About St. Therese of Lisieux · Wayland, Michigan
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish is a Roman Catholic parish located at 128 Cedar Street in Wayland, Michigan, halfway between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. It belongs to the Diocese of Kalamazoo and is currently in a collaborative partnership with neighboring Sts. Cyril & Methodius Parish at Gun Lake. The parish offers daily and weekend Mass in English, weekly Confession, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, a Catholic school (Preschool through 6th grade), youth faith formation including Confirmation retreats, and opportunities for community life such as the popular 'Sun Fun and Jesus' program.
- Established
- 1942
- Patron
- St. Therese of Lisieux (The Little Flower)
- Rector
- Rev. Maximilian Nightingale
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kalamazoo
Why belong here
St. Therese offers a small, stable, multigenerational Catholic community in the Wayland area with daily Mass, weekly Confession, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and a parish school that has served families since 1952. The parish is part of a formal collaborative with Sts. Cyril & Methodius at Gun Lake, which extends its reach to include a Spanish-language Sunday Mass nearby. Active faith formation includes annual Confirmation retreats and a beloved summer 'Sun Fun and Jesus' program, while the parish hall is available for community rental.
Mass times at St. Therese of Lisieux
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Adoration times
- Monday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (1st, 3rd, and 5th Monday of the month)
Parish History
St. Therese of Lisieux Parish was established in 1942 when Msgr. Adelbert Radowski arrived in Wayland to begin what would become a 28-year founding pastorate. The new parish gave local Catholics an alternative to traveling to St. Stanislaus (Dorr–Hilliards) or Sts. Cyril & Methodius at Gun Lake. In 1952 the parish opened its school, and in July 1987 it dedicated the present-day Cedar Street church building.
- Founded July 1942 by Msgr. Adelbert Radowski (served until retirement in 1970)
- Named for St. Therese of Lisieux (1873–1897), 'The Little Flower'
- Parochial school opened fall 1952 with 84 students
- New church building dedicated July 1987 on Cedar Street
Collaborative with Sts. Cyril & Methodius (Gun Lake)
St. Therese is paired in a formal Collaborative with Sts. Cyril & Methodius Parish at Gun Lake. Together they share pastoral ministry under Fr. Maximilian Nightingale and serve Catholics across the Wayland/Gun Lake area. The Gun Lake parish hosts a weekly Spanish-language Mass, expanding the collaborative's reach to Spanish-speaking families.
- Saturday: 4:00 PM (Sts. Cyril & Methodius) and 6:00 PM (St. Therese)
- Sunday: 9:00 AM (Sts. Cyril & Methodius), 10:30 AM (St. Therese), 5:00 PM Spanish (Sts. Cyril & Methodius)
- Friday 9:30 AM Mass at Sts. Cyril & Methodius
- Adoration Wed 11:00 AM–1:00 PM at Sts. Cyril & Methodius
- Confession Sat 3:30–4:00 PM at Sts. Cyril & Methodius
St. Therese Catholic School
St. Therese Catholic School has served the children and families of Wayland and the surrounding communities since 1952. Located at 430 S. Main Street (across town from the church), the school offers programs for 3- and 4-year-old preschool through sixth grade and is accredited within the Diocese of Kalamazoo. Its mission is 'Rooted in the sacramental life of the Church, St. Therese Catholic School fosters a culture of academic excellence where together we seek to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ through loving and serving others.' No child is ever turned away because of financial need.
- Preschool (3- and 4-year-old) through Grade 6
- Located at 430 S. Main Street, Wayland, MI 49348
- Phone: 269-792-2016
- Website: sttcatholicschool.org
- Diocese of Kalamazoo school
- Non-discrimination policy on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Beyond the parish school, St. Therese offers faith formation for children preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation and a popular summer children's program. Photo albums on the parish website document recent Confirmation retreats and 'Sun Fun and Jesus' activities, signaling active youth engagement.
- Confirmation preparation and annual retreat (2023 retreat documented on parish site)
- Sun Fun and Jesus — summer faith formation program for children
- Confirmation retreat photo album (31 photos) and Sun Fun and Jesus album (106 photos) on website
Parish Staff & Contacts
The parish office is staffed during the week and serves as the central point of contact for sacraments, hall rental, the bulletin, and the Bishop's Annual Appeal. Office Manager Dawn Flannery is identified through publicly available professional records. Hall rentals are handled by parishioners Gianni or Phyllis Marchessotti.
- Pastor: Rev. Maximilian Nightingale
- Office Manager: Dawn Flannery
- Hall rental contact: Gianni Marchessotti ([email protected]) or Phyllis Marchessotti ([email protected])
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (269) 792-2138
- Fax: 269-792-2908
Visit, Giving & Community Life
The parish makes it easy to engage online with online giving, a downloadable bulletin, the Bishop's Annual Appeal, and 'Today's Readings' featured on the website homepage. The parish hall is available for community rentals, and funeral planning is supported with a worksheet published on the website.
- Online giving (GIVE ONLINE link on website)
- Parish bulletin online
- Today's Readings on homepage
- Bishop's Annual Appeal (2023 tracking report, 2024 goals, informational materials in English and Spanish)
- Parish hall rental for community events
- Funeral Planning Worksheet
- Daily Prayer resources linked on site
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Adelbert Radowski1942–1970
Founding pastor; arrived July 1942 and served until retirement.
- Dell F. Stewart
Second pastor of St. Therese.
- Charles Fisher
- Daniel Snyder
- Gary Pamment
- Lawrence K. Kroll
- Jeff Kassian
- Christian Johnsonc. 2013–2023
Served 10 years before reassignment by the Diocese of Kalamazoo to St. Mary's, Niles.
- Evelio Ramírez2023 (effective July 5, 2023)
Reassigned to Pastor of Collaborative of St. Peter, Douglas; St. Basil, South Haven; and San Felipe de Jesús, Fennville.
- Maximilian Nightingalefrom July 5, 2023
Current Pastor of the Collaborative of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Wayland, and SS. Cyril & Methodius, Gun Lake; also serves as a Judge of the Diocesan Tribunal.