About St. Mary · Kalamazoo, Michigan
St. Mary Parish is a Catholic parish in Kalamazoo, Michigan, belonging to the Diocese of Kalamazoo and serving as the home of the Kalamazoo Oratory of St. Philip Neri. The parish traces its roots back to 1921 and is today distinguished by a rich liturgical life that pairs the Ordinary Form of the Mass with the Traditional Latin Mass (1962 Missal). Under the pastoral leadership of Fr. José Haro, the parish offers daily and Sunday Masses, frequent confession opportunities, perpetual-style adoration, parish catechesis, and a strong devotional culture including the Legion of Mary and the historic Ladies Sodality.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish namesake; parish also affiliated as the Kalamazoo Oratory of St. Philip Neri)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. José Haro (Pastor & Director of Vocations)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kalamazoo (currently led by Bishop Edward M. Lohse)
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a liturgical life uncommon in the Diocese of Kalamazoo: three Sunday Masses including two in the 1962 Traditional Latin Rite, a daily 8:00 AM Mass, and an unusually rich schedule of confessions (six half-hour slots every weekend). Families looking for solid catechesis can enroll children in the parish's Sunday in-person catechism program, while adults can join the Young Adult Group or pray with the Legion of Mary each Thursday evening. The historic Ladies Sodality has been quietly funding parish projects since the 1940s, and the current Fr. Haro serves not only as pastor but as the diocese's Director of Vocations — a clear sign of the parish's mission-minded character.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:30 AM – 7:55 AM
- Sunday: 9:30 AM – 9:55 AM
- Sunday: 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM
- Saturday: 8:45 AM – 9:30 AM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM
Adoration times
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — Tuesdays (see parish calendar for current schedule)
Parish History
St. Mary Parish traces its origins to 1921, when the Catholic community on Kalamazoo's east side founded St. Michael Catholic Church. The parish grew through a succession of pastors until February 1932, when Father Joseph Bartkowiak was appointed and began the work of building a new church on Charlotte Avenue. The present-day parish was renamed St. Mary in 1938 with the completion of that church, later replaced by the current 1963 building on the same site.
- 1921 — St. Michael Catholic Church founded on Kalamazoo's east side
- 1932 — Father Joseph Bartkowiak appointed pastor
- 1934 — Parish purchases the former Michigan Female Seminary site on Charlotte Avenue; reuses seminary bricks and wood
- 1938 — New church completed under Fr. Bartkowiak; parish renamed St. Mary Catholic Church
- 1963 — Present-day church built, replacing the 1938 structure
- 2005 — Original 1938 church (later used by St. Mary's Elementary School) is demolished
- Now functioning as the Kalamazoo Oratory of St. Philip Neri
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
St. Mary offers a notably full weekend schedule, including a Saturday Vigil, three Sunday Masses (two in the 1962 Traditional Latin Rite), and a daily 8:00 AM Low Mass in the 1962 Missal throughout the week. First Wednesdays, First Fridays, and First Saturdays carry their traditional devotional Masses honoring St. Joseph, the Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart.
- Saturday Vigil — 4:00 PM (English)
- Sunday — 8:00 AM 1962 Low Mass
- Sunday — 10:00 AM (Ordinary Form, English)
- Sunday — 12:00 PM 1962 High Mass
- Monday–Saturday — 8:00 AM 1962 Low Mass
- First Wednesday — Mass in honor of St. Joseph
- First Friday — Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- First Saturday — Mass in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Parish Staff & Clergy
Parish operations are led by Pastor Fr. José Haro — who also serves the diocese as Director of Vocations — supported by a deacon, a director of catechesis, a director of sacred music, and a small office and maintenance team.
- Rev. Fr. José Haro — Pastor & Director of Vocations
- Deacon Patrick Hall
- Deacon Hector Albe
- Becky Reits — Director of Catechesis and Evangelization
- Ursi Engebretsen — Director of Sacred Music
- Kelli Rider — Secretary (parish office)
- Jeff Cypher — Grounds Administrator
- Dale Boone — Director of Maintenance (also President of the Legion of Mary)
- Eva Libke — Church & Hall Custodian
- Brielle Treml — Parish Echo Apprentice
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs an in-person Sunday catechism program designed to follow diocesan curriculum guidelines for the sacraments of initiation.
- Sunday in-person catechism classes 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- Open to students nearing the age of reason (~age 7) through sacramental preparation for and reception of Confirmation (~age 14)
- First Holy Communion and Confirmation each designed as two-year preparatory programs
- Registration handled through the parish office / parish website
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Lay spirituality and service groups are at the heart of parish life at St. Mary. The Ladies Sodality has been a continuous presence since the 1940s, the Legion of Mary hosts a recently-formed praesidium, and the Young Adult Group serves the parish's younger members.
- Legion of Mary — meets Thursdays 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM; president Dale Boone, under the direction of Fr. Haro; assists with the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in family homes
- Ladies Sodality — active since the 1940s; bake sales (including Paczki's for Fat Tuesday and Lamb Cakes at Easter), Summer Purse Bingo, 'love pouches' for Deacon Pat Hall's outreach, Cookies & Caroling, and quarterly business meetings
- Young Adult Group — meets regularly (see parish events calendar)
- St. Stephens Guild — parish altar servers, supported by Ladies Sodality fundraising
Music & Liturgy
Sacred music at St. Mary is directed by Ursi Engebretsen. The parish's music program supports both the Ordinary Form and the sung High Mass in the 1962 Rite each Sunday at noon.
- Director of Sacred Music — Ursi Engebretsen
- Music supports the Ordinary Form 10:00 AM Mass and the 12:00 PM 1962 High Mass
Outreach & Charity
Outreach flows largely through the pastoral work of Deacon Pat Hall and the Ladies Sodality, with the parish also supporting youth participation in Right to Life marches and camps and youth programs such as Trail Life and American Heritage Girls.
- Deacon Pat Hall's door-to-door outreach in the neighborhood with 'love pouches' for those in need
- Cookies and Caroling through neighborhood homes each Advent
- Purse and toiletries drives for the women's shelter at the Gospel Mission
- Youth support for Right to Life Marches and camps
- Sponsorship of Trail Life and American Heritage Girls camping adventures
Contact, Office & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person during posted office hours.
- Address: 939 Charlotte Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
- Phone: (269) 342-0621
- Fax: (269) 342-4132
- Email: [email protected]
- Summer Office Hours: Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM; closed Fridays
- Website: https://stmarykazoo.org
Kalamazoo Oratory of St. Philip Neri
St. Mary Parish is canonically linked with the Kalamazoo Oratory of St. Philip Neri, placing the parish within the Oratorian tradition established by St. Philip Neri in 16th-century Rome. This affiliation shapes the parish's strong liturgical and devotional identity.
- Affiliated with the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri via the Kalamazoo Oratory
- Reflects the Oratorian emphasis on the sacraments, beauty in liturgy, and lay collaboration
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Joseph BartkowiakFebruary 1932 – (stewardship era through 1938 building project)
Appointed spiritual leader of what was then St. Michael parish in February 1932; led the construction of the new church on Charlotte Avenue, completed 1938, when the parish was renamed St. Mary.