About St. Michael · Palmer, Alaska
St. Michael Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau serving the Matanuska Valley town of Palmer, Alaska. Founded in 1935 to minister to the colonists of the federal Matanuska Colony Project, it has grown into a parish of more than 400 families — descendants of the original settlers, military transplants, and young families — and was honored by the City of Palmer as a 2021 Best of Palmer winner in the category of Places of Worship. Weekend Masses are offered in English on Saturday evening and twice on Sunday, with a full schedule of daily Masses Tuesday through Saturday, weekly eucharistic adoration, and a long-running tradition of volunteer-led fundraisers that shape parish life year-round.
- Established
- 1935
- Patron
- St. Michael (the Archangel)
- Rector
- Fr. Michael Shields
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau
Why belong here
St. Michael's is a large, active parish with more than 400 families that combines deep local roots (descendants of the original Matanuska Colony) with a warm welcome to newcomers, military families, and young households. Liturgical life is supported by daily and weekend Masses, weekly eucharistic adoration running Thursday evening through Friday morning, and time-honored traditions like Slippery Gulch at the Alaska State Fair that knit generations of parishioners together. Outreach runs in every direction — from the homebound, to newborns and their families, to Family Promise Mat-Su, the local food bank, the Giving Tree at Christmas, and Bishop's Attic II thrift store.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:30 PM (before the 5:30 PM vigil Mass; per parish directory listing)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 7:00 PM – 11:59 PM (following the 6:30 PM Mass)
- Friday: 12:00 AM – 11:55 AM (concluding with Benediction before the 12:10 PM Mass)
Parish History
St. Michael Parish was founded in May 1935 to serve colonists of the Matanuska Colony Project, a U.S. Government New Deal program that relocated farming families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan to the Matanuska Valley. Father Francis Sulzman, transferred at his own request from Seward, became the founding pastor and celebrated the first Mass in a tent on Sunday, May 26, 1935. He then built a log church that was dedicated at the 11:00 a.m. Mass on July 24, 1937. Under the newly created Archdiocese of Anchorage in 1966, the present church building — Sulzman Hall — and rectory were constructed during the pastorate of Father John Lunney, previously of Cordova and Valdez. The crucifix that now hangs in the social hall was retrieved from the 1964 earthquake rubble in Valdez by parishioner Earl Combs at Father Lunney's request.
- Founded May 1935 (first Mass in a tent, May 26, 1935)
- Log church dedicated July 24, 1937
- Current church (Sulzman Hall) built 1966 under Fr. John Lunney
- Crucifix rescued from 1964 earthquake rubble in Valdez
- Major remodel of worship space and kitchen in 2013
- Today: 400+ families; 2021 Best of Palmer – Places of Worship
Mass & Liturgy
Mass is offered in English every day of the week except Monday, with three Sunday celebrations (Saturday vigil and two Sunday morning Masses). Daily Masses run Tuesday through Saturday at varied times to accommodate working parishioners, and the Solemn Adoration of the Eucharist follows the Thursday evening Mass every week.
- Sunday: 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM
- Weekday: Tue 9:00 AM, Wed 9:00 AM, Thu 6:30 PM, Fri 12:10 PM, Sat 9:00 AM
- No Mass on Monday
Outreach Ministries
Parishioners serve the wider Mat-Su community through a wide range of outreach programs, both inside and beyond the parish. New parents receive meals from fellow parishioners, homebound members receive visits and Communion, registered nurses offer parish nursing and screenings, and volunteers drive parishioners to Mass or medical appointments.
- Ministry to the Homebound
- Parents with Newborns Meal Ministry (Dani Witczak, 717-968-8151)
- Parish Nursing (Marcia Watson, Judy Lewis)
- Transportation Ministry (parish office)
- Family Promise Mat-Su (housing homeless families; Cheryl Kajdan, 745-5075)
- Food Bank (Jeanne Borega, 373-2739)
- Giving Tree at Christmas (Barbara Gerard, 745-3369)
- Bishop's Attic II thrift store (Jack Williamson, 745-4215)
- Red Cross Shelter volunteers (Menard Sports Center, Upper Susitna Senior Center)
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation work at St. Michael's spans catechists for religious education, a Youth Ministry program, Vacation Bible School, and a partnership with St. Therese's Camp. All volunteers working with children, youth, or vulnerable adults must complete the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau Safe Environment program before beginning ministry.
- Catechists for parish religious education
- Youth Ministry (volunteers and transporters)
- Vacation Bible School ministers
- St. Therese's Camp (director Rudy Poglitsh, 745-3731; [email protected])
- Safe Environment Coordinator: Joanne Rousculp (745-3229 ext. 2)
Parish Traditions & Fundraisers
St. Michael's has a long tradition of community fundraisers that have funded building projects, paid down parish loans, and beautified the church. Slippery Gulch, the parish-run food booth at the annual Alaska State Fair, is famous for hamburgers, hotdogs, soda, and the parish's hand-baked pies — and operates only through volunteer labor.
- Annual parish bazaar (since 1940)
- Community bingo (since January 1975)
- Slippery Gulch at the Alaska State Fair (parish-run since the 1960s; now-famous hand-baked pies)
Visit & Contact
The parish church is located at 432 East Fireweed Avenue, Palmer, Alaska 99645. Office hours are Monday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Pastor Fr. Michael Shields can be reached in an emergency at (907) 302-8781.
- Address: 432 East Fireweed Ave, Palmer, AK 99645
- Phone: (907) 745-3229
- Office email: [email protected]
- Office hours: M 9-2; Tu-F 9-4:30
- Emergency: Fr. Michael Shields (907) 302-8781
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Francis Sulzman1935–
Founding pastor; transferred at his own request from Seward; celebrated the first Mass in a tent on May 26, 1935 and built the log church (dedicated 1937).
- Fr. John Lunney
Previously served in Cordova and Valdez; pastor when the 1966 church building (Sulzman Hall) and rectory were constructed.