[mpc_textblock content_width=”100″ font_preset=”mpc_preset_1″ font_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” font_size=”16″ font_line_height=”1″ font_align=”center” margin_divider=”true”]

Parish History

[/mpc_textblock]

[mpc_textblock content_width=”100″ font_preset=”mpc_preset_127″ font_color=”#b39a68″ font_size=”16″ font_align=”left” margin_divider=”true” margin_css=”margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;”]Established in[/mpc_textblock][mpc_textblock content_width=”100″ font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ font_color=”#333333″ font_size=”36″ font_line_height=”1″ font_transform=”uppercase” font_align=”left” margin_divider=”true” margin_css=”margin-top:0px;”]1936[/mpc_textblock]

[mpc_textblock content_width=”100″ font_preset=”mpc_preset_1″ font_color=”#888888″ font_size=”16″ font_line_height=”1.5″ font_align=”left” margin_divider=”true”]In November, the Most Rev. Michael Gallagher, Bishop of Detroit, established a Catholic church in Marysville. Fr. Leo J. Trese was named the first pastor. The name St. Christopher was chosen for the parish. At this time the parish had a membership of 60 families. The first Mass was celebrated on
November 22, 1936. The first Baptism took place on November 29, 1936.[/mpc_textblock]

Fr. Leo J. Trese

Old Morton School Building

[mpc_textblock content_width=”100″ font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ font_color=”#333333″ font_size=”36″ font_line_height=”1″ font_transform=”uppercase” font_align=”left” margin_divider=”true” margin_css=”margin-top:0px;”]

1937

[/mpc_textblock]

In February of 1937, the Old Morton School building was purchased for $500 and at a cost of $1500 was moved by log rollers to the parish grounds on Michigan Avenue. Renovation of the building began. The eventual cost of this project was $6000. On February 9, the first marriage celebrated was between Ida Prevost and Robert McKenzie. Forty (40) children made up the First Holy Communion class. On June 27 the first Mass in the renovated building was celebrated.

[mpc_timeline_basic preset=”mpc_preset_3″ gap_top=”60″ gap_bottom=”0″ vertical_gap=”50″ first_item_gap=”60″ line_width=”1″ line_gap=”150″ line_color=”#46d6ab” line_vinette_top=”0″ line_vinette_bottom=”30″ pointer_type=”line” pointer_alignment=”middle” pointer_size=”1″ pointer_gap=”0″ pointer_color=”#46d6ab” icon=”fa fa-circle” icon_color=”#46d6ab” icon_size=”10″ border_css=”border-width:1px;border-color:rgba(70,214,171,0.65);border-style:solid;border-radius:45px;” padding_css=”padding:10px;”][mpc_timeline_item title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ title=”February 28, 1938″]February 28 of this year saw the burial of Israel J. Prevost. This was the first funeral Mass performed at our church.[/mpc_timeline_item][mpc_timeline_item title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ title=”1939″]

April, the property was purchased for a new rectory.

August 20 the Pastor moved into the new rectory.

April 30 Ninety-six children from St. Christopher’s were confirmed by the Most Rev. Stephen S. Woznicki.

The upper level of the church building was converted into the Convent and School at the time the church was located in the basement of the building.

August 27 Three Sisters of St. Joseph came from their Motherhouse in Nazareth. They were here to prepare for the 80 students who started St. Christopher’s school on September 7.

[/mpc_timeline_item][/mpc_timeline_basic]

[mpc_textblock content_width=”100″ font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ font_color=”#333333″ font_size=”36″ font_line_height=”1″ font_transform=”uppercase” font_align=”center” margin_divider=”true” margin_css=”margin-top:0px;”]

1941

[/mpc_textblock]

[mpc_textblock content_width=”100″]Became Pastor on November 21. Fr. Raymond F. Buhl – 1941-1945[/mpc_textblock]

Fr. Raymond F. Buhl

1945

[/mpc_textblock]

Fr. Frederick E. George

[mpc_textblock content_width=”100″]Became Pastor in September 1945 until 1953[/mpc_textblock]

The 1950's

1950

1951

1953

1958

1959

1950

In June, the ground was broken for a new church/school building.

1951

In May we moved into the new school building. We had 291 students in eight grades. In Sept. the first Mass was celebrated in the new church. The building was dedicated by the Most Rev. Allen J. Babcock, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit.

1953

Fr. Thomas Curran, the pastor from June 26, 1953 until1958

1958

– The ground was broken for a new convent on July 14.

–Fr. Paul C. Zelaff was pastor from September 1958 until 1959

1959

The Sisters moved into the new convent on January 23.

Fr. James Fitzgerald became Administrator of the church.

Fr. Joseph McElgunn was named pastor on April 7, 1959- until 1982

[mpc_timeline_basic preset=”mpc_preset_3″ gap_top=”10″ gap_bottom=”0″ vertical_gap=”0″ first_item_gap=”0″ line_width=”5″ line_gap=”15″ line_color=”#0f3ac6″ line_vinette_top=”0″ line_vinette_bottom=”0″ pointer_size=”10″ pointer_gap=”10″ icon=”fa fa-circle” border_css=”border-width:10px;border-color:#2c44cc;border-style:solid;”][mpc_timeline_item preset=”mpc_preset_3″ title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ title=”1961″]St. Christopher’s celebrated its Silver Jubilee. The Parish now had a membership of 400 families.[/mpc_timeline_item][mpc_timeline_item preset=”mpc_preset_3″ title=”1962″]A new addition was made to the convent to accommodate the Sisters of St. Joseph, who had come to teach at Port Huron Catholic High School.[/mpc_timeline_item][mpc_timeline_item title=”1971″]After10 years of fine service in the Blue Water area, Port Huron Catholic High School closed its doors and the teaching Sisters left. A new four-car garage was built in November.[/mpc_timeline_item][mpc_timeline_item preset=”mpc_preset_3″ title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ title=”1972″]The original school was demolished to make room for a future church on this site.[/mpc_timeline_item][mpc_timeline_item preset=”mpc_preset_3″ title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_117″ title=”1979″]In May, Fr. Joseph P. Mc Elgunn celebrated 40 years as a priest with a Solemn High Mass and Open House. This was also the occasion of his twentieth year as pastor of St. Christopher’s.[/mpc_timeline_item][/mpc_timeline_basic]

1980

St. Christopher alumni celebrated

the school’s 40th anniversary and the

school has its first kindergarten class.

Old Parish School

1982

Fr. Joseph Gagnon was named

pastor in October 1982

and was there until 1988

Fr. Gagnon

1983

In September, the decision to build a new church was made.

In April, Bishop Cooney approved Fr. Gagnon’s request for a deacon. Maurice Varieur was appointed to this position and his wife, Cecile, became the Pastoral Care Minister.

1984

In February and March, a drive was held to raise money for a new church. By the end of the two months, 426 families had agreed to participate with money and pledges totaling $423,355.00.

The decision to close the convent and have future nuns live off campus was made in April. This was done with the intention for the convent being converted into a rectory and parish office.

1986

June~Fr. Gagnon celebrated his 25th anniversary in the priesthood.

August~ the new offices opened in the former convent. The old Rectory was sold for $10,000 and was moved from the property.

November 15 & 16~ Christopher’s Golden Jubilee celebration. The celebration included a dinner-dance at the American Legion, Marysville on Saturday and an anniversary Mass on Sunday afternoon.

700 families are registered memebers

1988

Fr. H. Thomas Johnson was named pastor inJuly 1988 and was pastor until 1995

Fr. Johnson

[primevc_timeline][primevc_timeline_item icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-right” iconbgstyle=”darkgray” itemdate=”July 1, 2015 Fr. James F. Arwady, is named Pastor.” datesize=”30″ datecolor=”#2b2b2b”][/primevc_timeline_item][/primevc_timeline]