Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church has stood on Riverbank Street in Lincoln Park since 1947, growing up alongside the downriver suburbs that sprang from the housing shortage that followed World War II. Today the parish runs a classical Catholic grade school on its grounds, offers Mass seven days a week, and prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments from Baptism to Marriage to Anointing of the Sick. Ministries for women, seniors, and immigrants fill the calendar, and adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church move through RCIA each year.
Mass Times and the Rhythm of the Week
Sunday brings two Masses, at 9:00 and 11:00 am, with Baptisms celebrated during the 11:00 am Mass when scheduled. Weekday Masses round out the schedule: Monday at 8:15 am, Tuesday at 7:00 pm, Wednesday at 8:15 am, and Friday at 8:15 am. Saturday afternoon brings the vigil Mass at 4:00 pm.
Confessions are heard on Tuesday at 6:00 pm, half an hour before the Tuesday evening Mass, and on Saturday at 2:30 pm, before the vigil. The parish office is open Monday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, closed Thursday, and Sunday from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm.
A Postwar Parish in Lincoln Park
The parish traces its roots to the wave of workers who poured into Detroit during World War II to fill defense industry jobs. When the war ended in 1945, returning servicemen and women faced a severe housing shortage in Detroit and began spilling out into Lincoln Park, drawn by the direct route downtown via Fort Street and Dix-Toledo Road and the easy commute to the steel mills along the Detroit River. In 1947 Father Joseph Torzewski founded Christ the Good Shepherd to serve the new Catholic families moving in.
While the first church was being built, Mass was celebrated at Hoover Public School across the street. The original church, which now stands behind the wall of the sacristy, was dedicated in June 1948. The Ladies Society was founded that same year and later became Christian Mothers and then the Women of Good Shepherd. The Ushers Club and the Robert Jones Council of Knights of Columbus also organized in 1947.
A school grew alongside the parish. Construction on Christ the Good Shepherd School began in 1950, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis staffed it before construction finished that September. By 1951 students were using the first ten classrooms. In 1952 the St. Vincent de Paul Society was formed at the parish. In 1955 the present church was constructed, originally designed as a gymnasium that would later be expanded; artist Jean Charlot completed a painted interpretation of the 23rd Psalm for the new worship space that December. School enrollment peaked in 1961 at 1,546 students.
In 1965 Christ the Good Shepherd joined with St. Pius Parish to break ground on Aquinas High School, which served the area until 2000. The Sisters of St. Joseph served the school until 1978, when Sister Kathleen Lupton, the last religious principal, took her post elsewhere and the teaching staff became fully lay. A new Activities Building opened in 2000 with a full-sized gymnasium, locker rooms, a cafeteria, and a commercial kitchen.
The school went through its own changes. By 2010 declining enrollment led to a merger school arrangement with Mount Carmel and Wyandotte Catholic schools, housed in the Christ the Good Shepherd building as John Paul II Catholic School in 2011. After eight years, the arrangement was dissolved in 2019, and a new parish school emerged on site, St. John Paul II Classical Catholic School. In March 2014, St. Henry Parish, founded in 1923 by Father Toole on a five-acre section of the Albert Kaier Orchard, was merged into Christ the Good Shepherd. Father David Bechill became pastor in July 2019.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments and provides detailed preparation for each. Infant Baptism up through first grade is arranged through the parish office. Children in second grade or older who have not been baptized work with the Coordinator of Faith Formation. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion follow a two-year preparation program beginning in third grade, with an official Baptismal certificate required. Confirmation, for high school students who have already received First Communion, follows a similar two-year track.
Adults seeking any of the Sacraments of Initiation work with Holly Tockstein, the Coordinator of Faith Formation. Penance (Reconciliation) is offered at the regularly scheduled Tuesday and Saturday times. Anointing of the Sick is arranged by calling the parish office for anyone facing illness, surgery, or the frailties of old age. Couples preparing for marriage must be registered parishioners and are asked to contact the parish office at least six months before the desired wedding date. Men discerning Holy Orders are invited to speak with Father Bechill.
A Classical Catholic School on the Parish Grounds
St. John Paul II Classical Catholic School shares the parish campus and serves families looking for a Catholic education rooted in the classical tradition. The school supports parents in the education and faith formation of their children and is dedicated to helping students grow in their understanding and love of God while developing the skills they need for today's world. Families can reach the school office at 313-386-0633 or at school@jp2catholic.com; the principal is Melissa Manczak. Registration information is available from the parish.
Bible Sharing, Card Games, and Heritage: Parish Life
The parish calendar carries the life of the community beyond Mass. Women's Bible Sharing meets Tuesday mornings in the church annex. A Seniors Card Group gathers Wednesdays in the annex for cards and fellowship. Our Lady of Guadalupe Cenacle meets Wednesday mornings. The Heritage Club meets twice a month in the annex. On Mondays a group called Strangers No Longer Circle of Support meets in the annex, walking alongside immigrants and refugees in the parish neighborhood. John Orischak serves as Music Minister, leading the parish's vocal and bell choirs.
Liturgical ministers keep the Masses running. Sacristans prepare and clean up the altar before and after services. Lectors proclaim the readings and need a clear, loud voice and time to prepare. Cantors and Choir members lead the music and audition before joining. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist the priest in distributing the Body and Blood of Christ. Ushers greet at the entrance, help with seating, and take up the offertory collection. A Bell Choir adds another layer of music to the liturgy.
Becoming Catholic Through RCIA
Adults interested in becoming Catholic, or Catholics who still need to receive First Communion and Confirmation, are invited to the parish's RCIA program, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The parish invites anyone curious to Come and See, and a team from the parish walks with inquirers through the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Inquirers are encouraged to contact Holly Tockstein at 313-928-1324, extension 115, to learn more.
Joining the Parish, Giving, and Staying Connected
Families can register by downloading a registration form or picking one up at the parish office. Online giving is available through the parish's giving portal. The parish maintains a Facebook page and a Vimeo channel where homilies and other video content are shared. The parish also recommends Detroit Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Detroit, which offers a free daily or weekly email newsletter that Archbishop Edward Weisenburger has encouraged every parishioner to subscribe to.
Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church remains rooted in the Eucharist and committed to its worship, its school, and its service to the downriver community. From the Sunday morning crowds at 9:00 and 11:00 am to the weekday Masses that punctuate the workweek, the parish keeps its doors open for those who live in Lincoln Park and the surrounding neighborhoods.