About St. Mary · Saint Clair, Michigan
St. Mary Catholic Church is a 170-year-old parish established in 1850 in St. Clair, Michigan, located in the Northeast Region of the Archdiocese of Detroit within the Blue Water Vicariate. The parish encompasses roughly 55 square miles and ministers to several senior care residences and St. John's River District Hospital, while supporting the St. Clair Ecumenical Food Pantry and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Worship offerings include daily Mass (with a 9:00 am devotional weekday schedule), Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Masses, weekday confessions, and multiple weekly hours of Eucharistic Adoration including First Friday. The parish also offers religious education for grades 1–8, a homeschool co-op meeting on Fridays after the 9:00 am Mass, and operates St. Mary Cemetery.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Zuelch
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit (Blue Water Vicariate, Northeast Region, Northeast Blue Water 2 Family of Parishes)
Why belong here
St. Mary offers daily and weekend Mass with a dependable 9:00 am weekday rhythm, multiple weekly Eucharistic Adoration hours (including First Friday), and weekday confessions before Mass and on Saturday mornings — making it easy to keep prayer woven into a working week. The parish is rooted in 170+ years of history on the Pine River and reaches outward through ministries to local senior residences and the hospital, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the St. Clair Ecumenical Food Pantry. Families can plug in through religious education for grades 1–8, the Friday homeschool co-op, and the parish's own St. Mary Cemetery.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 8:45 am
- Thursday: 6:15 pm
- Saturday: 9:45 am (follows 9:00 am Mass; ends when no more recipients; may be cancelled if a funeral)
Adoration times
- Monday: 9:45 am – noon
- Tuesday: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Wednesday: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
- First Friday: 9:45 am – 3:00 pm (may be cancelled if a funeral)
History of St. Mary Parish
St. Mary was founded in 1850 by Detroit's Bishop Peter Paul Lefevere, with Rev. Fr. Lawrence Kilroy as the first pastor. A modest frame church went up three years later on the banks of the Pine River. Under Rev. Fr. Francis VanderBom in 1864, construction began on the present brick church half a mile north; parishioners — especially women — formed and hauled the bricks themselves, and the building was completed in 1865 at a cost of $13,000. In 1921 Rev. Fr. Edward J. Kromenaker added the transepts and established the parish school. The parish remains an active part of the Archdiocese of Detroit today, within the Blue Water Vicariate.
- 1850: Parish established by Bishop Peter Paul Lefevere
- 1853: Modest first church built on the Pine River
- 1864–1865: Present brick church erected under Fr. Francis VanderBom ($13,000 construction cost)
- 1921: Transepts added and parish school established under Fr. Edward J. Kromenaker
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Mary is served by a team of clergy and lay staff. Father Michael Zuelch is the pastor, supported by priests in solidum and full-time priest support within the Northeast Blue Water 2 Family of Parishes. The parish office is staffed by a parish secretary, administrative assistant, business manager / director of maintenance, bookkeeper, director of religious education, and a music director / worship coordinator who also serves as wedding coordinator.
- Rev. Michael Zuelch — Pastor
- Rev. Johny Chellaswamy Suseela — Full-Time Priest Support
- Rev. Joseph Esper — Priest In Solidum
- Rev. John Dumas — Priest In Solidum
- Rev. Charles White IV — Priest In Solidum
- Rev. Raymond Arwady — Full-Time Priest Support
- Anna Bissett — Parish Secretary
- LeeAnn Brennan — Administrative Assistant
- Rick Wagner — Business Manager / Director of Maintenance
- Tyler Gosse — Bookkeeper
- Lisa Yamin — Director of Religious Education
- John Church — Music Director / Worship Coordinator / Wedding Coordinator
Holy Week, Christmas, and Holy Day Schedule
St. Mary publishes a detailed schedule for the major liturgical seasons. Holy Week begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Thursday evening followed by Adoration from 9:00 pm to midnight; Good Friday includes the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Rosary, Stations of the Cross, and the Liturgy of the Word with Veneration of the Cross and Communion; Holy Saturday includes the Blessing of Food and the Easter Vigil at 8:30 pm; and Easter Sunday holds Masses at the regular 8:30 am and 11:30 am times. Christmas features a Children's Living Nativity and 4:00 pm Mass on Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass at 12:00 am, and an 11:30 am Mass on Christmas Day.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at St. Mary serves students in grades 1 through 8, with registration published on the website. Director of Religious Education Lisa Yamin coordinates the program and is the contact for both Religious Education and the sacraments of Baptism and RCIA. The parish also hosts a Friday homeschool co-op; classes begin in early September following the 9:00 am Mass.
- Religious Education for grades 1–8
- Homeschool Co-op (Fridays after 9:00 am Mass)
- RCIA — for adults entering the Church
- Baptism preparation
- Contact: 810-329-7801 or [email protected]
Sacraments
Parishioners and visitors can find information on Baptism, RCIA, Marriage, and Confession on the website. Baptism inquiries are routed through the Director of Religious Education. Confession is offered on a regular weekly schedule before Mass, and weddings are coordinated through Music Director / Wedding Coordinator John Church.
- Baptism — 810-329-7801 or [email protected]
- RCIA — 810-329-7801 or [email protected]
- Marriage — contact Music Director John Church
- Confession — Monday 8:45 am, Thursday 6:15 pm, Saturday 9:45 am
Outreach & Pastoral Care
St. Mary reaches beyond the church walls to serve the wider St. Clair community. The parish ministers the sacraments to residents of St. John's River District Hospital, Medilodge of St. Clair, Palmer Park Manor, River Bend Assisted Living, and Mallard's Landing. Outreach partnerships include the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the ecumenical St. Clair Food Pantry, with separate phone lines for the Food Pantry (810-300-7957) and Rent & Utilities Assistance (810-300-8033).
- Pastoral visits to hospital and four senior residences
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- St. Clair Ecumenical Food Pantry — 810-300-7957
- Rent & Utilities Assistance — 810-300-8033
Music and Liturgy
Music ministry is coordinated by John Church, who serves as Music Director and Worship Coordinator and also coordinates weddings for the parish.
- Music Director / Worship Coordinator: John Church
- Wedding Coordinator: John Church
- Email: [email protected]
Parish Life & Hospitality
St. Mary hosts parish fellowship and hospitality through the Martha and Mary Hospitality Group, which has sponsored a Parish Cookbook fundraising project inviting families to share their favorite recipes.
- Martha and Mary Hospitality Group
- Parish Cookbook fundraiser (recipes submitted to LeeAnn Brennan)
St. Mary Cemetery
St. Mary Parish maintains St. Mary Cemetery as part of its ongoing ministry to the community.
Visit, Contact, and Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary at 415 N. Sixth Street, St. Clair, MI 48079, by phone at 810-329-2255, or by email at [email protected]. The parish office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Tuesday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The office closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 pm and is closed on Fridays. To register as a parishioner or learn more about becoming part of the St. Mary family, call the parish office.
- Address: 415 N. Sixth Street, St. Clair, MI 48079
- Phone: 810-329-2255
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon/Wed/Thu 10 am–4 pm, Tue 1 pm–4 pm; closed noon–1 pm; closed Friday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Lawrence Kilroy1850 (founding)
First pastor, appointed by Bishop Peter Paul Lefevere when the parish was established.
- Rev. Fr. Francis VanderBom1864–1865
Directed construction of the current brick church; cornerstone laid and completed the following year.
- Rev. Fr. Edward J. Kromenaker1921
Added the transepts to the church and established the parish school.