About St. Mary Student Parish · Ann Arbor, Michigan
St. Mary Student Parish is a Jesuit Catholic parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan, located two blocks from the central campus of the University of Michigan and administered by the Diocese of Lansing. The parish has served Catholic students, faculty, staff, residents, and alumni of U-M for more than a century and is the diocese's designated parish for the university community. Following the Ignatian tradition, it identifies as a welcoming, inclusive, caring, and diverse community uniting residents and students, Christ-centered with the Eucharist at the heart of its liturgical life. It offers a robust schedule of Sunday and weekday Masses in English and Spanish, ongoing faith formation, OCIA, Hispanic/Latino ministry, and a Faith Doing Justice apostolate.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- St. Mary (Chapel of St. Mary, the Immaculate Conception)
- Rector
- Fr. Kyle Shinseki, S.J.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
Why belong here
St. Mary Student Parish is the Catholic home of the University of Michigan community, intentionally uniting students, residents, faculty, staff, alumni and families in one diverse and welcoming worshipping community. As a Jesuit parish rooted in the Ignatian tradition, it offers vibrant liturgical life — including a Spanish Mass, daily and Sunday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, and Reconciliation — alongside Faith Doing Justice outreach, OCIA, faith formation for children and families, and a thriving Hispanic/Latino Ministry. With its location two blocks from central campus, dedicated Jesuit priests, and a century-plus of forming Catholic leaders, it's a natural parish home for anyone connected to U-M.
Mass times at St. Mary Student Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 1:00–1:30 PM (Spanish)
- Sunday 4:00–4:30 PM
- Sunday 7:00–7:30 PM (no 7 PM reconciliation May 3–Aug 23)
- Wednesday 5:45–6:30 PM
- Saturday 4:00–4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Monday 3:30–4:30 PM Eucharistic Adoration
- Tuesday 3:30–4:30 PM Eucharistic Adoration
- Wednesday 5:45–9:00 PM Eucharistic Adoration (5:45–7:00 PM from April 30 through August 20)
- Thursday 3:30–4:30 PM Eucharistic Adoration
History
St. Mary Student Parish traces its roots to 1817, when Fr. Gabriel Richard co-founded the University of Michigan, and to 1889, when Catholic students formed the Guild of Catholic Students — the third-oldest such society in the United States. A Catholic chapel was established in Morris Hall in 1919, the Chapel of St. Mary, the Immaculate Conception cornerstone was laid in 1924, and the parish was renamed from St. Mary Student Chapel to St. Mary Student Parish in the early 1970s.
- 1817: Fr. Gabriel Richard co-founds U-M
- 1889: Guild of Catholic Students (Newman) founded
- 1919: Catholic chapel established in Morris Hall
- 1924: Cornerstone of Chapel of St. Mary, the Immaculate Conception laid
- 1937: Graduate Study Club founded
- 1938: Newman Club founded
- 1952 (Oct 25): Cornerstone of Fr. Gabriel Richard Newman Center laid
- 1953 (Nov 22): Newman Center dedicated
- Early 1970s: Renamed St. Mary Student Parish
Fr. Gabriel Richard Newman Center
The cornerstone of the existing Fr. Gabriel Richard Newman Center was laid on October 25, 1952, and the Center was dedicated on November 22, 1953. Originally designed to provide classrooms, a reference library, and recreation and social space, today it houses parish staff offices, a study lounge, the parish library, kitchen facilities for events, and classrooms and meeting space for student activities. In the courtyard behind the church, a bell from one of Fr. Gabriel Richard's schools honors his dedication to education.
Parish Mission & Identity
St. Mary Student Parish is a welcoming, inclusive, caring, and diverse Catholic community, uniting residents and students. It is Christ-centered with the Eucharist as the source of holiness in its vibrant liturgical life, inspired by Ignatian spirituality to live a faith that does justice by reaching out to the marginalized. As an apostolic parish, it is committed to ongoing formation of Christian witness, discipleship, and leadership.
- Jesuit parish in the Ignatian tradition
- Diocese of Lansing parish with particular responsibility for U-M students, faculty, and staff
- More than 100 years serving the Catholic community at U-M
Clergy & Staff
The parish is staffed by multiple Jesuit priests alongside a robust lay pastoral, faith formation, liturgy, and operations team. Pastoral Staff includes Fr. Kyle Shinseki, S.J. (Pastor), Fr. Jacob Boddicker, S.J. (Parochial Vicar), Fr. Joel Medina, S.J. (Pastoral Associate), and Fr. Robert E. Karle, S.J. (Campus Ministry).
- Fr. Kyle Shinseki, S.J. — Pastor
- Fr. Jacob Boddicker, S.J. — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Joel Medina, S.J. — Pastoral Associate
- Fr. Robert E. Karle, S.J. — Campus Ministry
- Camryn Hurley — Pastoral Associate
- Bailey Burke — Pastoral Associate
- Constance Heskia — Campus Ministry Coordinator
- Carson Ching — Campus Missionary Disciple
- Therese Campos — Campus Ministry Disciple
- Audrey Gyolai — Family Ministry Coordinator & Faith Doing Justice Coordinator
- Maribel Rosas-Palmas — Hispanic/Latino Sacramental Preparation Coordinator
- Rosa Luz Postigo — Hispano/Latino Ministry Coordinator
- Pam Silva — Marriage Preparation & Ministry Schedule Coordinator
- Christina Benitez — (Baptism contact, English)
- Julia Novotny — Music Coordinator
- Sue Walters — Business Manager
- Cathy Welch — Bookkeeper
- Meg Fitzpatrick — Communications / Development Coordinator
- Mark Kelly — Development Coordinator
- Ron Quattlebaum — Database Coordinator
- Two Custodian/Maintenance Technicians (names partially visible)
Sacraments
Through the sacraments, parishioners encounter Jesus and grow in God's grace. The parish celebrates Infant Baptism (English & Spanish), First Reconciliation and First Communion for children (home-based program, beginning in 1st grade with sacraments received in 2nd grade), Confirmation for teens in the spring, Marriage (nine months of preparation required), and OCIA for adults joining the Church. Spanish-language sacramental preparation and quinceañera celebrations are coordinated through the Hispanic/Latino Ministry.
- Infant Baptism — registration of at least three months required; baptism class for first child
- First Reconciliation (February) & First Communion (early May)
- Confirmation (Spring)
- Marriage — 9-month preparation
- OCIA (formerly RCIA)
- Quinceañeras (through Hispanic/Latino Ministry)
Hispanic / Latino Ministry
For over 20 years, St. Mary Student Parish has been blessed with a Mass in Spanish and an ever-growing Hispanic/Latino Ministry. The community is diverse — students and resident parishioners from across the Americas and Spain — and welcomes bilingual and minimal-Spanish participants. All are welcome at the Sunday 2 PM Mass in Spanish, with sacramental preparation, catechesis, Small Church Communities, a Latin Young Adult Group, and annual celebrations like Día de los Muertos and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
- Sunday 2 PM Mass in Spanish
- Children's Liturgy during the 2 PM Spanish Mass
- Confessions after the 2 PM Mass two Sundays per month, or by appointment
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation in Spanish
- RCIA in Spanish
- Holy Matrimony preparation
- Small Church Communities
- Latin Young Adult Group
- Quinceañeras
- Día de los Muertos and Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations
- Immigration support and ESL classes
- Contact: Rosa Luz Postigo
Faith Formation
The parish's Faith Formation program supports sacramental preparation for children and teens and accompanies families and adults in ongoing formation. Children's sacramental preparation is largely home-based, with First Reconciliation typically received in February and First Communion in early May. Confirmation preparation culminates in the Spring. For more information, contact Audrey Gyolai.
- First Reconciliation & First Communion (home-based)
- Confirmation for teens
- Adult formation through OCIA
- Contact: Audrey Gyolai ([email protected])
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is the parish's process for adults joining the Catholic Church. The weekly group meets from September through Easter, 7:00–9:00 PM on Wednesday evenings, and includes instruction, discussion, prayer, and time for questions with no pressure to commit. OCIA is for adults never baptized, baptized in another faith who wish to become Catholic, or baptized Catholics who have never been confirmed.
- Weekly OCIA meetings September–Easter
- Wednesday evenings 7:00–9:00 PM
- Contact: [email protected]
Faith Doing Justice
The Faith Doing Justice ministry, inspired by the example of St. Ignatius of Loyola and rooted in Catholic social teaching, helps parishioners live out the Gospel by reaching out to the marginalized through acts of charity and justice. Contact: Audrey Gyolai.
- Informed by St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Rooted in Catholic social teaching
- Charity and justice outreach to the marginalized
Music Ministry
The Music Coordinator (Julia Novotny) leads the parish's liturgical music program. The parish uses Breaking Bread, Gather 3rd Edition, and Voices as One hymnals, along with other sheet-music resources, to support Sunday liturgies and weddings.
- Music Coordinator: Julia Novotny
- Hymnals: Breaking Bread, Gather 3rd Edition, Voices as One
Campus Ministry & Students
As the diocese's designated parish for University of Michigan students, faculty, and staff, St. Mary Student Parish anchors a robust campus ministry program. The Newman Catholic Student Association continues the legacy of the 1889 Guild of Catholic Students, and the parish continues to help students achieve their potential as tomorrow's Catholic leaders through worship, programs, and events.
- Newman Catholic Student Association (founded 1889)
- Campus Ministry Coordinator: Constance Heskia
- Campus Missionary Disciple: Carson Ching
- Campus Ministry Disciple: Therese Campos
- Fr. Robert E. Karle, S.J. — Campus Ministry