St. John Vianney Church at 54045 Schoenherr Rd., Shelby Township, MI 48315 US - In the Beginning........
| In the Beginning........ |
In August of 1979, Cardinal John Dearden assigned Fr. Jerome Machlik to work with the Catholic community in Northeast Shelby Township. The community was then meeting at Shelby Jr. High School. In a short time, through the efforts of a very dedicated group of parishioners the community moved to Crissman Elementary School.
The community became a parish in October of 1980 under the patronage of St. John Vianney, the patron of parish priests. John Vianney worked on his father’s farm as a boy. He was ordained in 1815 after many difficulties with his studies. He spent most of his religious life at Ars, France. His reputation as a spiritual director and confessor spread. He had the gift of insight into men’s minds and souls although often scorned for his lack of learning and rejected by superiors for higher positions. He was canonized in 1925 by Pope Pius XI.
Located on 12 acres of land purchased from the Diegel family on Schoenherr Rd., north of 24 Mile Rd., the parish has grown to include over 3400 families. The parish community has always had a concern for those in physical or spiritual need. That concern has manifested itself in the parish commitment of 5% of its income being given as a tithe to organizations that address those needs. Its outreach has touched local, national and international concerns.
The first rectory was completed in the fall of 1980. It served as the rectory, chapel, offices, and multipurpose area. The temporary church was completed in the fall of 1984. Construction of the permanent worship place began in November of 1994 with dedication in November of 1996. The physical growth of the buildings is a barometer of the spiritual growth of the community. The focus of the parish continues to be the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus in word and deed.