About St. Timothy · Trenton, Michigan
St. Timothy Catholic Church was a Roman Latin-rite parish of the Archdiocese of Detroit serving the Downriver community of Trenton, Michigan. Founded in 1956 as a mission of neighboring St. Joseph Parish, the parish built a temporary church and classrooms in 1957 and dedicated a permanent church blessed by Cardinal John Dearden in 1965. After nearly seven decades of Catholic life in Trenton, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron decreed the parish's territory merged into St. Joseph (Trenton) and Our Lady of the Woods (Woodhaven), with the church building decommissioned for sacred use effective November 25, 2024.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- St. Timothy (companion of St. Paul)
- Rector
- Rev. David Lesniak (former pastor; parish merged into St. Joseph, Trenton and Our Lady of the Woods, Woodhaven effective Nov. 25, 2024, under Fr. Marc Gawronski, moderator of the Downriver Missionaries of Christ Family of Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
St. Timothy Catholic Church in Trenton, Michigan was a welcoming, family-oriented parish that emphasized personal connection, with regular Sunday and weekday Masses in English, Wednesday evening Confession, and First Friday Exposition, Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. While the parish territory was merged in late 2024 into St. Joseph Parish (Trenton) and Our Lady of the Woods Parish (Woodhaven), former parishioners are warmly invited to continue worshipping in the Downriver Missionaries of Christ Family of Parishes under Fr. Marc Gawronski and Fr. Bob Johnson, SVD.
Mass times at St. Timothy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM (after Mass)
- Wednesday: 7:00 PM–8:00 PM (per Discover Mass listing, and by appointment)
Adoration times
- 1st Friday: 9:00 AM–9:45 AM — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Adoration, and Benediction
Welcome to St. Timothy Catholic Church
St. Timothy Catholic Church was a parish in the heart of Trenton, Michigan, belonging to the Archdiocese of Detroit. The parish invited everyone to 'come home' to its church and described itself as a caring parish family with room for worship, work, fun, and community. The parish offered Sunday and weekly weekday Masses in English, regular Confession, and monthly First Friday Adoration.
- Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM (English)
- Wednesday Mass at 6:00 PM (English)
- Confession Wednesday evenings after Mass
- 1st Friday Exposition, Adoration and Benediction (9:00–9:45 AM)
Parish History
St. Timothy Parish was established in 1956 as a mission of St. Joseph Parish in Trenton to serve the growing Downriver Catholic community. A temporary church and classrooms for the parish school were completed in 1957, and a permanent church was built and blessed by Cardinal John Dearden in 1965. The parish school closed in 1971. The church was renovated in 1972, 2002, and 2006.
- Founded 1956 as a mission of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton
- Temporary church and school classrooms built 1957
- Permanent church blessed by Cardinal John Dearden, 1965
- Parish school closed 1971
- Church renovations: 1972, 2002, 2006
Closing & Merger (2024)
Faced with significant financial and sacramental decline, declining parishioner numbers, and a shortage of available priests, St. Timothy began hosting town halls in 2022 to discern the parish's future. The parish transition team recommended closure on August 7, 2024. On September 16, 2024, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron issued two decrees effective November 25, 2024: one merging the parish territory — east of Allen Road into St. Joseph Parish (Trenton), west of Allen Road into Our Lady of the Woods Parish (Woodhaven) — and another decommissioning the church building for secular use. The final Mass was celebrated on November 24, 2024, the Solemnity of Christ the King; that day's offertory went to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit.
- Town hall discernment process began 2022
- Transition team closure recommendation: August 7, 2024
- Archdiocesan decrees issued: September 16, 2024
- Decrees effective: November 25, 2024
- Final Mass: November 24, 2024 (Solemnity of Christ the King)
- Offertory donated to Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Detroit
Clergy & Leadership
St. Timothy was served by Rev. David Lesniak as pastor. As the parish approached its closure, pastoral oversight was provided through the Downriver Missionaries of Christ Family of Parishes by Fr. Marc Gawronski (moderator) and Fr. Bob Johnson, SVD.
- Rev. David Lesniak — Pastor
- Fr. Marc Gawronski — Moderator, Downriver Missionaries of Christ Family of Parishes
- Fr. Bob Johnson, SVD
Transition Team & Parish Documents
The parish hosted a series of public meetings, town halls, and finance presentations during its discernment process. Materials posted on the parish website include parish history, meeting minutes from 2022 through 2024, the Limited PCE Report, and transition team notes.
- St. Timothy Parish History (PDF)
- Parish Meeting — May 5, 2022
- Parish Meeting Minutes — May 5, 2022
- Parish Meeting — September 29, 2022
- Town Hall — November 16, 2023
- Finance Presentation — November 16, 2023
- Transition Team Minutes — February 28, 2024
- Town Hall Q&A — May 8, 2024
- Transition Team Meeting — June 12, 2024
- St. Timothy Trenton Limited PCE Report (PDF)
Location & Visiting
St. Timothy Catholic Church was located at 2901 Manning Drive in Trenton, Michigan, in the Downriver area south of Detroit. From I-75, drivers took exit 32 east onto West Road, continued 1.5 miles, then turned right onto Manning Drive.
- Address: 2901 Manning Dr., Trenton, MI 48183-3498
- Phone: (734) 676-5115
- From I-75, exit 32 east onto West Rd., 1.5 miles, right onto Manning
Diocese & Family of Parishes
St. Timothy belonged to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Detroit and was part of the Downriver Missionaries of Christ Family of Parishes. Following the November 2024 merger, parishioners were directed to St. Joseph Parish in Trenton (east of Allen Road) and Our Lady of the Woods Parish in Woodhaven (west of Allen Road).
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Downriver Missionaries of Christ Family of Parishes
- Receiving parishes: St. Joseph, Trenton; Our Lady of the Woods, Woodhaven