About St. Michael · Biloxi, Mississippi
St. Michael Catholic Church, known as the "Church of the Fishermen," is a historic Catholic parish in Biloxi, Mississippi, situated on the Point Cadet peninsula just steps from the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1917 to serve immigrant Polish, Bohemian, and Croatian fishing families who worked the local seafood industry, it became the home of the long-running annual Blessing of the Fleet tradition. Its striking current church — a circular, exposed-concrete building with a scalloped shell-shaped roof — was designed by architect James T. Canizaro and dedicated in 1964, and it famously survived both Hurricane Camille (1969) and Hurricane Katrina (2005).
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Monsignor Dominick Fullam
- Diocese
- Diocese of Biloxi
Why belong here
St. Michael's is a tight-knit, multicultural parish with deep roots in Biloxi's Point Cadet fishing community and a hundred-year-old heritage of welcoming immigrants and visitors. Parishioners are drawn by its unique maritime identity — the annual Blessing of the Fleet, the scallop-shell roof, and the apostles-with-nets stained glass — and by an active ministry life that includes a St. Vincent de Paul chapter serving East Biloxi, an Altar Society caring for the church, altar servers, and the Stella Maris Explorers Club homeschool ministry that hosts events like the May Crowning and the Shrimp Boat Workshop.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:30 pm
History of St. Michael Catholic Church
St. Michael's began in 1908 as the mission parish Our Lady of Good Counsel under Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, serving immigrant Polish, Bohemian, and Croatian fishing families on Point Cadet. It became an independent parish in 1917, taking the name St. Michael in honor of the patron fitting for a community of fishermen. The present church, designed by architect James T. Canizaro, was dedicated in August 1964 and is one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
- 1908 — mission established as Our Lady of Good Counsel under Nativity BVM Parish
- 1917 — became an independent parish and renamed St. Michael's
- 1929 — inaugural Blessing of the Fleet
- 1964 — current Canizaro-designed church dedicated in August
- 1969 — survived Hurricane Camille (the pastor sheltered inside)
- 2005 — Hurricane Katrina devastated the interior; stained glass and altar later restored
The Church of the Fishermen — Architecture & Identity
The 1964 church is a circular, exposed-concrete building crowned with a scalloped seashell-shaped roof — a direct nod to the seafood industry that built the parish. The nondirectional plan reflects post-Vatican II liturgical thinking about a unified worship space. Tall stained-glass panels by the Emil Frei studio in St. Louis depict the apostles returning from fishing, echoing both the local shrimping industry and the scriptural "fishers of men" theme.
- Architect: James T. Canizaro, dedicated August 1964
- Distinctive scalloped seashell roof over a circular plan
- Stained-glass windows by Emil Frei studio, St. Louis
- Five-ton marble altar of stone quarried in the Holy Land
- Smaller adjacent chapel repeats the scallop-roof motif
Surviving the Storms — Camille and Katrina
St. Michael's has been tested by two of the most devastating hurricanes in Gulf Coast history. During Camille in 1969 the pastor rode out the storm inside the church. In August 2005, Katrina's 28-foot storm surge shattered the stained glass, swept away most appointments, and shoved the marble altar roughly thirty feet. The parish rebounded, with the Emil Frei studio reproducing the original 1964 windows from their archived drawings — this time on movable sashes that can be lifted out ahead of future surges.
- 1969 — Hurricane Camille; pastor sheltered inside the church
- 2005 — Hurricane Katrina; interior devastated by 28-ft surge
- Marble altar displaced ~30 feet, later reset in the sanctuary
- Frei studio reproduced windows from original 1964 plans
- New sashes allow windows to be removed before future storm surges
The Blessing of the Fleet
A Biloxi tradition since 1929, the Blessing of the Fleet takes place at the start of shrimping season, typically in late May or early June. Originally the pastor walked across rows of moored boats to bless each one bow to bow, until a celebrant slipped into the water. Today the pastor stands on an anchored "blessing boat" while the shrimping vessels slowly pass by to receive prayers for a safe journey and a bountiful catch.
- Tradition began in 1929
- Held at the start of shrimping season (late May / early June)
- Celebrant now stands on an anchored "blessing boat"
- Vessels pass to receive blessings for a safe season
Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Monsignor Dominick Fullam as pastor, assisted by Deacon Robert Wescovich. The parish office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.
- Pastor — Monsignor Dominick Fullam
- Deacon — Robert Wescovich
- Office phone — 228-435-5578
- Office fax — 228-435-5579
Parish Ministries and Groups
St. Michael's supports an active lay ministry life rooted in its Point Cadet fishing community. The St. Vincent de Paul chapter serves the poor of East Biloxi, the Altar Society cares for the beauty and upkeep of the church, altar servers assist at Mass, and the Stella Maris Explorers Club runs a Thursday-morning homeschool enrichment program in art, faith, and science that also sponsors parish events like the May Crowning, Shrimp Boat Workshop, and All Saints Party.
- Altar Servers
- Altar Society
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. Michael chapter)
- Stella Maris Explorers Club — homeschool art/faith/science enrichment, Thursdays
- May Crowning, Shrimp Boat Workshop, and All Saints Party (sponsored by the Explorers Club)
Sacraments at St. Michael's
The parish celebrates the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession on the schedule above and prepares parishioners for Confirmation (announced each year), Baptism, and Marriage through the parish office. The site publishes announcements such as the annual date for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Mass schedule above
- Confession — Saturday 4:00–4:30 pm
- Confirmation — annual; contact parish office
- Baptism — contact parish office
- Marriage preparation — contact parish office
Bulletin, Calendar, and Announcements
The parish website posts an announcements block, a calendar of events, and a bulletin section so parishioners can keep up with scheduling, sacraments, and special celebrations throughout the liturgical year. The site also promotes the My Parish App for Android and Apple devices.
- Announcements section on the home page
- Calendar/Events page for parish scheduling
- Online bulletin via the parish site
- My Parish App (Android and iOS)