About St. Mary Mystical Rose · Armada, Michigan
St. Mary Mystical Rose is a small Catholic parish serving the village of Armada and surrounding rural northern Macomb County, Michigan. Founded in 1946 and entrusted to the Archdiocese of Detroit, it is a member of the Merciful Love of Jesus Family of Parishes alongside Holy Family in Memphis and St. Augustine in Richmond. The community takes its name and identity from the Blessed Virgin Mary under the beloved title 'Mystical Rose,' and gathers weekly for Sunday Mass, Wednesday daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and faith formation for children and families. Although modest in size, the parish maintains an active Christian Service ministry that distributes holiday food baskets year-round to neighbors in need.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary under the title 'Mystical Rose' (from the Litany of Loreto)
- Rector
- Fr. Mark Livingston
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Mary Mystical Rose offers the warmth of a small-town Catholic community rooted in the Marian title 'Mystical Rose,' with a Eucharistic schedule that includes a dedicated Wednesday daily Mass and a Sunday morning liturgy, followed each Wednesday by both adoration and confession. Families raising children in the faith can enroll in the parish's Family-Centered Catechesis program, which gathers children monthly with catechists and supports parents as the primary educators of their children. The parish's Christian Service ministry also reaches outward, assembling food baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter for those in need throughout the year.
Mass times at St. Mary Mystical Rose
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM (immediately following the 9:00 AM Mass)
- By appointment — call the parish office
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM (following the 9:00 AM Mass at St. Mary Mystical Rose)
Parish Identity & History
St. Mary Mystical Rose was established on November 20, 1946, when Archbishop Edward Cardinal Mooney assigned Father Francis Sysol to found a Catholic parish in Armada, Michigan. Father Sysol's early ministry included three baptisms and a wedding in the final weeks of 1946, after which he purchased land and began planning the construction of a church and rectory. The first Mass was celebrated in the Armada Township Hall on July 6, 1947, with ground broken for the permanent church on August 24, 1947. The parish's first Mass in its own church building took place on Easter Sunday, March 28, 1948. Today the parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Detroit's Merciful Love of Jesus Family of Parishes.
- Founded: November 20, 1946
- Founding pastor: Father Francis Sysol
- First Mass in new church: Easter Sunday, March 28, 1948
- Patron: The Blessed Virgin Mary under the title 'Mystical Rose'
Pastor & Clergy
The parish is currently shepherded by Fr. Mark Livingston, who serves as pastor of the entire Merciful Love of Jesus Family of Parishes. The parish office at St. Mary Mystical Rose is staffed Tuesday through Friday to handle sacramental scheduling, registrations, and general inquiries for the three-parish family.
- Fr. Mark Livingston — Pastor
- Parish office: Tuesday–Wednesday 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM; Friday 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Family Faith Formation (Religious Education)
St. Mary Mystical Rose uses a Family-Centered Catechesis model, recognizing that 'faith is best taught and lived out in the family' and that parents are the first and foremost educators of their children. Children gather three times per month with a catechist at the parish for a classroom lesson, while parents attend a monthly teaching and participate in family activity days throughout the year. Each family also receives a monthly at-home lesson to complete together. Director of Religious Formation and Baptism Coordinator is Jeff Domsic.
- Tuition: $130 one student / $160 two / $180 three or more
- Sacrament prep fee: $50 per student in First Eucharist, Confirmation 1, and Confirmation 2
- Materials fee: $22 per student
- Classes held on Tuesday evenings
- Program year begins Tuesday, September 15, 2026 (6:00 PM – 7:30 PM)
Christian Service & Outreach
The Christian Service ministry helps spread the Gospel by feeding the hungry in the Armada area. Each year at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter the team assembles food baskets for community members in need, and additional assistance is offered throughout the year on request. Volunteers are welcome to participate.
- Holiday food baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter
- Year-round assistance by request
- Contact: Marlene Brown, (586) 727-1696
Sacraments
The parish supports the seven Catholic sacraments through preparation programs and appointments. Baptism coordination, along with First Eucharist and Confirmation preparation, runs through the Family Faith Formation office under Jeff Domsic. Couples seeking marriage and families in need of anointing or other pastoral rites are encouraged to contact the parish office.
- Baptism — preparation through Faith Formation
- First Eucharist — sacrament prep class
- Confirmation — Confirmation 1 and Confirmation 2 classes
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- Reconciliation — Wednesday mornings and by appointment
Joining the Parish
New members can register online using the parish registration form posted on the family website. The parish also invites newcomers to subscribe to the bulletin, follow the parish Facebook page, register for a FORMED digital faith-formation account (parish code ZBG9VH), and check the calendar of events for upcoming activities.
- Submit registration form online or by phone
- Subscribe to the bulletin
- Follow on Facebook
- Sign up for FORMED (parish code ZBG9VH)
Merciful Love of Jesus Family of Parishes
St. Mary Mystical Rose is one of three parishes in the Merciful Love of Jesus Family of Parishes, an Archdiocese of Detroit structure that groups neighboring parishes under shared pastoral leadership to better serve rural and small-town communities. The two sister parishes are Holy Family in Memphis and St. Augustine in Richmond, which together with St. Mary Mystical Rose form a single worship schedule spanning daily Mass, Sunday Masses in multiple locations, and shared confession, adoration, and formation opportunities. St. Augustine School (Preschool through Grade 8) is the Catholic school of the family.
- Holy Family Parish — Memphis, MI
- St. Augustine Parish — Richmond, MI
- St. Augustine School — Preschool through Grade 8
- Family communications office: [email protected]
- Shared pastor: Fr. Mark Livingston
Visit, Call, or Write
St. Mary Mystical Rose Parish is located in the village of Armada in rural northern Macomb County. The parish office is open limited hours throughout the week and is reachable by phone, email, or online form for sacramental scheduling, registration, bulletin requests, and general inquiries.
- Address: 24040 Armada Ridge Road, Armada, MI 48005
- Phone: (586) 784-5966
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://mloj.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Francis Sysol1946 – (founding pastor)
Assigned by Cardinal Mooney on November 20, 1946; celebrated first Mass in Armada Township Hall on July 6, 1947; broke ground for the church and rectory on August 24, 1947; first Mass in the new church on Easter Sunday, March 28, 1948.
- Fr. Christopher Talbot2020
Appointed Pastor of St. Mary Mystical Rose effective January 6, 2020 by the Archdiocese of Detroit, while continuing as Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi–St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Ray Township.
- Fr. Mark LivingstonPresent
Current pastor of the Merciful Love of Jesus Family of Parishes (Holy Family, St. Augustine, and St. Mary Mystical Rose).