At 3700 Harvey Lake Road in Highland, Michigan, Church of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic parish whose life centers on family formation, perpetual Eucharistic adoration, and practical Christian Service. It began as Highland Mass Station in 1977 and now offers weekend and weekday Masses, morning prayer, ministries from childhood through senior adulthood, and a food pantry.
From Highland Mass Station to Territorial Parish
Church of the Holy Spirit came into being in 1977 as Highland Mass Station. Its first Mass, held at Spring Mills School, filled the building with 525 people. In May 1978, the community moved from Mass Station status to Parish In Formation, with Father John Howard as its first pastor. In December 1978, it became the Territorial Parish of Holy Spirit.
Father Leo Lulko became the second pastor in May 1980 and oversaw the groundbreaking and construction of a new church, dedicated March 15, 1981.
A March 1987 addition created classrooms, offices, space for Christian Service, kitchen facilities, and a place for social gatherings. In May 2005, the parish completed a 12,000-square-foot addition that included the Perpetual Adoration Chapel.
The parish vision is "To be Christ for all." Its mission describes a community led by the Holy Spirit that accompanies others to encounter Jesus, gives witness to him, and grows as missionary disciples.
Mass and Morning Prayer Through the Week
Weekend Mass is celebrated at 5:00 p.m. Saturday and at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Sunday. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Masses are at 9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer is Monday and Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. Confession is offered Saturday at 4:00 p.m. or by appointment.
Mass is the Eucharistic liturgy of the Catholic Church. Mass is also livestreamed through the parish's YouTube livestream. Inside the church, the service is projected into the narthex for anyone who needs to step out with a child.
For safety, the main doors lock five minutes after every weekend Mass begins. Ushers admit anyone who is running late.
A Visitor's First Mass
Visitors are encouraged to dress comfortably and focus on the service rather than their clothing. In summer, sandals, shorts and a shirt are common, while Sunday best is also welcome. Shorts should be a conservative length, with no very short shorts, and clothing should generally be respectable and conservative. The parish has a large parking lot with many spaces available.
Children are welcome to remain with their families in the pews. At the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, children branch off to a classroom during the readings and homily, then rejoin their families before the Our Father. If a child needs a break, the Mass continues to be projected in the narthex for parents who step out with the child.
People who are not Catholic need not be self-conscious about when to sit, stand or kneel; most visitors simply follow the parishioners. Each pew holds a worship aid with the order of Mass, the postures and the words of the prayers. An usher can provide one if needed.
The parish teaches that the Eucharist is the most intimate expression of Catholic faith and that the host is literally the body of Christ, transformed from bread by the priest. Non-Catholics are asked not to receive Communion. Those who do not receive are invited to come forward with their hands crossed over their chests for a blessing.
Visitors are not expected to put money into the offering and may let it pass. Parishioners can give by check or cash during Mass or arrange weekly or monthly online giving.
The Chapel That Stays Open Every Hour
The St. John Paul II Perpetual Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visitors are welcome to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and weekly personal appointments can be reserved. A keypad code is required for entry; it is available from the parish during office hours. Closed-circuit surveillance provides added security. Approximately 500 people are signed up to participate in chapel operation, and someone is present every hour on the hour.
The parish describes the chapel as belonging to everyone. Its round-the-clock presence makes perpetual adoration a shared part of parish life alongside Mass, sacraments and service to people beyond the church.
Faith Formation from First Grade to Confirmation
Faith formation is designed for young people in grades 1-8 and the adults who minister to them in a caring, hospitable Christian environment within the Catholic tradition. Sacred Scripture has a primary place in the curriculum. The parish calls parents the single greatest influence in a child's spiritual and religious life and seeks to support them through formal classes, family gatherings, prayer and parish life.
Elementary family events are held on the first Sunday and Wednesday of each month during the formation season. The Alive in Christ curriculum invites children to hear God's invitation through his Word, to discover Church teaching and to learn to love as Catholic disciples. The parish names the family home the "domestic church," a community of grace, prayer, human virtues and Christian charity.
Preparation for First Reconciliation and Eucharist begins in first grade. It uses Dynamic Catholic's Blessed program, weekly classes, Mass attendance and parental involvement, with the parish describing sacramental preparation as formation of the heart rather than memorization alone.
Middle-school students meet for family events on the first Tuesday evening of each month. Our Sunday Visitor materials and The Bible Timeline for Middle School help them explore Scripture, recognize Christ's presence and consider how to share their faith with others. The parish's goal is mature Catholics equipped to take on the world.
Confirmation belongs to eighth grade. Classes meet on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, beginning with the 9:00 a.m. Mass and continuing until noon. Augustine Institute's The Search Begins leads students through core questions of life, the Beatitudes and Catholic Social Teaching.
Adult catechesis, sacrament preparation and prayer continue throughout life. Those who serve as catechists or substitutes receive lesson and activity materials, complete the Archdiocese of Detroit's Protecting All of God's Children course and undergo a background check.
Sacraments for a Lifetime
Parish teaching centers on the Catholic sacraments. Baptism may be celebrated during a weekend liturgy or after Mass and marks a new life in Christ. Reconciliation is presented as God's gift through which people repent, recover the grace of friendship with God and are reconciled with God and the Church. The Eucharist is celebrated at Mass and is described as the "source and summit" of Christian life. The parish also prepares people for Confirmation, celebrates Christian marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy, and welcomes inquiries about Holy Orders and religious life.
Adults seeking Confirmation or learning about the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults can receive guidance. The parish also welcomes inquiries about serving as a homebound Eucharistic minister. In marriage, it emphasizes the covenant between husband and wife and encourages celebration within the Eucharistic Liturgy.
The Anointing of the Sick is offered after the 5:00 p.m. Mass on the first Saturday of each month. It is not reserved only for the final moments of life; its central purpose is spiritual healing, giving peace and courage to people facing serious illness or the frailties of old age, even when physical healing does not occur.
Christian Service at the Heart of the Parish
Christian Service is a major expression of the parish's mission. Its stated vision is to bring hope to the community, poor, vulnerable, marginalized and forgotten people through hospitality and bridges that empower a journey toward full potential. Every client is welcomed equally with respect for human dignity. Director Gayle Greene describes the ministry as saving "homes and hearts in our community."
Christian Service operates as a model and resource of Catholic social teaching. Its programs seek to address needs locally and in broader communities, the state, the nation and the world, guided by love, service, justice, freedom and peace. Other individual needs not among the standard offerings may also be discussed for possible assistance.
The food pantry is open on Monday and Wednesday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Christian Service assists families facing emergencies such as unexpected job loss or loss of income. It connects people with resources for phones, housing, family counseling, household furniture and appliances, clothing, early child development, pregnancy assistance, medical and dental care, legal and social concerns. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners, baskets and boxes are also part of its work.
Foster Care and Adoptive Ministry joins churches throughout Michigan to support foster and adoptive families. The parish also takes part in prisoner and jail outreach, Focus Hope and American Red Cross blood drives. These ministries extend Christian Service into the wider community and beyond.
Teen Action Group and the Adult Fellowships
Teen Action Group, or TAG, seeks to use youth, parents and the church to establish a firm foundation in Jesus Christ that will produce mature Catholics ready to take on the world. Its three-word philosophy is "encourage, equip, establish." The parish also supports mission outreach for students in grades 6-12 through its Motor City mission program.
The Men's Club meets on the first Wednesday of each month for a 7:00 p.m. meal and a 7:30 p.m. meeting. Its fundraising supports scholarships, home-maintenance projects, pregnancy-help centers, faith-based vocations, church and rectory maintenance, faith formation and the Teen group.
The Men's Club also hosts a summer picnic, the Fr. Leo Golf Outing, a Super Bowl Party and Wild Game Dinner, and a Mother's Day pancake breakfast. These gatherings combine fellowship with fundraising for parish priorities.
Women of Holy Spirit meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Members host funeral luncheons, bake sales, dances, a Christmas store and a baby shower benefiting local pregnancy centers. Their activities also include May crowning, a Living Rosary and the parish picnic.
The Senior Activity Group generally meets on the third Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Knights of Columbus Council 8500 hosts a social hour on the second Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., followed by its meeting at 7:30 p.m.; officers meet on the first Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. These groups provide fellowship, fundraising and practical support for parish life.
Prayer Quilts Made for the Church Family
The parish's prayer-quilt ministry grew out of Prayers and Squares, an organization founded in 1997. Its own chapter began in 2006, and on January 13, 2007, members presented their first quilt for tying. Eighteen ministry members have made and presented more than 497 prayer quilts to the parish.
A quilt is assembled for a specific person who knows and accepts the gift of prayer. Heavy thread passes through the layers in a square knot, and the ends are left free for tying. The chapter's guiding principles emphasize that prayer, not the quilt, is the point, that the recipient must consent, and that payment is never accepted because the quilt cannot be sold.
The chapter meets in the Quilt Room directly across from the chapel entrance on the first Saturday of each month at 9:30 a.m. Members help with setup, prayer cards and donated cotton, quilt tops, sheets and batting, as well as organizing supplies.
Music, Liturgical Service and Wider Ministry
Music Ministry enhances the prayer experience, and the parish is always seeking cantors and musicians. Altar servers assist at Mass and learn the order of Mass. All confirmed members can train to serve as Eucharistic Ministers, while lectors proclaim the Word and ushers and greeters welcome people and assist with seating, the offertory and gifts.
Ushers and greeters serve in monthly Mass assignments. Arts and Environment volunteers prepare the sanctuary and surrounding areas for the seasonal liturgical environment. The parish frames these ministries as a way for people to use their spiritual gifts in service to the church and community.
Service opportunities extend beyond the sanctuary. People can volunteer with children, teens and seniors, assist with funeral, nursing or jail ministries, join committees and clubs, or become an adorer in the chapel. The parish describes this wider participation as being the hands and feet of Christ.
Practical Care Through the Nursing Ministry
The Nursing Ministry offers monthly blood-pressure screening, yearly CPR classes, safety in-service for staff, health information for the parish and home-safety visits for seniors. Visits focus on personal safety, home fire prevention and proper equipment needs, especially after a hospital discharge. The parish maintains an AED, and healthcare volunteers are welcome.
Leadership and the West Oakland Family of Parishes
The pastoral team is led by Rev. Wayne Ureel, pastor, with Gayle Greene directing Christian Service, Jojo Kind serving in Youth Ministry, Jillian Peck directing Faith Formation, and David Popovits directing Music Ministries. Deacon Mike also assists with Mass.
The Parish Pastoral Council is the pastor's primary visioning and consultative body, while the Parish Finance Council assists with the parish's temporal goods and the implementation of its pastoral plan. The councils communicate the pastoral vision, monitor the parish's financial condition and provide annual reports. They generally meet with parish leadership on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
Church of the Holy Spirit also belongs to the West Oakland family of parishes alongside St. Perpetua Catholic Church, St. Patrick Catholic Parish and St. Mary Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church.
Giving and Staying Connected
Online giving through WeShare can be arranged for weekly or monthly intervals. A parish app is available for iPhone and Android; after opening it, users select Church of the Holy Spirit. Weekly parish news, spiritual reflections and opportunities to participate are also sent by email.
From 525 people at Spring Mills School to a parish with a chapel occupied around the clock, Church of the Holy Spirit continues to center its life on Christ, family formation, sacramental worship and service to those in need.