Brief History of Our Parish
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Saint Michael the Archangel, located at 502 West Front Street in Monroe, is the second oldest Catholic Church in Monroe County, Michigan. The movement to establish the parish began in 1845 when 14 German immigrant families, longing for an opportunity to worship in their native tongue, petitioned the Bishop of Detroit for authority to build a church. Five prominent families contributed a total of $2,000 for the land for the development, which they purchased in July of 1852, from the estate of Monroe’s first mayor. The mayor’s palatial residence was remodeled for use as a temporary church and was consecrated on the Feast of Saint Michael, Michaelmas, September 29, 1852. The cornerstone for the present church was laid on June 12, 1866, and the building was consecrated in October, 1867. The 187-foot steeple was added in 1883. The cost of the church, including the steeple and three magnificent bells for the tower, totaled a mere $40,000. Our three-story, brick rectory was built in 1874 for $5,000, and our original school was built in 1918 -- and both continue to serve the staff and parishioners of St. Michael.
Rev. Benjamin Schmittdiel was the first Diocesan pastor of St. Michael. He was a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania and graduate of St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown, Kentucky, south of Louisville. St. Michael was Rev. Schmittdiel’s first and only assignment as a priest – he was appointed Pastor one week after his ordination and served in that capacity for the next 36 years until his sudden death in 1899. Fr. Charles Bolte became Pastor upon Fr. Schmittdiel's death and served for 16 years. Rev. Alphonse Bertele, who was Pastor from 1915 until 1947 - just the third Pastor in 84 years! St. Michael the Archangel retained its “nationalist” personality for many decades after its founding. Latin and German were the only languages heard in church until 1890, when the Celebrant began delivering sermons in English on alternating Sundays. Our parish abandoned the use of German altogether during the first World War. |
Today, like most parishes, St. Michael the Archangel has lost its ethnic character and enjoys wide diversity among its 1200 families. In fact, Rev. Stephen Rooney, pastor from 1995-2008, was a native of Belfast in the north of Ireland.
Rev. Philip Ching was the pastor from 2015 to 2020. Fr. Phil was born in Detroit and later moved to Royal Oak, so he is native to the Archdiocese. His home parish is now identified as the (Minor) Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower. He has one older brother. Father attended Catholic schools his whole life. After graduating from high school, he entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2009. He was assigned associate pastor at St. Lawrence for three years and then at St. Augustine in Richmond and Holy Family in Memphis for another three years. Our current pastor, Rev. Kishore Battu, joined us August 1, 2020. Originally from Andhra Pradesh, Guntur region of India, Fr Kishore studied in Pallottine boarding and Seminary schools. Father was ordained a priest for the Society of the Catholic Apostolate in 2008. He served as associate pastor and as administrator for a residental high school before coming to Michigan. Since his arrival to Michigan, he has been assigned associate pastor at St Michael in Livonia, as well as St Valentine and Our Lady of Loretto parishes in Redford. We're excited to be his first pastorate. |
We celebrated the 150th anniversary of the parish in September of 2002. More information about the rich history of Saint Michael the Archangel can be found in the commemorative book Partners in Faith: 150 Years of Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Church which is available at the Monroe County Library.
Below is our church tour booklet which describes many of the beautiful murals and stained glass windows. 
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