St. Vladimir [Ukrainian]

About St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church

St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church is a Byzantine-rite (Ukrainian Greek Catholic) parish on the northwest side of Flint, Michigan. It is the only Ukrainian Catholic church in mid-Michigan and serves the small but devoted Ukrainian-American community of Genesee County. The parish is canonically part of the Eparchy of St. Nicholas (Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Saint Nicholas of Chicago), while geographically it lies within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing.

History & Heritage

The church was built by Ukrainian immigrants who came to the Flint area, many of them displaced by the upheavals of WWII and Soviet expansion. Longtime member Mary Martin has shared that her father was among those who literally constructed the building, recalling that 'they came and they put this church together by themselves.' For generations the parish has been a gathering place for Ukrainian-American families, preserving language, liturgical tradition, and a deep connection to the homeland.

• Built by Ukrainian immigrants in the Flint area
• Mary Martin's father was among the original builders
• Sustained by post-WWII Ukrainian diaspora in Genesee County

The Parish & the War in Ukraine

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, St. Vladimir has become a visible focal point for local solidarity with Ukraine. In March 2022, U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee announced a candle vigil in support of Ukraine to be held at the church on West Pasadena. Parishioners organized prayer vigils and humanitarian fundraising drives, raising thousands of dollars for relief efforts and connecting local families willing to host refugees. At the close of each service the community sings the traditional Ukrainian hymn 'Боже вислухай благання' — 'God, please hear our prayers' — a prayer that has taken on urgent new meaning.

• March 2022 candle vigil with Congressman Dan Kildee
• Fundraising for humanitarian aid in Ukraine (over $3,000 raised as of early 2022)
• Local families offering homes to Ukrainian refugees
• Closing hymn 'Боже вислухай благання' at every service

Diocese & Canonical Status

St. Vladimir belongs to the Eparchy of St. Nicholas, the Ukrainian Catholic diocese covering much of the United States with its see in Chicago. Although the parish is one of the Eastern-rite churches noted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing — which lists St. Vladimir alongside the Maronite, Chaldean, Melkite, and Byzantine communities of the region — its sacramental life and clergy fall under the Ukrainian Catholic bishop in Chicago.

• Eparchy of St. Nicholas (Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Saint Nicholas of Chicago)
• Geographically within the Diocese of Lansing's territory

Community & Outreach

Beyond Sunday worship, St. Vladimir functions as a community hub for Ukrainian-Americans in Flint. Parishioners stay in regular contact with one another — and with family members still in Ukraine — and have organized fundraisers, refugee-hosting efforts, and public prayer gatherings. A loose circle of about 16 local Ukrainian and Eastern European immigrant women and descendants (sometimes calling themselves 'the refugees' or 'the immigrants') meets regularly, sharing meals and keeping heritage alive across generations.

• Prayer vigils and fundraising for Ukraine
• Refugee-hosting coordination with local families
• Multi-generational Ukrainian heritage gatherings

Visit & Contact

St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church is located at 3464 West Pasadena Avenue on the northwest side of Flint, just east of Jennings Road. Visitors and those wishing to support the parish's outreach efforts can reach the parish by phone or through its Facebook page.

• Address: 3464 West Pasadena Ave., Flint, MI 48504
• Phone: (810) 423-6304
• Facebook: St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church — Flint, Michigan