About St. Mary · Custer, Michigan
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Custer, Michigan is a small parish of the Diocese of Grand Rapids with deep Lithuanian-American roots. The community of Lithuanian settlers first arrived in Custer around 1912 and grew after World War I; the parish was formally established in 1933 and its current modernist church was completed in 1966. Since 2012 it has served as the St. Mary–St. Jerome Parish following the merger with the former St. Jerome of Scottville, and today it shares a pastor with St. Simon Parish in Ludington and St. John Cantius in Free Soil. The church at 85 South Madison Avenue is the principal worship site for Catholic families of Mason County's Custer area, offering weekday and weekend Masses, Reconciliation, religious education, a perpetual adoration chapel, and outreach through the Caritas Food Pantry.
- Established
- 1933
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish titled 'St. Mary'; founded by Lithuanian Catholic community)
- Rector
- Rev. Jacob M. Zemaitis (Canonical Administrator; ordained June 3, 2023)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Grand Rapids (Northwest Deanery, Mason County)
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a close-knit Catholic community rooted in a small village, with regular weekday and weekend Masses, easy access to Confession before each Mass, and a perpetual adoration chapel open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for those who want to deepen their prayer life. The parish is family-oriented, with Religious Education for children led by Director Mandy Fort, music ministry under Jan Sanregret, and a Prayer Shawl group that ministers to those in need of comfort. Outreach through the Caritas Food Pantry at the parish Activity Center — open Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m. — makes the parish a real neighbor in Mason County, especially for families facing food insecurity.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
- or by appointment
Adoration times
- Perpetual adoration chapel — open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- Friday 9:00 – 10:00 a.m., Adoration with Benediction (at cluster partner St. Simon, Ludington)
Welcome & Parish Mission
St. Mary's publishes a clear parish mission statement on its About page: 'We the people of St. Mary's parish, dedicate ourselves to proclaim and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. We strive to build a community of faith where each person is valued as a unique child of God. We call upon the Holy Spirit to strengthen our participation, and with prayer and the sacraments will try to continue the saving work of Jesus Christ in our community.' The parish identifies itself as the home worship site for the combined St. Mary–St. Jerome community in the Diocese of Grand Rapids.
- Parish mission statement published on the About page
- Liturgies for Sunday (10 a.m.) and Saturday vigil (4 p.m.)
History & Lithuanian Heritage
A community of Lithuanians began settling in Custer, Michigan around 1912 and grew further after World War I. The parish was established in 1933, originally served by a Lithuanian priest. The present church was completed in 1966 to a design by Lithuanian-American architect Jonas Mulokas, sharing design elements with his award-winning Transfiguration Catholic Church in Queens, New York.
- Founded 1933 by Lithuanian Catholic immigrants
- New modernist church completed 1966; architect Jonas Mulokas
- 2012 merger with St. Jerome, Scottville formed St. Mary–St. Jerome Parish
Architecture & Worship Space
The 1966 church is a modernist A-frame building with an adjacent bell tower. Its interior features an altar decorated with Lithuanian textile design elements and a backing wall of multicolored bricks — subtle architectural references to the founders' heritage.
- Architectural style: Modernist A-frame with adjacent bell tower
- Interior altar with Lithuanian textile design motifs
- Multicolored brick backing wall
Clergy & Staff
St. Mary's is currently led by Rev. Jacob M. Zemaitis, who serves as Canonical Administrator of St. Mary–St. Jerome Parish in Custer and St. John Cantius in Free Soil; he was ordained on June 3, 2023. The parish is supported by a Business Manager, a Secretary, a Director of Religious Education, and a Music Director.
- Rev. Jacob M. Zemaitis — Canonical Administrator (ordained June 3, 2023)
- Kara Kriesel — Business Manager ([email protected])
- Kaitlyn Chebowski — Secretary ([email protected])
- Mandy Fort — Director of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Jan Sanregret — Music Director
- Jim Howe, Jr. & Garrick Mustard — Lawn & Snow Care
Sacraments
St. Mary's prepares Catholics for the Church's central sacraments. Couples are asked to contact the office at least six months before a wedding date is set. Families arrange Baptisms through the parish office, and the Anointing of the Sick is arranged by contacting Fr. Jacob Zemaitis.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the office 6 months before the wedding date is set
- Anointing of the Sick — contact Fr. Jacob Zemaitis
- Reconciliation — Tuesday 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 3:00–3:50 p.m.; or by appointment
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education for the parish's children and youth is coordinated by Director Mandy Fort ([email protected]). The parish shares staff across the St. Mary–St. Jerome cluster, ensuring that families in Custer and surrounding areas have access to ongoing catechesis.
- Director of Religious Education: Mandy Fort
- Contact: [email protected]
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music ministry at St. Mary's is led by Director Jan Sanregret, supporting sung liturgy at weekend and weekday Masses. Other lay liturgical and pastoral ministries include a Funeral Luncheon team and a Quilt Group.
- Music Director: Jan Sanregret
- Funeral Luncheon ministry
- Quilt Group
Outreach: Caritas Food Pantry
The Caritas Food Pantry operates out of St. Mary's Activity Center on South Madison Avenue in Custer, serving neighbors facing food insecurity in the broader Mason County area. It is open two days a week and is led by Manager Kelly Glover.
- Location: St. Mary's Activity Center, South Madison Avenue, Custer
- Manager: Kelly Glover
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 231-690-9642
- Hours: Monday & Wednesday, 12:00–2:00 p.m.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
The Prayer Shawl ministry offers handmade shawls as a tangible expression of comfort and prayer for parishioners who are sick, grieving, or otherwise in need of spiritual support.
- Coordinator: Deb Hanna — 231-757-2154
Parish Cluster — Sharing Pastoral Care
Since the retirement of the pastor of St. Simon in Ludington, St. Mary–St. Jerome Parish has been clustered with St. Simon Parish to share a pastor. Rev. Jacob M. Zemaitis also serves as Canonical Administrator of St. John Cantius in Free Soil, forming a three-parish cluster in the Diocese of Grand Rapids' Northwest Deanery.
- St. Mary – St. Jerome Parish, Custer (worship site: 85 S. Madison St., Custer)
- St. Simon Parish, Ludington (cluster partner)
- St. John Cantius Parish, Free Soil (cluster partner)
- Northwest Deanery, Diocese of Grand Rapids
Contact, Office Hours & Accessibility
The parish office is open three days a week. The worship site at 85 S. Madison Street is handicapped accessible, and a separate mailing address (PO Box 68) is provided for parish correspondence. Weekly bulletins are available via DiscoverMass.com.
- Parish office phone & fax: 231-757-4709
- Emergency sacramental line: 231-464-7009
- Office hours: Mon 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Wed 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.; Fri 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
- Handicapped accessible worship site
- Mailing address: PO Box 68, 85 S. Madison St., Custer, MI 49405
- Bulletins online via DiscoverMass.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father B. Marčiulionis
Lithuanian priest who initiated the new church project and corresponded with architect Jonas Mulokas.
- Father Ernst J. Bernotas
Named priest for St. Mary's shortly before the new church's completion in 1966.