Highlights of History: St. Dennis Parish

Click these links to view highlights for a certain year :
1950's | 1960's | 1970's | 1980's | 1990's | 2000's

1950

  • Edward Cardinal Mooney established St. Dennis Parish on June 15.
  • Fr. John P. Wagner was appointed Pastor.
  • Rt. Rev. Msgr. (then Father) Albert Matyn was week-end assistant – later Fr. Paul R. Hennes also helped on week-ends.
  • Land for the present parish plant was purchased. (the original site of St, Dennis Parish was at Campbell Rd. and Gardenia Avenue, Royal Oak.)

1951

  • Church and Rectory built. The Church seating 450 with room for 200 more in the auditorium behind the Altar.
  • First Mass in the Church, November 1, 1951
  • Parish Blood Bank established.

1952

  • Fr. Andrew Paul Pawelczak (Fr. Paul) assigned as Assistant.
  • Fr. Reginald Krakowski in residence.
  • Fr. James P. O’Hagan week-end help.

1953

  • Additional land purchased for parish plant (Lots on Stephenson Hwy.)
  • Church dedicated by Cardinal Mooney on April 22.

1954

  • Purchased two homes on Symes Court for use as temporary Convents.
  • Erected garage at Rectory.

1955

  • Started construction on 16 classroom school.
  • Erected an addition to existing Church building.
  • Fr. Paul transferred.
  • Fr. Edward L. Lillian appointed as assistant.

1956

  • Grades 1 to 4 began classes in St. Dennis School, September.
  • 6 Sisters of St. Joseph, Nazareth, Michigan with Sr. Mary Alfred as Principal and 5 lay teachers. Enrollment 477.
  • Fr. Reginald Krakowski reassigned.
  • Fr. Arthur J. Bell here temporarily.

1957

  • Grades 5 and 6 added to school. Three additional Sisters came and 2 more lay teachers. Enrollment 616.
  • Parking lot built and black topped.
  • Father Frederic George assigned as assistant.
  • Father Arthur Lowry also came as assistant.

1958

  • Father Francis J. Begue came, temporarily, to replace Fr. Lowry who was transferred.
  • Father Lawrence A. Edwards replaced Fr. Begue.

1959

  • Work began on an 8 classroom addition to St. Dennis School and the Cafeteria.
  • Father James C. FitzGerald replaces Fr. Edwards.
  • Father Hector J. Saulino succeeds Father Wagener, as pastor.
  • St. Dennis Parish Credit Union established.
  • Grade 7 added to school, enrollment now 920.
  • John Dearden appointed Archbishop of Detroit

1960

  • Ground broken for new Convent

1961

  • Bishop Folley High School property purchased jointly with Guradian Angel Parish, Clawson. Fr. Daniel O’Sullivan appointed here.
  • Pre-School Sunday School begun.
  • Fr. James Curley here temporary.

1962

  • Sr. Francis Catherine, S.S.J. replaced Sr. Alfred as Principal of St. Dennis School.
  • 1 acre of additional ground purchased at Foley site.
  • Parish Library started.

1963

  • Fr. Frank Thompson replaces Fr. FitsGerald.
  • Church redecorated and Sanctuary modernized.
  • New parking lot (west side of property) made and Bellaire Street driveway opened.

1964

  • Broke ground for Bishop Foley High School.
  • St. Dennis Bus committee established and 5 buses purchased by Committee.
  • Broke ground for Credit Union Building.
  • Sr. Joan Gibbons (Mary Jogues) replaced Sr. Francis Catherine as Principal of St. Dennis School.

1965

  • Fr. Valentine Kurmaniak replaces Fr. Daniel O’Sullivan.
  • Fr. David West assigned here.
  • Bishop Foley High School opened with 9th Grade.

1966

  • Fathers Thompson and Kurmaniak transferred.
  • Fr. Michael McGough assigned here.
  • Fr. Dennis Harrity, Principal of Shrine High School, in residence and week-end help.

1967

  • Construction begun on second phase of Bishop Foley High School.

1968

  • Fr. Joseph Bauer replaces Fr. West.

1969

  • Parish Council Steering Committee formed to work towards formation of a Parish Council.
  • First Bishop Foley High School 12th grade graduated.
  • Sr. Millicent, S.S.J. replaces Sr. Joanne as principal of St. Dennis School.
  • Saturday evening Masses begun.

1970

  • Parish Council formed and installed.
  • Fr. Saulino resigns as pastor.
  • Frs. Harrity, McGough and Lawrence Jackson appointed as co-pastors to succeed him.

1971

  • Expansion of full-time staff to include Miss Anne Evans as Relgious Education Director and Sr. Melanie as Liturgy coordinator.

1972

  • Sr. Margaret Wetmore, S.S.J. becomes principal of St. Dennis School.

1973

  • Parish-wide vote approves plan for major remodeling of church building.
  • Sunday Mass celebrated in the cafeteria for nine months while church is remodeled
  • Parish offices transferred to north end of convent building.

1974

  • The new church is dedicated by Cardinal Dearden, January 24
  • Mr. Frederick DeRoche becomes Religious Education Coordinator.
  • Fr. Arnold Bastien replaces Fr. Jackson as co-pastor.
  • Fr. John Nowlan is temporary assistant.

1975

  • Parish Celebration of 25th Anniversary.
  • Fr. Bastien transferred.
  • Kindergarten program inaugurated in school.
  • Jo McDonald added to Parish Staff as Christian Service Coordinator

1976

  • Steering Committee formed to restructure Parish Council.
  • Fr. Daniel Thottakara is temporary assistant.
  • Fr. James Cronk replaces Fr. McGough as co-pastor.

1977

  • Miss Carol McPharlin becomes Religious Education coordinator.
  • Fr. Robert Goodrow replaces Fr. Cronk as co-pastor.
  • Fr. Dans returns to India.
  • Virginai Trabold becomes Christian Service Coordinator.

1978

  • Parish Together in Ministry Program
  • New Parish Council constitution approved.
  • Restructured Parish Council Installed on Pentecost Sunday.

1979

  • Sister Karen Hawver, S.C. becomes Principal of St. Dennis School. Communion under both forms offered in Parish on weekends.

1980

  • Sister Donna Butler, S.P. becomes Parish Christian Service Coordinator.

1981

  • 25th Anniversary of St. Dennis School.
  • Edmund Scoka appointed as Archbishop of Detroit
  • Provincial pre-marriage guidelines prompt parish marriage preparation program: Perspective

1982

  • Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) begins in the Archdiocese on First Sunday of May.

1983

  • 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Archdiocese of Detroit

1984

  • Paul Panaretos, assigned to St. Dennis as Deacon in June, Ordained Priest in December.
  • Sr. Joan Kusak becomes Christian Service Coordinator
  • Fr. Robert Goodrow transferred.
  • Fr. Roanld Essman becomes Associate Pastor.

1985

  • Fr. Paul Panaretos transferred.
  • Michael Woroniewicz, assigned to St. Dennis as Deacon in June, Ordained Priest in December.
  • Eastwood Residential Clinic Leases South end and Second Floor of Convent Building.

1986

  • Fr. Ronald Essman – Fr. Michael Woroniewicz transferred.
  • Fr. Donald Sopiak becomes Associate Pastor.

1987

  • Fr. Harrity transferred
  • Fr. John Christ replaces Fr. Harrity as Pastor.

1988

  • Sr. Connie Parran, I.H.M. becomes Religious Service Coordinator.

1989

  • Fr. Sopiak transferred.
  • Fr. Bogdan Milosz becomes Associate Pastor.
  • Mrs. Bernadette Gutowski becomes Religious Education Coordinator.

1990

  • Renovation of the Church becomes complete, are now working in the Parish Ofiice.
  • Rectory to be built before end of the year. School renovations to follow.

1991

  • Renovation on the Parish Office is complete. Working now on the Rectory and School renovation to follow.

1992

  • Fr. Bogdan Milosz transferred.
  • Fr. William Carnago becomes Associate Pastor.
  • Rectory is complete and furnished. School renovation have begun.
  • Cheryl Hermann became principal of St. Dennis School.

1993

  • School renovations are complete
  • Fr. William Carnago is transferred. He is now attending Catholic University in Washington D.C.
  • Fr. William Promesso becomes Associate Pastor

1994

  • Fr. William Promesso is transferred. Fr. Gerard Thaar, OSC becomes Associate Pastor

1995

  • Fr. James Meyer is no longer assisting at St. Dennis. Richard Leiaert is regularly assisting.

1996

  • Sr. Melanie Chateau, O.P. Coordinator of Liturgy, enters eternal life August 10.

1997

  • Windows installed in church building and millennium art project initiated.

1998

  • Murals on back wall of church completed. Work on front triptych begun by artist.

1999

  • Triptych and the murals on both east and west sides of church completed.
  • Baptismal font is situated in gathering area. Work begun on the enlarged Blessed sacrament chapel. Sr. Connie retires. Mr. Michael Reece becomes principal.

2000

  • Mrs. Christine Wagberg replaces Mrs. Bernadette Gutowski as Director of Religious Education.
  • Dr. Elizabeth Krouse is Music Director
  • Fr. Lawrence Ventline assists at two of the 6:00 p.m. liturgies each month.
  • Social Hall is newly painted and newly tiled.

2001

  • Mr. Joseph Lindquist is our part-time Music Director.
  • Janina Jacobs continues to be our supply oprganist
  • The First Ecclesiastic Art Exhibition held in October will be an annual event.

2002

  • Fr. Jerry Thaar, OSC, is transferred to Phoenix, Arizona.
  • Fr. Antonio F. Ong is appointed Associate Pastor.

 2003

  • The prayer garden on the east side of the church is completed with the Crucifix, Holy Family statues and the Stations of the Cross removed during the renovation. 
  • The Ecclesiastic Art Exhibit was held.  This will be an annual event.

2004

  • We have welcomed a large number of Vietnamese families to St. Dennis and to the celebration of a Sunday Noon Mass in Vietnamese. 
  • Rev. Mr. Francis Xavier Doan Ngoc Chau has been assigned to St. Dennis as deacon 
  • Fr. John Christ is coordinator for the RCIA. 
  • The decoration of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is nearing completion.  The artist is Alexander Zorin. 
  • Mr Kevin Oberle is our part-time Music Director. 
  • Ms Christine Paluch replaces Mr. Michael Reece as principal of St. Dennis School.

2005

  • Mr. Dan McAfee replaces Joe Lindquist as Musician at 6:00pm Mass.
  • New altar furniture and processional cross installed.
  • Work continues on the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

2006

  • St. Dennis Child Development Center (SDCDC) opened on September 5th, 2006.

2007

  • Mr. William Dogan is hired as the new principal of St. Dennis School.

2008  

  • Mr. Gregory Pilarski, is hired as the new principal of St. Dennis School.