'Vianney House' served as the original rectory, office and multipurpose area
Buildings & Campus
The parish campus on Schoenherr Road has grown in two main phases. The first church was constructed in the fall of 1984 on the Diegel family farm — a long-held dream of Mr. Diegel that someday a church would be built on his property. That original 1984 church is still part of the campus and now functions as the parish hall / social hall. In 1996 a substantially larger worship space was completed so that more than 1,250 guests could attend Mass each weekend, allowing people from across Shelby Township to gather for the Word of the Lord.
- 1984 — Original church built on the Diegel family farm
- 1996 — New, larger church completed; original 1984 church now serves as parish hall
- Current church seats 1,250+ for Mass
Becoming Catholic — OCIA
The parish runs the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for anyone 18 or older who has not yet received the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, or Eucharist — and wishes to become a fully participating member of the Catholic Church. Sessions meet weekly on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the classrooms.
- Weekly Monday evening sessions, 7:00–8:30 p.m. in the classrooms
- Contact: Deacon Mike Houghton, [email protected]
Religious Education K–8
Religious Education begins when a child enters 1st grade and continues through Confirmation. The parish emphasizes that 'parents are the first and most important teachers and examples of our Catholic beliefs.' Both an in-person Classroom Program and a Home-Based Family Program are offered for grades K–6, with a two-year Confirmation prep starting in 7th grade. Open registration for new families is held each June.
- Grades K–6 — In-person Classroom or Home-Based Family Program
- Grades 7–8 — Two-year Confirmation preparation
- Shine Program — adaptive Religious Education and sacramental prep for children with a special needs diagnosis
- Open Registration for new families: June 1st, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
- Contact K–6: Michelle Kustarz, [email protected]
- Contact 7/8: Carly Fleury, [email protected]
Sacrament Preparation for Children
Sacramental preparation is woven into the Religious Education program. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are normally prepared in 2nd grade, and Confirmation is normally received in 9th grade following a two-year process beginning in 7th grade. Children who receive their religious education at a Catholic school or through homeschooling may still prepare for and receive their sacraments at St. John Vianney.
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — preparation begins in 1st grade; sacraments usually in 2nd grade
- Confirmation — two-year program; Red Confirmation Journal & retreat in spring; sacrament usually received in fall of 9th grade
- All candidates must provide a copy of their Baptism Certificate to the parish office
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners of all ages serve the Church's worship through a variety of liturgical ministries, coordinated centrally by Liturgy Coordinator Jennifer Kowalski.
- Altar Servers — open to anyone who has made their First Communion
- Ushers — welcoming parishioners to all liturgical celebrations
- Music Ministry / SJV Choir — singers high-school age and up
- Lectors — adults and teens who proclaim the Word of God
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — distribute the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass
Pastoral Care & Health Ministries
A constellation of caring ministries walks alongside parishioners through difficult seasons — grief, illness, mental-health struggles, aging, and everyday hardship.
- Stephen Ministry — trained lay Stephen Ministers provide strictly confidential, Christ-centered one-to-one care
- Parish Health Ministry — promotes physical, emotional and spiritual wellness; served by Parish Nurses Laura Fitzpatrick and Marian Giancona
- The Road to Emmaus — Mental Health Ministry
- Confraternity for Holy Souls — prays for the holy souls in purgatory
- Intercessory Prayer Ministry — praying for the needs of others
Service, Outreach & Community
St. John Vianney's Christian Service group works to creatively and consistently discover and respond to the needs of those in and around the parish. The parish also partners with the wider community through several well-established programs.
- Christian Service & Community Volunteering — active men and women working together to help those in need
- Agape Center — run by area Catholic parishes to provide emergency assistance to individuals and families
- Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers — assistance for older and disabled neighbors in the community
- Hospitality Team — welcomes and supports parishioners and guests at parish events
- Knights of Columbus — parish council active in faith, family and service
Parish Staff
Beyond the priests and deacons, a large lay staff keeps the parish running — from liturgy and religious education to music, communications, maintenance and the parish office.
- Fr. James Grau — Pastor / Moderator
- Fr. Stephen Moening — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Michael Houghton
- Deacon John Kovacik
- Dr. David Troiano — Music Director
- Marc Ayotte — Director of Maintenance (with Ron Dombrowski and Kim Froude)
- Michelle Kustarz — Director of Religious Education / Communication Coordinator
- Carly Fleury — Coordinator of Confirmation and Youth Ministry
- Sue Sharp — Religious Education Coordinator & Bulletin Editor
- Lindsey Ketchum — Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Jennifer Kowalski — Liturgy Coordinator
- Kim Froude — Coordinator of Discipleship and Small Groups
- Lori Rafferty — Business Manager
- Sarah Maurer — Bookkeeper
- Renee Kray — Office Manager
- Ann Marie Weir — Assistant Office Manager
- Cindy Smith, Lorna Shauya — Office Staff
- Laura Fitzpatrick & Marian Giancona — Parish Nurses
Visit & Contact
The parish church and offices are located at 54045 Schoenherr Road, Shelby Township, MI 48315. The parish office can be reached at 586-781-6525 or [email protected].
- Address: 54045 Schoenherr Road, Shelby Township, MI 48315
- Phone: 586-781-6525
- Email: [email protected]
- Church open: Sun 7:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; Mon & Fri 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Tue–Thu 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Sat 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Fri 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; Sun 8:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jerome Machlik1979–2010
Founding pastor; named by Cardinal Dearden to start the new Shelby Township worship satellite of St. Lawrence Parish. Died in 2010.
- Rev. Timothy Mazur2010–2021
Succeeded Fr. Machlik as pastor; described as 'much beloved.' Died in 2021.
- Rev. James Grau2021–present
Became administrator in 2021 following Fr. Mazur's passing; currently listed as Moderator of the parish.