About St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic · Grand Rapids, Michigan
St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church is a Byzantine-rite Eastern Catholic parish in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the only parish in Western Michigan that celebrates the Byzantine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great in full communion with the Holy See. Founded in 1949, the parish belongs to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church's Eparchy of St. Nicholas of Chicago and serves both cradle Ukrainian Catholics and converts from many backgrounds. The community meets at 154 Gold Avenue NW, where the liturgy is now prayed principally in English with a few Ukrainian lines retained in the priest's parts. Visitors of all ages, including students from nearby Grand Valley State University and Aquinas College, are warmly welcomed.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Roman Fedchyk (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Eparchy of St. Nicholas of Chicago of the Ukrainians (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church); under the Metropolitan Archeparchy of Philadelphia of the Ukrainians
Why belong here
St. Michael's is the only Byzantine Catholic community in Western Michigan in communion with the Holy See, so it is a rare local home for anyone drawn to the liturgical and spiritual tradition of the Eastern Christian churches — including cradle Ukrainian Catholics, converts from other denominations, and students from Grand Valley State University and Aquinas College who have found a seasonal home there. The parish offers a complete cycle of Byzantine sacramental life: Sunday Divine Liturgy, the Mystery of Repentance (confession), and arrangements for all other Holy Mysteries by appointment. The community is small, deeply rooted in 1949 heritage, and explicitly welcoming to visitors of every age and background.
Mass times at St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays 9:15am–9:45am (before Divine Liturgy); for all other Sacraments, call in advance to make arrangements
About St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church
St. Michael's is a Byzantine-rite Eastern Catholic parish of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The parish describes itself as the only church in Western Michigan that celebrates the Byzantine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great in full communion with the Holy See. Its members include cradle Ukrainian Catholics and converts from many different Christian backgrounds, united by a love for the Gospel and the UGCC's distinctive liturgical and spiritual tradition. The community welcomes visitors of every age, and several students from Grand Valley State University and Aquinas College have found a seasonal home at the parish.
- Byzantine rite, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)
- Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great
- Community of cradle UGCC faithful and converts
- Welcomes students from GVSU and Aquinas College
Parish History & Heritage
The parish was founded and canonically erected in 1949. Its identity is shaped by the suffering of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church under Soviet rule between 1946 and 1991, when most of the church's bishops, priests and religious in Ukraine were killed, imprisoned, or driven underground. The parish honors that memory and emphasizes fervent, devoted practice of the faith. While the liturgy is now celebrated primarily in English, the parish retains a few Ukrainian lines — chiefly those prayed by the priest alone — as a living link to its spiritual forefathers.
- Parish formed and erected: 1949
- Soviet persecution of UGCC clergy, 1946–1991, explicitly remembered in parish self-description
- Liturgy now primarily English with retained Ukrainian priest-only prayers
- Parish site associated with 'Since 1993' at 154 Gold Avenue NW
Leadership & Clergy
The parish falls under the pastoral care of the Eparchy of St. Nicholas of Chicago of the Ukrainians. Its current bishop, listed on the parish site, is the Most Rev. Benedict (Aleksiychuk). Day-to-day pastoral leadership is provided by the Rev. Roman Fedchyk, who serves as Parish Administrator. The cantor who assists at services is Maria Bereza.
- Bishop: Most Rev. Benedict (Aleksiychuk), Eparchy of St. Nicholas, Chicago
- Parish Administrator: Rev. Roman Fedchyk
- Cantor: Maria Bereza
Father Roman Fedchyk
Father Roman Fedchyk was born in western Ukraine, entered a Catholic college at a monastery in 8th grade, then spent seven years in the seminary while simultaneously earning a bachelor's degree in psychology and theology from a civilian university. He was ordained a priest in 2012 and served in a Ukrainian parish for five years before emigrating with his family to the United States in 2018. In 2019 he was assigned by his bishop to St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Grand Rapids. As is typical for Ukrainian-rite clergy, he is married and also works a secular job; he currently serves as a chaplain at Trinity Health hospital and as sexton at Sacred Heart of Jesus parish.
- Ordained: 2012
- Assigned to St. Michael's, Grand Rapids: 2019
- Also chaplain at Trinity Health hospital
- Also sexton at Sacred Heart of Jesus, Grand Rapids
Worship Schedule & Holy Mysteries
The parish's principal weekly service is the Sunday Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m., preceded by Matins at 9:15 a.m. The Mystery of Repentance (confession) is heard on Sundays from 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. All other Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) are arranged by appointment in advance. The parish maintains an online Liturgical Calendar.
- Sunday Matins: 9:15 a.m.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m.
- Sunday Confessions: 9:15–9:45 a.m.
- All other Sacraments: by appointment
Liturgical Language & Tradition
The Divine Liturgy is celebrated in English so that all visitors and converts can follow it. A small amount of Ukrainian is retained, mostly in the parts of the liturgy prayed by the priest alone, in order to maintain the parish's connection to its spiritual ancestors and to the UGCC's heritage. The parish emphasizes that the Byzantine liturgy is intelligible on a symbolic level that transcends any one language.
- Principal language: English
- Ukrainian preserved in priest-only prayers
- Byzantine symbolic liturgical tradition
Byzantine Catholic Identity in West Michigan
St. Michael's describes itself as the only parish in Western Michigan celebrating the Byzantine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great in communion with the Holy See. It belongs to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church's Eparchy of St. Nicholas of Chicago, which itself is part of the larger Metropolitan Archeparchy of Philadelphia of the Ukrainians. This makes the parish a regional hub for Byzantine-rite Catholics in the Grand Rapids area and for anyone — including students — drawn to Eastern Christian spirituality.
- Sui iuris church: Ukrainian Greek Catholic
- Eparchy: St. Nicholas of Chicago of the Ukrainians
- Metropolitan Archeparchy: Philadelphia of the Ukrainians
- Unique in Western Michigan for Byzantine rite in communion with Rome
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Michael's by mail, email, or phone. The parish address is 154 Gold Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504-5686, and the church is on the southwest corner of Sibley Street and Gold Avenue NW. The parish welcomes questions about its theology and traditions, prayer requests, and general inquiries through its contact form, email, or phone.
- Address: 154 Gold Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504-5686
- Phone: 773-969-1181
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stmichaelgrandrapids.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukraniancatholicgr/
Recent Community Life
In addition to its regular Sunday cycle, the parish has served as a gathering point for the West Michigan Ukrainian community at moments of particular concern for Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, the day of the Russian invasion, Fr. Roman Fedchyk led a prayer service for peace — joined by Cantor Maria Bereza — that drew together parishioners praying for loved ones affected by the war. Such moments reflect the parish's small but deeply rooted identity as a place where Ukrainian heritage, Byzantine liturgy, and Catholic communion with Rome meet.
- Prayer service for peace in Ukraine, February 24, 2022
- Led by Fr. Roman Fedchyk with Cantor Maria Bereza
- Reported by WKAR and MLive / Grand Rapids Press