About St. Stephen · New Boston, Michigan
St. Stephen Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in New Boston, Michigan (Huron Township), belonging to the Archdiocese of Detroit. Founded by Polish immigrant families in 1874 and rooted on the Huron River, it is a parish with a school, a cemetery, and a long-running annual Polish Festival, currently pastored by Fr. John Hedges as part of the South West Wayne 2 Family of Parishes. The parish serves English-speaking Catholics of western Wayne County with a full schedule of daily and weekend Masses, regular confession before each Sunday Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- St. Stephen
- Rector
- Rev. John Hedges
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Stephen is a tight-knit, multigenerational parish with deep Polish-Catholic roots and a parish school that walks students from preschool through 8th grade in faith and academics. Daily and weekend Masses in English, confession before every Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, an annual spring Polish Festival, a parish school, a cemetery, and a Family of Parishes partnership with neighboring South West Wayne 2 communities give families many ways to belong, serve, and pass the faith on.
Mass times at St. Stephen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:30 AM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Holy Thursday: 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM (one night only)
- Confessions are heard one-half hour before each weekend Mass
Adoration times
- Per the directory listing for the parish: Saturday 6:00 AM – 24-Hour Adoration in the Rectory or Convent Chapel
- Monday Eucharistic Adoration (per third-party directory): 10:00 AM – 9:00 AM Tuesday (NOTE: this listing is inconsistent with the parish's own published schedule; parishioners should confirm with the parish office)
Parish Identity & History
St. Stephen is a Polish-founded Roman Catholic parish in New Boston (Huron Township), Michigan, established in 1874 and now part of the Archdiocese of Detroit's South West Wayne 2 Family of Parishes. After nearly 50 years as a mission served by Redemptorists, Capuchins, Sacred Heart of Dearborn, and St. Joseph of Ypsilanti, it received its first resident pastor — Fr. Alphonse Nowogrodszki — in 1920, and the cornerstone of the present church was laid in 1923. The parish celebrated its centennial in 1974 with a commemorative history book, and it is also home to its own parish cemetery.
- Founded 1874 (first Masses in the Reiser farmhouse on Sibley Road)
- First resident pastor: Fr. Alphonse Nowogrodszki (appointed 1920)
- Current church cornerstone laid Oct. 14, 1923
- Centennial commemorated 1974
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Fr. John Hedges as pastor (since 2005) and is paired with Rev. Bryan Shackett as Priest in Solidum in the South West Wayne 2 Family of Parishes. The parish office team includes Parish Secretary Joan Gutierrez. School principal is Mr. Bradley Stalder.
- Pastor: Rev. John Hedges (also spiritual director, Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, Riverview)
- Priest in Solidum: Rev. Bryan Shackett
- Parish Secretary: Joan Gutierrez
- School Principal: Mr. Bradley Stalder
St. Stephen Catholic School
The parish school, opened in 1951 with an initial enrollment of 180 students and Felician Sisters on staff, continues today as a preschool-through-8th-grade Catholic school serving about 85 students. Students attend Mass, pray the Rosary, receive the sacraments, and take religion classes directly with the pastor as part of their formation.
- Opened 1951 (architect Arthur DesRoisers; contractor Andrew Bodary)
- Preschool through 8th grade
- Pastor Fr. John Hedges teaches religion to the students
- Principal: Mr. Bradley Stalder
- School office: 18800 Huron River Dr., New Boston, MI 48164 — (734) 753-4175
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation has been at the heart of the parish since Saturday-morning catechism classes taught by the Felician Sisters began shortly after WWII. Today, all St. Stephen School teachers are certified catechists, and the parish continues to prepare students for the sacraments as part of its K-8 program.
- Saturday-morning catechism classes historically led by Felician Sisters
- All school teachers are certified catechists
- Sacramental preparation integrated with school and parish life
Our Lady of Fatima Shrine & Blue Army
St. Stephen is closely connected with the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine at 18637 Ray St., Riverview, where First Friday and First Saturday Masses are celebrated. Parish pastor Fr. John Hedges also serves as spiritual director for the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima in Riverview.
- 1st Friday Mass: 5:00 PM at Fatima Shrine (11:00 AM Jan–Mar)
- 1st Saturday Mass: 8:00 AM at Fatima Shrine
- Fr. Hedges: spiritual director, Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima
Parish Polish Festival & Cultural Life
St. Stephen has hosted an annual Polish Festival every spring for more than 60 years — the celebration of the parish's Polish immigrant roots and a long-running community tradition under the patronage of St. Stephen.
- Annual spring Polish Festival (running 60+ years)
- Rooted in the parish's Polish-immigrant founding community
St. Stephen Cemetery
The parish maintains St. Stephen Cemetery in New Boston, listed by the Archdiocese of Detroit as part of the parish's campus. Contact the parish office for burial and plot information.
- St. Stephen Cemetery, New Boston — parish property
Family of Parishes & Diocese
St. Stephen Parish is part of the Archdiocese of Detroit and belongs to its South West Wayne 2 Family of Parishes, an organizational grouping of neighboring Catholic parishes across the South Region / West Wayne Vicariate that share pastoral and administrative resources under the archdiocese's Families of Parishes model.
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Vicarate: West Wayne Vicariate; Region: South Region
- Family of Parishes: South West Wayne 2
- Priest in Solidum: Rev. Bryan Shackett
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email during normal office hours. The church and school sit on Huron River Drive in Huron Township, just outside New Boston in western Wayne County.
- Parish office: 18858 Huron River Drive, New Boston, MI 48164
- Phone: (734) 753-5268
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Louis Florent Gillet, CSsR1874–
Redemptorist who rode from Monroe to celebrate the first Masses; later a founder of the IHM Sisters.
- Fr. Edward Joos1884
Dedicated the original brick church; later the first Detroit priest designated Monsignor.
- Fr. Alphonse Nowogrodszki1920–1947
First resident pastor; built the 1923 church and opened the mission at St. Anthony, Belleville.
- Fr. Edward Miotke1947–
Succeeded Fr. Nowogrodszki after his death in December 1947; began Felician-Sister catechism classes.
- Fr. Ignatius Czapskic. 1950–1959
Pastor when the parish school opened in 1951; died of a heart attack in 1959.
- Fr. Ladislaus Golas1959–1967
Succeeded Fr. Czapski; transferred in 1967.
- Fr. Alexander Wytrwal1967–
Succeeded Fr. Golas in 1967.
- Rev. John Hedges2005–present
Current pastor; also spiritual director for the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, Riverview.