On the tree-lined blocks of West 7th Street in Mishawaka, St. Bavo Catholic Church is a parish where weekend Masses fill the sanctuary, weekday devotions fill the chapel, and the story of a seventh-century Belgian penitent still shapes the life of the community. Founded on Faith, Built with Hope, and Growing in Love, St. Bavo belongs to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and has served the surrounding neighborhoods for generations.
A Parish Anchored by an Ancient Saint
St. Bavo (589 to 657) is not a household name in American Catholic life, but the parish has done more than most to keep his memory vivid. The Belgian nobleman lived nearly fifty years as a wealthy widower in present-day Belgium before the preaching of St. Amand moved him to give everything away and enter a Benedictine monastery in Ghent. Even monastic seclusion did not satisfy him. In his final years he withdrew into a hollow tree in the forest of Malmedum, surviving on herbs and spring water, and died there around the year 657.
In the vestibule of St. Bavo Church stands a bronze sculpture of the saint, created by parishioner and artist David M. Layman. The figure is shown in Benedictine robe with scapular and skullcap, staff in hand, stepping forward on the first step of a penitential journey. The Word of God is represented on his right side. The sculpture was donated by Maury and Herlinda Cocquyt and their family in 1989, what the parish calls "a lasting testimonial of their love for St. Bavo and their lifetime of commitment to the parish."
The same spirit of conversion shapes parish life today. The mission statement commits the community to being "the living presence of Christ in the world today" and to living that out through "liturgical celebrations, prayer, education, spiritual growth, bearing witness to faith and service to all."
Mass Schedule and the Shape of the Week
Weekend Masses are celebrated in the church on Saturday evening at 5 PM and on Sunday morning at 7, 9, and 11 AM. Weekday Masses take place in the chapel rather than the main church: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 5 PM, and Friday and Saturday at 8:15 AM. Wednesday is not part of the regular weekday Mass schedule.
Each Mass has its own intentions, listed in the weekly bulletin that names the men and women for whom the parish is praying. The Sunday 11 AM Mass is typically offered "For the People of St. Bavo," and parishioners can request Mass intentions through the parish office. Masses are livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person, and the weekly bulletin, homily, and readings are all posted online.
Confessions and Sacramental Life
Confessions are heard in the church on Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of two sacraments of healing treated at length in adult faith presentations given at the parish, the other being the Anointing of the Sick.
First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage preparation are coordinated through the parish office and the religious education program. Funeral liturgies are a regular part of parish life, and the parish keeps a Memorial List, including a November list, of those whose anniversaries are remembered in prayer. The parish also hosts a simple online Prayerline Requests form that forwards intentions to volunteer intercessors.
Forming Faith at Every Age
Religious Education at St. Bavo meets on Sunday and Monday evenings during the school year. Classes run from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM in Meeting Rooms A, B, and C on the parish campus, and the program serves children preparing for First Communion and Confirmation. Program details and registration forms are available through the parish office and the religious education coordinator.
The parish shares its West 7th Street campus with Mishawaka Catholic School's St. Bavo Campus, located at 524 West 8th Street. The school is part of the broader Mishawaka Catholic system and offers Catholic education to local families, with its own office reachable at 574-259-4214 or info@mcmish.org. Graduation awards from the school's eighth-grade class are posted on the parish site each year.
Adult Study and Reflection
Adult faith formation at St. Bavo is unusually rich for a parish of its size. Fr. Pete's Presentations include years of lectures and supporting materials on subjects ranging from the Sacraments of Healing and the Eucharistic Prayer to the Psalms, the Mysteries of the Rosary, the Ecumenical Councils from Nicaea I to Vatican II, the Prophets, and the History of Eucharistic Spirituality. Each presentation is supported by detailed written notes, scripture citations, and PowerPoint text, all available online for anyone who wants to follow along.
For several years the parish has worked through Romano Guardini's The Lord in a chapter-by-chapter video study, divided into six parts and dozens of recorded summaries posted on the parish site. It is the kind of slow, careful reading more typical of a serious study group than a parish bulletin, with summaries on topics such as The Incarnation, The Beatitudes, The Transfiguration, The Last Supper, The Resurrection, and "Reflections on Peace."
Two other long-running adult programs round out the calendar. Gus Zuehlke's Witnesses for Peace is a recorded series of seven talks on figures such as John Dunne, Gandhi, Pope John XXIII, Pope John Paul II, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton, presented at the parish in 2019 and accompanied by question-and-answer sessions. The companion program Peace in Our Time gathers participants for prayer, sharing, and guided meditation on finding "a peace that stabilizes hearts" in the midst of conflict. Mr. Zuehlke also serves the parish as Director of Faith Formation.
Serving Mishawaka: Food, Hope, and Prayer
Service is a visible part of weekly parish life. The MAC Food Pantry distributes groceries at St. Bavo on the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Tuesdays of each month, with a transportation schedule posted online so neighbors know how to reach the site.
The Hope Rescue ministry, hosted at the parish, extends support to women and children in need. Teams of parishioners take turns cleaning the church on a rotating three-team schedule that runs through the year, and a separate Church Laundry Schedule rotates the work of keeping parish linens fresh. Parishioners also serve as lectors, ushers, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, and gift bearers, with current schedules posted for each liturgical ministry.
A parish Prayerline takes prayer requests through a simple online form, forwarding them to volunteers who commit to praying for the named intention.
Mid-Week Groups
Outside of Mass, several small groups meet at the parish during the week. The Benedictine Oblates gather on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM in Meeting Room C, praying in the spirit of the order that sheltered St. Bavo himself centuries ago. The Rosary is prayed in the church on Tuesdays at 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. WINGS, a women's fellowship, meets Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in Meeting Room A.
Planning a Visit
Anyone visiting St. Bavo for the first time will find a parish that takes its worship and its mission seriously without being hard to approach. Weekend Masses are the easiest entry point: Saturday at 5 PM or Sunday at 7, 9, or 11 AM, with confessions afterward on Saturday morning from 9 to 10. Weekday visitors can join a 5 PM Mass in the chapel on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, or the 8:15 AM Mass on Friday or Saturday.
Those who cannot attend in person can watch Mass live on the parish's YouTube channel, follow along with the weekly bulletin, or read Fr. Pete's written reflections and homilies online. The parish office sits at 502 West 7th Street, directly across the street from the church, and is open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday.
Online giving is available through a secure portal for parishioners who wish to support the parish's ministries. The parish is led by Fr. Francis Mwanje, pastor, with Gus Zuehlke serving as Director of Faith Formation.