Two Muskegon area Catholic churches have closed this fall due to decreases in parish membership and Mass attendance.
The closing Mass at Our Lady of Grace Church in Muskegon was Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 at 4 p.m. followed by a parish open house. The closing Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Muskegon Heights took place on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 at 11 a.m. A parish picnic was held following the Mass. Bishop Walkowiak presided at both Masses.
The Diocese of Grand Rapids’ Office of Communications has issued the following statement from Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, bishop of Grand Rapids, upon the closures:
“These churches have been pillars in the Muskegon community for around 100 years. At the same time, we must recognize the parish resources and significant investment necessary to maintain multiple churches in the same area.
The closure of two churches in this close of proximity is an unusual occurrence. While a sad and difficult decision, due to their proximity, it was discerned that a simultaneous closure would be in parishioners’ best interest.
I am confident that the works of charity which have been a hallmark of these Catholic communities will continue. Our five churches in Muskegon invite you to join them for Mass and other community events.”
In a letter to parishioners, Our Lady of Grace pastor Father Kyle Kilpatrick wrote:
“For nearly one hundred years, Our Lady of Grace parish has been a pillar of the Catholic community in Muskegon, first serving the needs of Italian immigrants to Muskegon, and then all those in the Jackson Hill neighborhood and beyond. The parishioners of Our Lady of Grace, entrusted with the responsibility of proclaiming the Gospel to their neighbors in Muskegon, have done so faithfully, especially through prayer, hospitality, and the works of mercy … It is in the context of both our present challenges and the hope of renewed missionary effort that I inform you of the decision to close the Our Lady of Grace worship site this summer and consolidate all parish activities to the campus of St. Mary’s. This is a decision that has been made with much prayer, in consultation with the parish finance council, and with the approval of our Bishop.”
Read the full letter on the St. Mary website
In a recent parish bulletin, Sacred Heart pastor Father Douglas Braun wrote:
“As we approach the final Holy Mass at Sacred Heart and the completion of the mission of the parish, it is important to express gratitude to the Lord for the blessings received by this community over the last hundred years … Each of us will have our own way of remembering the parish. Sacred Heart was a witness of faith for a hundred years in this community and will be remembered for years to come in the Greater Muskegon Area.”
The decision to close a church is never arrived at easily. This is a time of mourning and recalling memories, a time to focus on the history and life of the community. We rejoice in the blessings we have received through these churches and we look forward with hope, trusting in Christ, the resurrection and light.
