About St. Thecla · Clinton Township, Michigan
St. Thecla Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Detroit located at the corner of 16 Mile Road and Groesbeck in Clinton Township, Michigan. Founded in 1952 by Archbishop Edward Cardinal Mooney when the area was still farmland, it has grown to about 900 registered families and operates a parish school serving roughly 270 students in preschool through 8th grade. The parish is led by Fr. Kevin Roelant (since July 2022), is staffed by two permanent deacons, and is known in the community for its St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, active Knights of Columbus council, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and Bible studies. Sunday Mass is offered three times (one livestreamed) along with daily Mass Tuesday through Friday.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- Saint Thecla
- Rector
- Fr. Kevin Roelant
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Thecla is a medium-sized, family-friendly Catholic parish in Clinton Township that takes seriously both the Eucharist and service to those in need. Mass is offered daily Tuesday through Friday and three times on Sunday (including a livestreamed 11:00 am Mass), with weekly Tuesday evening Eucharistic Adoration and Reconciliation available both Saturday afternoon and during adoration. The parish runs a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry open two days a week, hosts a shelter for a week each year, sponsors active Knights of Columbus and men's fellowship groups, and offers Bible studies and faith-study sessions for adult formation. For families with children, the on-site St. Thecla Elementary School (preschool through 8th grade, ~270 students) is a major center of parish life.
Mass times at St. Thecla
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm (or by appointment)
- Tuesday 6:00–7:00 pm (during Adoration)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00 pm (Holy Hour, with Reconciliation offered 6:00–7:00 pm)
About St. Thecla Parish
St. Thecla Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the Northeast Region of the Archdiocese of Detroit, situated at the corner of 16 Mile Road and Groesbeck in Clinton Township, Macomb County, Michigan. The parish has roughly 900 registered families and serves a predominantly Caucasian community with strong Italian and Polish heritage roots. Mass and the Eucharist are at the heart of parish life, with Sunday worship as the weekly high point; daily Mass is offered Tuesday through Friday morning, three Sunday Masses are celebrated (one of them livestreamed), and a weekly holy hour of Eucharistic Adoration is held on Tuesday evenings.
- Founded June 27, 1952 by Archbishop Edward Cardinal Mooney
- First pastor: Rev. Thaddeus Rzeznick (named the parish after his mother)
- Approximately 900 registered families
- Pastored since July 2022 by Fr. Kevin Roelant
- Located in the Northeast Region / Central Macomb Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Detroit
Parish History
St. Thecla grew from farmland to a fully built parish campus over six decades. Cardinal Mooney established the parish in 1952, the first permanent worship space opened in 1953, the elementary school's first wing opened in 1960, and the present church (originally a gymnasium/multi-purpose room) was built in 1964 and converted to a permanent church in 1972. Later building campaigns added the 1997 Gathering Space and Gymnasium, the 2008 Smetanka Media Center, and the 2013 West End Canopy plus other renovations funded by the Changing Lives Together campaign. The 2007 merger with St. Claude Parish and the 2013 sale of those facilities to the Servants of Jesus of the Divine Mercy also reshaped the parish's footprint.
- 1952 — Parish established; first Mass at the Allecia family's 'Spaghetti Hall' on Gratiot
- 1953 — Original church (now Activity Center) opens
- 1960 — First wing of the elementary school and convent built
- 1964 — Current church building erected as gym/multi-purpose room
- 1972 — Fr. Mario DiGiulio converts the multi-purpose room into today's church
- 1997 — Gathering Space, hallway, and Gymnasium built
- 2007 — Merger with St. Claude Parish
- 2008 — Media Center built and named for Msgr. Gary Smetanka
- 2013 — Changing Lives Together campaign renovations; St. Claude campus sold
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Kevin Roelant, who was ordained for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2007 and became the tenth pastor of St. Thecla in July 2022. He is assisted by two other priests in solidum — Rev. Joseph Gembala and Rev. James Lopez — along with two permanent deacons, Deacon Timothy Maxwell and Deacon Marc Rybinski. Lay staff include a Business Manager (Shanon Rupkus), Director of Religious Education (Susan Gore), Parish Secretary and OCIA Director (Nicole Tomaszycki), Receptionist (Marcia Bachochin), Maintenance, and an Athletic Director, as well as a school Principal (Ms. Karwoski).
- Pastor — Fr. Kevin Roelant (since July 2022)
- Priest in Solidum — Rev. Joseph Gembala
- Priest in Solidum — Rev. James Lopez
- Deacon — Timothy Maxwell ([email protected], 586-791-2170)
- Deacon — Marc Rybinski
- Business Manager — Shanon Rupkus
- Director of Religious Education — Susan Gore ([email protected], ext. 316)
- Parish Secretary & OCIA Director — Nicole Tomaszycki
- Receptionist — Marcia Bachochin
- School Principal — Ms. Karwoski
Sacraments
St. Thecla celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Information and preparation for Reconciliation (Confession) is published directly on the parish website with a dedicated page. OCIA (formerly RCIA) — the process for adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or reception into the Catholic Church — is directed by Parish Secretary Nicole Tomaszycki. The Director of Religious Education coordinates preparation for First Communion and Confirmation alongside sacramental formation for the parish school children.
- Reconciliation (Confession): Saturdays 3:00 pm and Tuesdays during Adoration 6:00–7:00 pm; by appointment through the parish office
- Eucharist / First Communion — preparation via the school and Religious Education office
- Confirmation — preparation for parish school students and parish teens
- Baptism — infant baptism through the parish office; adult baptism via OCIA
- Marriage — preparation through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — arranged through the parish office
Faith Formation, OCIA & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Thecla centers on the parish school for children in preschool through 8th grade and a Religious Education office for parish-based catechesis. The Director of Religious Education, Susan Gore, coordinates sacramental preparation, and the Parish Secretary, Nicole Tomaszycki, also serves as the OCIA Director for adults entering the Church or completing their initiation sacraments. Weekly Bible studies, men's fellowship, and rotating faith-study sessions round out adult formation, and a Church Prayer Group gathers regularly for communal prayer.
- Director of Religious Education — Susan Gore
- OCIA Director — Nicole Tomaszycki
- Weekly Bible studies
- Men's Fellowship group
- Rotating faith-study sessions on topical subjects
- Church Prayer Group
St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus & Outreach
Service to those in need is a defining mark of parish life. The St. Vincent de Paul Society runs a parish food pantry that is open two days a week to serve neighbors facing food insecurity, and the parish hosts a community shelter for one week each year in addition to other service initiatives. The Knights of Columbus council is also very active at St. Thecla, organizing faith-based fellowship and charitable outreach in the broader Clinton Township community.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society and food pantry (open two days a week)
- Knights of Columbus council
- Annual week-long hosting of a community shelter
- Other service and acts of charity organized through parish ministries
St. Thecla Elementary School
St. Thecla School is the parish's pre-K through 8th-grade Catholic elementary school, enrolling roughly 270 students, and is described by Fr. Roelant as 'a huge and very important ministry of our parish.' The school opened its first wing in 1960 alongside a convent for the nuns who taught there. The 2013 Changing Lives Together campaign funded a renovated school entrance and other school enhancements, and the school is led today by Principal Ms. Karwoski with Fr. Roelant serving in a pastoral role and Deacon Timothy Maxwell assisting on staff.
- Preschool through Grade 8
- Approximately 270 students
- Principal — Ms. Karwoski
- School Business Manager — Deacon Maxwell
- First wing opened 1960 with a convent for the teaching sisters
- School entrance and facilities renovated via the 2013 Changing Lives Together campaign
Livestream, Bulletin & Online Giving
The 11:00 am Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel, with access also shared through the parish Facebook page for those unable to attend in person. A weekly bulletin is posted to the website, the parish maintains an online calendar of upcoming events (Adoration nights, Encounter Nights, Prayer Group meetings, etc.), and an online giving platform supports recurring and one-time stewardship donations.
- Livestream: parish YouTube channel (UCPTk4-rR5-FMid9ktU4DSlw)
- Current weekly bulletin posted online
- Online calendar of events and devotions
- Online giving for parish stewardship
Visit, Register & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are invited to register with the parish via the website and to contact the parish office by phone for any pastoral need. The main parish number (586) 791-3930 routes to the office during the week; the school number is (586) 791-2170. The parish campus is at 20740 S. Nunneley Road, with parking available around the church, school, and gymnasium for Mass and parish events.
- Parish office: (586) 791-3930
- School office: (586) 791-2170
- Religious Education: [email protected] (ext. 316)
- Deacon Maxwell: [email protected]
- Address: 20740 S. Nunneley Road, Clinton Township, MI 48035
- Website: http://www.stthecla.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thaddeus Rzeznick1952–
First pastor, appointed by Archbishop Edward Cardinal Mooney; named the parish after his mother.
- Fr. Kerry
- Fr. Partensky
- Rev. Mario DiGiulio
Converted the 1964 multi-purpose room into the permanent church with stained glass, AC, and pews; served about twenty years; the Activity Center is named after him.
- Fr. Bonnici
- Msgr. Gary Smetanka
Longtime pastor; the 2008 Media Center was named in his honor.
- Fr. Charles
- Rev. Douglas Bignall2011–2015
Led the 2013 Changing Lives Together capital campaign and major campus renovations.
- Rev. Brian Cokonougher2015–2022
Shepherded the parish through the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Rev. Kevin Roelant2022–present
Current pastor; arrived July 2022; ordained for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2007.