About St. Kenneth Catholic Community · Plymouth, Michigan
Saint Kenneth Catholic Community is a Roman Catholic parish in Plymouth Township, Michigan, part of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Established in 1967, the parish serves families on the north side of the Plymouth community along Haggerty Road, between Five Mile and Schoolcraft. The parish celebrates Roman-Rite Mass in English on weekends and most weekdays, and is known locally for its dynamic worship, faith formation programs for children and youth, and an active outreach network including a Saint Vincent de Paul conference and Knights of Columbus council. Its identity is summed up in three words on the parish website: faith, service, and community.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- Saint Kenneth (Canice of Aghaboe), Irish/Scottish abbot c. 599 AD
- Rector
- Father Manny Chircop
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
Saint Kenneth is a multi-generational parish in Plymouth Township where families can grow together in faith from infancy through the senior years. The parish runs a robust Children's Faith Formation Program (K–8) plus an At-Home Religious Education track, sacramental preparation for Reconciliation and Eucharist, a Life Teen youth ministry, RCIA, Confirmation formation, and Adult Bible Study. Worship is supported by a full music ministry (choir, cantors, youth choir & handbells, seasonal choir, concert series) along with dozens of liturgical volunteer roles, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, and Saturday confessions. Outreach is wide-ranging — Saint Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus, Forgotten Harvest, a Soup Kitchen Sandwich Ministry, a Blood Drive, Health Care and Stephen Ministries, and parish fellowship groups such as the Women of St. Kenneth — making the parish a real hub of service for the wider Plymouth community.
Mass times at St. Kenneth Catholic Community
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM in the church
- By appointment — call the Parish Office at 734-420-0288
Adoration times
- Tuesdays following the 9:00 AM Mass until 11:00 AM (with Adoration Service at the conclusion of Mass)
History of the Parish
Saint Kenneth Parish was established on June 21, 1967 by Archbishop John Dearden, with Father James Machak as founding pastor. The first Mass was celebrated four days later at Tanger Elementary School while the first church and rectory were built; Archbishop Dearden dedicated the completed complex on February 23, 1968. Over the decades the parish has been served by six pastors, has built and dedicated a new church (April 28, 1990 by Cardinal Szoka), paid off its debt (1985), and dramatically expanded its ministries, facilities, and outreach. The full parish history page on the website walks readers through each pastorate and the milestones attached to them.
- Founded June 21, 1967 by Archbishop John Dearden
- First Mass: June 25, 1967 (Tanger Elementary School)
- First church and rectory dedicated Feb. 23, 1968
- Cardinal Szoka dedicated the new church April 28, 1990
- Mortgage burned / debt-free in 1985 at the Parish Picnic
- LOGOS teen program and Liturgy of the Word for Children added in 1990
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Saint Kenneth believes parents are the primary catechists of their children. The parish offers systematic programming for children and youth, sacramental preparation for First Eucharist and Reconciliation, and support to parents through orientations, materials, retreats, the Blessing Cup Meal, and Family Forgiveness Night.
- Children's Faith Formation Program (CFP) K–8 — weekly after-school sessions with trained catechists using lectionary-based catechesis
- At-Home Religious Education (FRE) K–6 — parents teach structured catechesis at home with parish-provided materials
- Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation (4th grade) and First Eucharist
- Confirmation preparation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Life Teen meetings
- Vacation Bible School
- Blessing Cup Meal
- Family Forgiveness Night
Music & Liturgical Ministries
A robust Music Ministry supports every liturgy at Saint Kenneth, led by a Director of Music (with assistant Joanna Vaghy and section leaders Jodi Villeneuve and others). Cantor, Youth Choir & Handbells, Seasonal Choir, and Worship Musicians round out the program, and a Concert Series brings additional sacred music to the parish. Dozens of liturgical volunteer roles keep weekend and weekday Masses running smoothly.
- Altar Server
- Art and Environment
- Eucharistic Minister (parish, nursing facilities, homebound)
- Eucharistic Adoration volunteers
- Usher and Greeter
- Lector
- Sacristan
- Sacristy Linen Cleaning
- Wedding Coordinator
- Holy Helpers (church cleaning)
- Music Ministry — Cantor, Youth Choir & Handbells, Seasonal Choir, Worship Musicians
- Concert Series
Parish Fellowship & Outreach
Faith and service come together in Saint Kenneth's many outreach and fellowship groups. The parish runs a Saint Vincent de Paul conference providing person-to-person assistance and annual food-basket distributions, a Knights of Columbus council, Women of St. Kenneth fellowship, a Soup Kitchen Sandwich Ministry, Forgotten Harvest volunteer days, a Homeless Shelter Meal team, Mailbox Food Delivery, a parish Blood Drive, and care ministries (Health Care Ministry, Stephen Ministry, We Care Team).
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society
- Knights of Columbus
- Women of St. Kenneth
- Soup Kitchen Sandwich Ministry
- Forgotten Harvest volunteers
- Homeless Shelter Meal team
- Mailbox Food Delivery
- Blood Drive
- Health Care Ministry
- Stephen Ministry
- We Care Team
- Hope Elementary School Mentor program
Our Staff
Saint Kenneth's lay staff and clergy support every aspect of parish life, from liturgy and music to faith formation and office administration. The full staff listing — with emails for each minister — is published on the parish website.
- Father Manny Chircop — Pastor
- Father Tom Belczak — Pastor (recently transitioned)
- Father George Charnley — Retired Priest Assistant (in memoriam)
- Deacon Dennis DeVooght — Pastoral Support
- Director of Music
- Joanna Vaghy — Music
- Jodi Villeneuve — Music
- Elaine Kramer — Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
- Gene Kijek — Confirmation
- Larry LeWalk — RCIA
- Ann LeWalk and Linda McLaren — Confirmation support
- Barbara Brennan — Parish Life
- Karen Roosen — Receptionist
- Sue Massey — Bookkeeper
- Receptionist/Office Support staff
- Maintenance Supervisor
Contact & Visit
Saint Kenneth Catholic Community is located at 14951 North Haggerty Road, Plymouth, MI 48170 — on Haggerty Road between Five Mile Road and Schoolcraft, just west of I-275. The Parish Office can be reached at 734-420-0288 or [email protected]. For staff emails, the website links to a full staff list. The parish notes that for baptismal certificates, tuition-assistance information, or other paperwork, visitors should call the Parish Office during business hours.
- Address: 14951 N. Haggerty Rd., Plymouth, MI 48170
- Phone: 734-420-0288
- General email: [email protected]
- Communications email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stkenneth.org
- On Haggerty Rd. between Five Mile Rd. and Schoolcraft, just west of I-275
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Machak1967–1975
Founding pastor; led construction of first church and rectory, dedicated Feb. 23, 1968.
- Father John Anthony Lombardini1975–1978
Commissioned women as Ministers of the Altar (1976); Arch Cross and statue of St. Kenneth donated.
- Father William (Bill) Pettit1978–1997
Longest-serving pastor (to date); oversaw 1979 air conditioning, 1985 mortgage burning, and growth that led to plans for a new church.
- Father Joseph (Joe) Mallia1997–c.2004
First pastorate assignment as a pastor; continued with Father Paul Berg's assistance, including the Ice-Cream Social tradition.
- Father Thomas (Tom) Belczak2004–present transition
Fifth pastor; expanded ministries (SVdP, Health Care, Stephen Ministry), facilities, and parking.
- Father Manny Chircopcurrent
Succeeded Father Tom Belczak as current pastor.