St. Jean Baptiste at 1292 Jefferson Street, Muskegon, MI 49441-2027 US - About St. Jean Baptiste Catholic Church
About St. Jean Baptiste Catholic Church
1883 - 2008: 125th Anniversary
The lumber era was flourishing in Muskegon, Michigan, and the French-Canadians became a community, immigrating to this area looking for work. The year was 1874, and the French-Canadians were attending St. Mary’s Church.
They numbered well over four hundred families and they were homesick for their beautiful churches, where the sermons, hymns, and prayers were in French. They were anxious to build their own church. After ten years of meetings, forming committees, raising funds, and consulting with the Bishop in Grand Rapids, they finally were able to purchase two lots at Jefferson Street and Strong Avenue. It was later increased to six lots.
On October 15, 1883, Bishop Richter, with the new pastor Fr. LeTellier, presided over the laying of the cornerstone and gave the church the name of St. Jean Baptiste. On December 8, 1883, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. LeTellier celebrated Mass in the basement of the new church.
However, in 1884, Fr. LeTellier was transferred to a new parish and the French-Canadians were devasted by this and that the lumbering trade was down. It was then that a young priest from Montreal, Canada – Fr. J. Roch Magnan – came to St. Jean Baptiste. He found only an outline or sketch of the upper church. His parishioners were low in spirits and he set off to bolster them up. Being only twenty-seven years of age and speaking very little English, he had to win their confidence.
He did this and more as he not only led the people, but gave them back their hopes and dreams. He became a good friend to many of the Protestant people and some became benefactors to St. Jean’s.
It took four years to accomplish building the upper church, but on August 21, 1887, at 10:00 AM, the doors of St. Jean Baptiste were opened to the parishioners, dignitaries, and the people of Muskegon.
The church is a brick veneer structure over wood frame throughout. The church is planned along the Latin Cross shape, as are the Gothic Cathedrals of Europe, with the church on an East-West axis. The style is gothic with its pointed windows and vaulted ceiling and transept wings.
The church celebrated their 125th anniversary with special events. The church, St. Jean Baptiste or St. Jean’s, is unique in the respect that nothing has changed with the building except the front steps. It stands on that corner just as it did 125 years ago.