About St. Louis · Clinton Township, Michigan
St. Louis Catholic Church is a parish in Clinton Township, Michigan, part of the Archdiocese of Detroit and a member of the Central Macomb 1 Family of Parishes (with San Francesco, St. Peter in Mount Clemens, and St. Hubert in Harrison Township). It was founded in 1926 and named for the French saint King Louis IX in honor of the donor of the land, Louis Charbeneau. The parish serves a bilingual English/Spanish community with a Saturday evening Spanish Mass, and is known for its strong outreach — including a St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry housed on its grounds — and for reviving its long-vacant former school building as a joint religious education center serving public-school students from the four-parish family.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- St. Louis IX (King Louis IX of France)
- Rector
- Fr. John Selvamony
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Louis is a long-standing bilingual Catholic community with deep roots in Clinton Township (since 1926) and a vibrant, hands-on parish life. A typical week includes daily and weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, public recitation of the Rosary before each Mass, Saturday Confessions, and a 24/7 spirit of outreach through its Christian Service Commission — a staffed St. Vincent de Paul food pantry on the parish grounds, parish nursing ministry, blood-pressure screenings, monthly Salvation Army soup kitchen service, Eucharistic ministry to the homebound, and a Warming Center for the homeless in winter. The parish is also a forward-looking one, having reopened its former school building as a joint K–8 religious education campus shared with three neighboring parishes in the Central Macomb 1 Family of Parishes.
Mass times at St. Louis
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30pm–4:15pm
Parish History
St. Louis was founded September 7, 1926, on land donated by the Charbeneau family, and named for the French saint King Louis IX in gratitude to donor Louis Charbeneau. The first Mass was celebrated November 7, 1926, in a small white school building purchased from Trinity Lutheran and renovated by parishioners overnight. The permanent church/school was dedicated by Bishop Michael Gallagher on July 25, 1928. Through the mid-20th century the parish grew into a thriving school community (K–12 by 1954), built its current church (cornerstone 1958, first Mass December 7, 1958), and weathered the closures of both the high school and grade school in the early 1970s under pastors Frs. Ryder and Weisner. The worship space was renovated in 1981 and dedicated by Archbishop Szoka on November 7, 1981. In 2023, the long-vacant former school reopened as a joint religious education center serving four parishes in the Central Macomb 1 Family of Parishes.
- Founded September 7, 1926 by Fr. Victor J. Renaud
- Patron chosen: St. Louis IX (King of France)
- Cornerstone of church/school laid September 25, 1927
- Current church completed and first Mass celebrated December 7, 1958
- Worship space rededicated by Archbishop Szoka November 7, 1981
Devotions & Prayer Life
Rosary is prayed publicly before every Mass — 30 minutes before each service, in English or Spanish depending on the liturgy. The parish also livestreams the Sunday 9:30am Mass on its YouTube channel so that the homebound and those unable to attend in person can remain connected. There is no published schedule for Eucharistic Adoration or Benediction on the website.
- Rosary before every Mass (English and Spanish)
- Live-streamed Sunday 9:30am Mass
Sacraments
Standard parish sacramental information is handled through the Parish Office (586-468-8734). Baptisms, marriages, and Anointing of the Sick are arranged with the office. The parish runs an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly RCIA) program — likely coordinated by Director of Faith Formation Jeanine Walker. First Eucharist and Confirmation preparation are provided through Faith Formation / Religious Education. Mass Intentions may be scheduled through the parish office, online (osvhub.com/stlouiscatholiccommunity/funds), or by request form; each intention carries a $10 stipend.
- OCIA / RCIA
- First Eucharist preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — by arrangement through the parish office
- Mass Intentions — $10 each
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Louis's most distinctive recent development in faith formation is the reopening of its former school building as a joint K–8 Religious Education campus shared with three neighboring parishes — San Francesco (Clinton Township), St. Peter (Mt. Clemens), and St. Hubert (Harrison Township) — under the umbrella of the Central Macomb 1 Family of Parishes. Approximately 250 public-school students attend the program, choosing either Monday or Tuesday evenings for a 90-minute session. Fr. John Maksym also celebrates a Tuesday-night Mass at the building for parents dropping off students — said to be the first such program of its kind in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Faith Formation is coordinated by Jeanine Walker (Mission Support Director / Director of Faith Formation / OCIA / Safe Environments) and her events coordinator, with support from Nicole Walters and Ava Schwenck.
- K–8 Religious Education on Monday or Tuesday evenings
- OCIA / RCIA for adults
- Tuesday-evening Mass for parents (Fr. Maksym)
- Family of Parishes collaboration
Christian Service & Outreach
St. Louis has an unusually wide-ranging outreach program, run through its Christian Service Commission, which meets the second Monday of each month at 7pm. The centerpieces are the on-site St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry (open Mon–Fri 2:30–3:30pm) and partnerships with the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen in Mt. Clemens (served the first Wednesday of each month) and local ecumenical community meals at United Methodist and Zion Church. Health ministries include the parish nurses' ministry (with monthly Blood Pressure screenings after weekend Liturgies and a Health Fair every October with flu shots and free health info), Eucharistic ministry to homebound parishioners and to residents of Lakepointe Villa, and transportation help to liturgy and medical appointments. Cold-weather outreach includes hosting the Warming Center at the Parish Center at the end of November into December, and support for MCREST.
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry (on-site, Mon–Fri 2:30–3:30pm)
- Salvation Army Soup Kitchen (Mt. Clemens, first Wednesday each month)
- Community Meals (United Methodist, Mt. Clemens)
- Parish Nurses / Blood Pressure screenings
- October Health Fair (flu shots, screenings)
- Warming Center (late November–early December)
- MCREST support
- Eucharist to the Homebound and to Lakepointe Villa
Hospitality & Fellowship
Beyond worship, St. Louis cultivates parish life through several long-running fellowship traditions. Volunteers rotate through Coffee & Donuts service after weekend Masses, a free Pancake Breakfast is held each January, and the Golden Seniors Dinner in early November honors parishioners over 70 with turkey dinner and BINGO. Three Red Cross Blood Drives are hosted each year.
- Coffee & Donuts (weekend mornings)
- Free Pancake Breakfast (January)
- Golden Seniors Dinner (November, for those 70+)
- Three Red Cross Blood Drives per year
Parish Office, Staff & Contact
St. Louis is staffed by Fr. John Selvamony (parish priest) with visiting support from the Central Macomb 1 Family of Parishes. Lay staff include Fr. John Selvamony, Jeanine Walker (Mission Support / Faith Formation / OCIA / Safe Environments), Nicole Walters (Family of Parishes – Priest Support), Lissa Volz (Faith Formation Events Coordinator), Ava Schwenck (Faith Formation Assistant), Cheryl Sleem (Parish Office Manager / Bulletin Editor), Betty Czaplicki (Bookkeeper, part-time), Michael Wortman (Maintenance, part-time), Edward Trabilsy (Maintenance & Housekeeping, part-time), Nikki Wheeler (Music Director), Terry Prahl, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society coordinator. Office hours through Labor Day (summer) are Mon–Wed 9am–4pm, Thu closed, Fri 9am–noon, closed for lunch 12:00–1:00pm. The Faith Formation Office is reached at 586-722-2803 and the fax line is 586-468-9647.
- Parish Office: 586-468-8734
- Faith Formation Office: 586-722-2803
- SVdP Food Pantry voicemail: 586-468-8734 x-106
- Fax: 586-468-9647
- Address: 24415 Crocker Blvd., Clinton Township, MI 48036-3260
Central Macomb 1 Family of Parishes
St. Louis is part of the Archdiocese of Detroit's Central Macomb 1 Family of Parishes, which also includes San Francesco (Clinton Township), St. Peter (Mt. Clemens), and St. Hubert (Harrison Township). The Family-of-Parishes model, promoted by the Archdiocese, encourages shared resources, joint pastoral leadership, and combined programs — most visibly the joint K–8 Religious Education program hosted in St. Louis's former school building. Fr. John Maksym serves as moderator of the Central Macomb 1 Family.
- San Francesco Parish, Clinton Township
- St. Peter Parish, Mt. Clemens
- St. Hubert Parish, Harrison Township
- Moderator: Fr. John Maksym
Livestream & Online Presence
The parish livestreams its Sunday 9:30am Mass on its YouTube channel (@st.louisclintontownship7770), and maintains an official Facebook page (facebook.com/stlouiscatholicchurch) for announcements and events. Online giving is handled through OSV Hub. Staff can be reached by direct email through the 'Contact Us' page, where each staff member is listed individually.
- Sunday 9:30am Mass livestreamed on YouTube
- Official Facebook: facebook.com/stlouiscatholicchurch
- Online giving: osvhub.com/stlouiscatholiccommunity/funds
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Victor J. Renaud1926–1936
Founding pastor; organized the parish on land donated by the Charbeneau family; chose the parish patron. Died October 25, 1958.
- Fr. Harold Rosebrookuntil 1942
Second pastor. Died October 19, 1977.
- Fr. Joseph Schramm1940s–1966
Came from Our Lady of Victory, Northville. Oversaw the building of the new church (cornerstone 1958) and St. Louis High School. Retired June 15, 1966. Died June 20, 1974.
- Fr. Joseph F. Ryder1966–June 1970
Renovated the rectory; oversaw the phase-out of the high school.
- Fr. David E. Weisner1970–July 1985
Arrived with assistant Fr. Robert J. Poledink. Led the 1981 church renovation (new altar arrangement, chairs, Eucharistic Chapel). Died September 27, 1998.
- Fr. Pasquale LoGrasso1985–
Came from St. Louise parish. Oversaw conversion of the old church/gym into the Social Hall and the 2000 stained-glass window repair.
- Fr. Anthony Sulafter 2002
Succeeded Fr. LoGrasso after his retirement.
- Fr. Larry Pettke2007 until his death
Served St. Louis for many years from 2007 until his death.
- Fr. John Selvamonypresent
Current pastor.