Our History
1866-PRES
This brick church replaced the original wooden St. Lawrence Catholic Church 1908. The parish actually erected Utica’s first wooden house of worship. By the time the brick church was built, the parish consisted of 45 families.
991 by Bureau of History, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number L1799.)
Michigan Historical Sign
IN MAY 1866 THE REVEREND AMANDUS VANDENDRIESSCHE OF DETROIT RECITED UTICA'S FIRST CATHOLIC MASS. FORTY IRISH FAMILIES AT UTICA JUNCTION (PRESENT-DAY ROSEVILLE) FORMED WHAT BECAME A MISSION OF SACRED HEART PARISH. ON AUGUST 15, 1874, BISHOP C. H. BORGESS DEDICATED ST. LAWRENCE PARISH'S FIRST CHURCH. FOUR YEARS LATER A CEMETERY WAS CONSECRATED ONE-HALF MILE NORTH OF HERE. IN 1904 A FIRE SWEPT THROUGH UTICA, DESTROYING THE CHURCH. PARISHIONERS WORSHIPPED IN HOMES AND A RENTED HALL UNTIL A NEW CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1908. THE PRESENT NEO-ROMANESQUE CHURCH WAS DESIGNED BY DETROIT ARCHITECT ARTHUR DESROSIERS AND ERECTED IN 1951. THE BROAD NAVE SEATS 800 PEOPLE. ST. LAWRENCE PARISH REMAINS THE OLDEST RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY IN UTICA.
St. Lawrence Parish of Utica Plaque
1866-1966
Commemorating a century of Catholicity in Utica, Michigan — Mass was first celebrated here one hundred years ago — in May, 1966.
May the souls of everyone who inspired, protected and advanced the faith through all these years rest in peace.
Early Beginnings
St. Lawrence Parish began in 1866 as a mission of Sacred Heart Parish, in what is now Roseville, which was established a year before. On June 25, 1866, George and Eunice Welkins sold a parcel of land for the construction of a church near what is now Van Dyke and Hall Road. On September 24, 1877, land was deeded from George and Regina Archenbroon to Bishop Borgess, and in 1878 a new cemetery was consecrated as Saint Lawrence Utica Cemetery. In 1898, a large fire destroyed most of Utica but the Church of St. Lawrence survived. Fr. John D. O'Shea was assigned as pastor of Sacred Heart, Roseville, around the year 1900. One weekend a month, he traveled to the St. Lawrence Mission to hear confessions and say Mass. Another large-scale fire destroyed St. Lawrence Church in 1904. Fr. O'Shea celebrated Mass in nearby residences and, before long, the parish rented a hall until the church was rebuilt. The cornerstone of the second church was laid in 1908 and the church was completed that year at Van Dyke and McClellan, just north of the first church. In August of 1916, Fr. O'Shea suggested to the people of the parish that they celebrate the Feast of St. Lawrence by having a community dinner.
Bishop Michael J. Gallagher appointed Rev. William Crowley to be the first resident pastor in 1924. Three years later, four acres of land were purchased for a rectory. Ground was broken in 1929 for a combination church and school. The third church opened on Easter Sunday, 1930 with the first Mass at 7:30am that day. Bishop Gallagher visited the new church in July of 1930; he dedicated the church, administered First Holy Communion, and administer Confirmation all in the same day. The school opened the following September with a student body of 149. Four Dominican nuns taught at the school under Sr. Rose Vincent, OP, superior and principal. Before a convent was built, the nuns lived in the school.
On Saturday, January 25, 1950, in the presence of Rev. Elmer Nacy, assistant pastor; the Sisters of St. Dominic of Adrian; Arthur DesRosiers, architect; Edward V. Monahan, contractor; the building committee; and many parishioners, the Rev. Father Edward J. DeKeyser, pastor, broke ground to mark the official beginning of the building of the new St. Lawrence Church. The cornerstone of the new church was blessed and set in place Sunday, September 3, by Auxiliary Bishop Alexander Zaleski. He was assisted by Fr. Nacy and Fr. Joseph Schramm of Mt. Clemens. On October 28, 1951, His Eminence Edward Cardinal Mooney blessed the new structure before the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Fr. DeKeyser celebrated his 25th anniversary as pastor in 1960. On September 30, 1962, Fr. DeKeyser was elevated to Monsignor by Pope John XXIII. He was invested with the of his office by Archbishop John Dearden and was among 14 newly appointed monsignors in the Detroit Archdiocese. By 1966, St. Lawrence had 2,000 registered families. While the parish continued to grow, St. Lawrence was in debt and the high school was forced to close in 1971. Msgr. DeKeyser soon retired but maintained residence at the rectory as Pastor Emeritus. A month later Fr. Francis H. Burns was appointed pastor and remained at St. Lawrence for the next two decades. The parish soon grew to 3,700 families and during this time, the parish placed a strong emphasis on continuing education and faith formation. Fr. Francis Burns celebrated his silver anniversary to the priesthood on October 14, 1973, and the City Council of Utica proclaimed that week to be "Fr. Francis Burns Week". Msgr. DeKeyser celebrated his golden anniversary May 9, 1976, the last Mass he celebrated. On Wednesday, December 29, 1976, Monsignor DeKeyser died at the age of 77 after suffering the rigors of hip surgery. During the 1980s, extensive repairs were made to the church roof, walls, bell tower, doors, steps and stained-glass windows. The following year, an attached activities building opened and was named after Msgr. DeKeyser. Five cantors from the parish sang in the Papal Mass on September 19, 1987, with Pope St. John Paul II. Thirty Detroit churches closed in 1989, one of which was another by the name of St. Lawrence located in the area of Michigan Avenue & Lonyo. Fr. Stanley Kasprzyk, pastor of the southwest Detroit parish, donated two statues of the patron as well as several vestments, a banner, and other church furnishings. The same year, Utica's St. Lawrence began a $450,000 renovation program. A balcony, with a capacity for more than 100 people, was added to the church. In addition, the tabernacle was moved to a side altar, restrooms were updated, lighting replaced, refurbished church interior, new carpet and HVAC. In the early 1990s, St. Lawrence was reportedly the largest parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit. In conjunction with the parish's 125th anniversary, the church was designated as a Michigan Historic Site on May 15, 1991. Fr. Burns retired in 1991. Fr. Bob Fisher was pastor 2003-2014, until he was assigned as pastor of National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in 2014, and eventually becoming a Bishop in 2017. Fr. Roman Pasieczny has been the pastor since 2014.
