St. Margaret at 766 S. Farmer Street, Otsego, MI 49078 US - Our Mission Statement and Parish History
Our Mission Statement and Parish HistorySt. Margaret's Parish Mission Statement:
We at St. Margaret's Parish, accept the call to be a Eucharistic-centered and welcoming family community, striving to know, love, and serve God by sharing our faith with others and becoming disciples of His message.
"We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
1887
St. Margaret's Parish of Otsego was founded in 1887 under the patroness of St. Agnes and was located in Plainwell near the intersection of Sherwood and Thomas Streets. Two years later it was re-established in Otsego and dedicated to St. Margaret of Scotland.
1905
Christian Lawrence purchased land east of the Otsego village to establish a Catholic Cemetery.
1938
The church of birch and marble at 245 Court Street in Otsego was built in memory of Mrs. Rose Harland Driessen in 1937-1938. Mrs Driessen's will stipulated '...she wished to fund the entire cost of the new church complete with furnishings, including the organ...'. The total bid was not to exceed $63,920, excluding the cost of the stained glass windows.
1940
The new church was dedicated after the seven foot marble statue of St. Margaret arrived from Italy.
1960
St. Margaret's School on Farmer Street in Otsego was built and classes begun.
1982
St. Margeret's Council #7796 of the Knights of Columbus is formed.
1984
The new rectory is built next to the church on Court Street.
1995
The monument to the unborn is dedicated.
1999
St. Margaret's welcomes sister parish, St. Francis De Sales, Vaudreuil, Haiti.
2009
The people of the parish realized that the needs of the parish could no longer be met by the church built in 1938. So, a new church was planned, built and dedicated at 766 S. Farmer Street in Otsego. We respectfully said good-bye to our old church and honored it by including many parts of the old church, such as statues and stained glass windows, in the new church. On February 15th, 2009 the new church on Farmer Street near St. Margaret's School was dedicated.
Pastors:
1887-1891 Fr. John A. Ryan
1891-1906 Fr. John D. O Shea
1906-1920 Fr. Henry O'Neill
1920-1926 Fr. William M. Gannon
1926-1936 Fr. Matthew Donahue
1936-1955 Fr. Germaine Thomas
1955-1962 Fr. T. Vincent McKenna
1962-1978 Fr. Paul Schneider
1978-1980 Fr. Joseph Koma
1980-1992 Fr. James O'Meara
1992-2011 Fr. Donald Klingler
2011-Present Fr. Gordon Green
