About St. Owen · Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
St. Owen Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, belonging to the Archdiocese of Detroit (South Oakland Vicariate, Northwest South Oakland 2 Family of Parishes). Founded in 1962, the parish serves roughly 960 registered families and gathers for Mass in a distinctive mid-century church of rough-hewn stone, with a bell tower gifted in 1974. The parish lives by the tagline 'Share, Celebrate, Renew and Grow' and is recognized for its strong volunteer spirit, faith formation program, youth ministry, music ministry, and Christian Service outreach that extends internationally — including an annual medical mission to a clinic the parish built in the Dominican Republic.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. Owen
- Rector
- Msgr. Michael LeFevre
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit (South Oakland Vicariate, Northwest South Oakland 2 Family of Parishes)
Why belong here
St. Owen is a welcoming Catholic community of roughly 960 families known for its remarkable volunteer spirit — 'people just step forward and help out.' The parish offers weekday and Sunday Mass with live-streamed services, a thorough Faith Formation program for K–8 with this year's theme 'The Mass Revealed', an active Youth Ministry, a Music Ministry led by a dedicated coordinator, and a vibrant Christian Service outreach that runs both locally and internationally (including the parish-built clinic in the Dominican Republic). Whether you're a young family, a longtime Catholic, or returning to the faith, St. Owen offers a place to share, celebrate, renew and grow.
Mass times at St. Owen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm
- Other by appointment
Parish Story & Heritage
St. Owen was founded in 1962 under Cardinal John Dearden, with its first Mass offered at Wing Lake Elementary School. The parish grew through a temporary worship space (now the parish center) and into a permanent stone church dedicated in 1975. Distinctive features of the building — the rough exterior, the natural light pouring onto the altar rock, the bells, and even the very stones of the altar — were each intentionally chosen to point worshippers toward God and to the parish's own land.
- Founded June 24, 1962 by Rev. Edward T. Walling at Wing Lake School
- Cornerstone laid December 19, 1962
- Temporary church blessing March 4, 1968
- Permanent church groundbreaking December 13, 1969
- Permanent church dedication March 16, 1975
- Bell tower bells cast at Eijsbouts Works in Asten, Holland (1974)
- 50th anniversary celebrated in 2012 with returning former pastors
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
Msgr. Michael LeFevre has served as pastor since July 1, 2020, having previously led St. John Fisher Chapel University Parish in Auburn Hills. He is supported by a team of priests in solidum (Msgr. John Zenz, Msgr. Ronald Browne as Moderator, Rev. John Dudek) and Rev. Grayson Heenan in full-time priest support, reflecting the Archdiocese of Detroit's Family of Parishes model.
- Pastor: Msgr. Michael LeFevre (since 7/1/2020)
- Msgr. John Zenz (Primarily Responsible)
- Msgr. Ronald Browne (Moderator)
- Rev. John Dudek (Priest In Solidum)
- Rev. Grayson Heenan (Full-Time Priest Support)
Pastoral Succession
Seven pastors have served St. Owen since its founding in 1962. The succession, as documented on the parish's 'About' timeline, is listed below.
- Rev. Edward T. Walling — founding pastor, 1962
- Rev. Joseph Ryder
- Msgr. Edward Baldwin — appointed 2/2/1992
- Rev. Clifford Ruskowski — 1999–2007 (built the Dominican Republic clinic)
- Rev. John Sullivan — 7/1/2007–2009
- Rev. James Cronk — 7/1/2009–2020
- Msgr. Michael LeFevre — 7/1/2020–present
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Owen, directed by Timothy Pruse, runs from Kindergarten through 8th grade on Monday evenings — K–5 from 5:30–6:45 pm and 6–8 from 7:00–8:15 pm. The 2025–26 program theme is 'The Mass Revealed', launching with a special Teaching Mass on Monday, October 13 at 6:00 pm and the distribution of a family copy of the book. A new monthly St. Owen Children's Mass at the 11:00 am Sunday Mass (followed by a family activity) begins September 21, 2025.
- Director: Timothy Pruse ([email protected], 248-376-7071)
- K–5: Mondays 5:30–6:45 pm
- Grades 6–8: Mondays 7:00–8:15 pm
- 2025–26 theme: The Mass Revealed
- Monthly Children's Mass at 11:00 am Sunday
- Catechists, substitute catechists, and hall monitors needed
- Sacrament Preparation: First Eucharist and Confirmation
Youth & Adult Spirituality
Jeremy Hickey coordinates Youth Ministry at St. Owen, while Michelle Pittel oversees Adult Spirituality programming. Together they support faith growth from adolescence through adulthood, complementing the parish's faith formation offerings.
- Youth Ministry Coordinator: Jeremy Hickey
- Adult Spirituality: Michelle Pittel
Music Ministry
Music Ministry at St. Owen is led by Music Ministry Coordinator Rob Abbott, who supports the sung liturgy of the parish's weekend and weekday Masses.
- Music Ministry Coordinator: Rob Abbott
Christian Service & Outreach
Christian Service at St. Owen extends both locally and internationally. Under Fr. Clifford Ruskowski (1999–2007), the parish built a medical clinic in the Dominican Republic and continues to send an annual mission team with medical supplies. Locally, parishioners support a range of community outreach ministries — living out the parish tagline 'Share, Celebrate, Renew and Grow.'
- Christian Service outreach led by Michelle Novaco
- Annual Dominican Republic medical mission
- Parish-built clinic in the Dominican Republic (est. under Fr. Ruskowski)
- Bible study, ushers club, and community outreach programs
Parish Staff
Beyond clergy, St. Owen is staffed by a team of lay leaders in faith formation, music, youth ministry, adult spirituality, administration, business, and maintenance.
- Timothy Pruse — Director of Religious Formation
- Michelle Pittel — Adult Spirituality
- Jeremy Hickey — Youth Ministry Coordinator
- Rob Abbott — Music Ministry Coordinator
- Michelle Novaco — Christian Service
- Angela Seba — Office Manager
- Istillita Shamoun — Business Manager
- Louis Sylvester — Maintenance
Architecture, Bells & Sacred Stones
The permanent church, dedicated in 1975, was designed with a deliberately rough exterior 'to remind us of the roughness of human nature.' The structure's central natural light illuminates the Altar Rock, recalling 'the Lord God is my Rock, my Strength, and my Savior.' The altar rock, baptismal font stones, and tabernacle field stones were all excavated from the original parish property at the start of construction.
- Rough exterior stone evoking human nature
- Altar Rock illuminated by natural light from above
- Stones of altar, baptismal font, and tabernacle from parish property
- Three bells cast at Eijsbouts Works, Asten, Holland (1974 gift of the Sampson family)
- Largest bell (419 lbs) — 'The Wedding at Canaan'
- Middle bell (282 lbs) — 'The Playing Children'
- Smallest bell (216 lbs) — names of the four evangelists
Visit, Contact & Connect
St. Owen welcomes visitors and parishioners at 6869 Franklin Road in Bloomfield Hills. The parish office can be reached by phone at (248) 626-0840 or by email at [email protected]. For those unable to attend in person, the parish live-streams Mass and archives recent services on YouTube.
- Address: 6869 Franklin Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301
- Phone: (248) 626-0840
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stowencc.org/
- Live-streamed Mass on YouTube
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward T. Walling1962–
Founding pastor; celebrated first Mass at Wing Lake Elementary School on June 24, 1962.
- Rev. Joseph Ryder–
- Msgr. Edward Baldwin1992–
Appointed 2/2/1992.
- Rev. Clifford Ruskowski1999–2007
Led the parish in building a medical clinic in the Dominican Republic, which continues to receive annual mission teams.
- Rev. John Sullivan2007–2009
Appointed 7/1/2007.
- Rev. James Cronk2009–2020
Appointed 7/1/2009; led the parish at its 50th anniversary in 2012; praised the 'spirit of volunteerism' among parishioners.
- Msgr. Michael LeFevre2020–present
Appointed 7/1/2020; previously pastor of St. John Fisher Chapel University Parish, Auburn Hills.