Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Holy Cross (Our Lady on the River Parish, Marine City)

On April 1, 1825, President John Quincy Adams granted a plot of land to Fr. Gabriel Richard. The triangular plot, where the Belle River meets the St. Clair River, became known as Catholic Point. A church, rectory, convent, and two schools were eventually built here.
 

Fr. Lawrence Kilroy ministered at the parish so did  then-Fr. Frederic Baraga shortly before he was consecrated a bishop.


The current church, the second to stand at the site, was built in 1903. 


A large crucifix and part of the altar rail stand in what used to be a baptistery; one of the windows on the front facade.


The stairs to the choir loft; a set of windows in the nave.


In 2007, Holy Cross Parish merged with St. Catherine of Alexandria (est. 1894 in Algonac) and St. Mark (est. 1897 on Harsens Island). The resulting parish was named Our Lady on the River Parish.


Fr. David Bechill has been Associate Pastor for two years. He is a native of Algonac and attended St. Catherine as a child.


Fr. Douglas Terrien, previously at Immaculate Conception in Lapeer, arrived as Pastor at the beginning of July.
 

The traditional side altars to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, respectively.


A depiction of Matthew 14:29-31 in the north transept


St. Michael the Archangel is in the south transept


The ceiling is sky blue with thousands of gold leaf stars and gold leaf embellishments.


Several angels (possibly the Seven Archangels) are depicted at the top of the apse.

 

Murals of the Apostles line the walls of the clerestory.


Holy Cross houses an organ that was fabricated in 1861it's one of the oldest American-built organs in Michigan.


Cardinal Mooney High School is located next to the church.

Our Lady on the River Parish manages Holy Cross School, a K-8 parochial school.

The parish also maintains a cemetery a mile from the church, at the intersection of Chartier Rd. and King Rd.



For more info: Our Lady on the River ParishCardinal Mooney High School
On Fr. Bechill: The Times Herald 
On Fr. Terrien: The Michigan Catholic + The County Press
About Holy Cross Cemetery: U.S. Gen Web Archives
Panoramic view of the church interior: Google Street View