On Fifteen Mile Road east of Dodge Park, just across the street from neighborhoods that were still dairy farms in the 1960s, St. Blase Catholic Church has anchored a corner of Sterling Heights for nearly six decades. The parish was established on June 21, 1967 by His Eminence John Cardinal Dearden, with Father George Schrauder as its first pastor. Today, led by Father Randall Phillips, the parish carries the simple mission statement: We are a welcoming Catholic community where the love of Jesus Christ is learned and lived, sung and shared.
Mass and Reconciliation Schedule
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 4:00 PM and on Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. The Saturday Vigil Mass is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel. Weekday Masses are offered on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at 9:30 AM; there is no Mass scheduled on Wednesday or Thursday. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard privately every Saturday at 3:00 PM, with additional times available by appointment through the parish office. Holy Day schedules are published in the parish bulletin, The Flame.
Visitors are welcome to stop by the parish office during posted hours: Sunday 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (closed for lunch noon to 1:00 PM), Friday 9:00 AM to noon, and Saturday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (closed for lunch noon to 1:00 PM). The church and parish offices are located at 12151 15 Mile Road, Sterling Heights, Michigan.
A Half-Century on Fifteen Mile Road: The Parish Story
When Father Schrauder celebrated the first Sunday Mass in June 1967, his congregation sat in the gym at Haitema Elementary School, now Bozimowski Center. Dodge Park was a two-lane road, a dairy farm stood at the corner of 16 Mile and Dodge Park where cows crossed morning and evening traffic to be milked, Maple Lane was unpaved, and 15 Mile itself was barely two lanes of country road. St. Blase began with 224 registered families.
The first church building was completed and dedicated in December 1967. Its straightforward plan was nicknamed a Gumbleton Box because so many of the diocese's growing suburban churches shared the same architectural template. The original sanctuary sat at what is now the far west end of the present building, called Room 3; the sacristy tucked behind that wall; the kitchen in what is now chair storage outside Room C.
In late 1969 Monsignor Gerald Flanigan became the second pastor. Sterling Heights was booming, and so was St. Blase. The parish grew from 224 to 2,234 families in seven years, and the church was enlarged. The expansion was dedicated on December 18, 1976. New parish offices were housed in the rectory; those rooms are still used for smaller meetings today.
Father Joseph Killeen, the third pastor, led the parish from late 1977 until early 1993. With longtime associate Father Ron Anderson, he guided St. Blase as it matured. Many of the ministries that define the parish today took root under his leadership. The fourth pastor, Monsignor Michael LeFevre, arrived in June 1993 and oversaw the most recent renovation in 1999. With Father Tom Kirwan, he enclosed the Gathering Space, raised the roof over the east, west, and rear of the church, and added the choir area. The renovated building was rededicated by Adam Cardinal Maida on June 27, 1999. It was during Monsignor LeFevre's pastorate, through a partnership with sister parish St. Gerard (now Corpus Christi), that St. Blase helped found the Haiti Outreach Mission.
Father Randall Phillips arrived in 2003 as the parish's fifth pastor. An avid reader and Red Wings and Tigers fan, Father Randy was ordained on December 10, 1983, holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, and also serves as an adjunct instructor of theology for Siena Heights University and a member of the Catholic Theological Society of America. He describes his leadership style as leading from within the community rather than out front or behind, and he places a high priority on worship because the Sunday Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life, and on social justice, seeking the Reign of God by standing with the poor and outcasts.
The Patron Saint: Bishop, Healer, Martyr
St. Blase was a 4th-century bishop of Sebastea in Armenia. After Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 311 making religious toleration the law of the empire, the new freedom had not yet reached Sebastea. Governor Agricola sought Blase's arrest. The bishop fled to the backcountry and lived as a hermit among the animals, praying in solitude.
Hunters eventually found Blase kneeling in his cave surrounded by wild creatures. They drove the animals away and brought him back to Sebastea for trial. On the way to prison a desperate mother approached with her young son choking to death on a fishbone; Blase prayed over the child, who coughed up the bone and lived. A woman whose pig was being attacked by a wolf also met Blase along the road. He spoke to the wolf, who turned and ran off. The grateful woman visited Blase in prison and brought him two candles to read and pray by.
Blase was executed in February 316. From the legends of the fishbone and the candles comes the blessing of throats on his feast day, February 3. Two candles are held around the throat while the minister prays: Through the intercession of St. Blase, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness. The parish understands that prayer as asking God to free us from using our voices to bully, insult, gossip, or speak prejudice, and from the dis-ease of staying silent when the poor and voiceless need an advocate.
What Makes St. Blase Distinctive
The parish has long been encouraged to dream and to make those dreams reality. It was one of the first Catholic churches in the country to host Vacation Bible School, known locally as Summer Circle, a name that comes from the small faith-sharing groups, circles, where parishioners grow in faith as families. There are also numerous circles of women.
St. Blase is one of the few parishes in the country led by a guitarist. While musicians playing every instrument are welcomed and supported, the guitar has had a primary voice at the parish for over twenty years. That spirit of openness overflows into service and justice. The tithing committee distributes funds quarterly to outside agencies. Parishioners serve at local soup kitchens. For many years, every other month the parish has sponsored a cereal collection for the Macomb County Food Program. MCREST, the Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter, found a long-running home in the Social Center during summer months, and the parish was among the founding churches of the Macomb County Warming Center that cares for homeless neighbors during the winter.
The Sacraments
Seven sacraments are celebrated at St. Blase, and preparation for each is treated as a parish-wide effort. Weekly Mass attendance is a prerequisite for anyone seeking a sacrament.
Infant baptism is celebrated once a month during regular weekend liturgies (except in Advent and Lent). Parents must be practicing Catholics registered in the parish for at least six months before the baptism. Mary Dumm, Pastoral Associate, coordinates the preparation. Parents are encouraged to begin the process before the birth of their child.
First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared around age seven or eight for children already participating in parish life and faith formation. The preparation includes four parent-and-child workshops between January and April. Coordinators Christina Willson and Anthony Howell lead the work, with Diann Chase, Director of Religious Education, overseeing the program.
Confirmation preparation is a yearlong process for eighth graders who have been participating in parish life and faith formation at St. Blase. Candidates memorize the Our Father, Hail Mary, Act of Contrition, and Glory Be, choose a fully initiated sponsor in good standing, attend a retreat, and complete an interview. Confirmation is celebrated in the Easter season.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, OCIA, welcomes adults and teens interested in becoming Catholic, those baptized Catholic who have not received Eucharist or Confirmation, and people baptized in another Christian tradition who wish to enter full communion. Sessions begin in September and meet Sunday mornings. Those who continue the journey celebrate the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. Deacon Ed McLeod coordinates the OCIA for adults, and a separate Teen OCIA is offered on Sunday mornings.
The Sacrament of the Sick is offered at the onset of serious illness, the progression of a serious disease, or a notable weakening in an elderly person. Father Randy encourages families not to wait until death is imminent. Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound, coordinated by Lisa Grembi, bring Communion to parishioners in their homes, hospitals, and extended care facilities. Fr. Randy asks families to notify the parish office directly when a loved one is hospitalized, because privacy laws prevent hospitals from sharing that information.
Marriage preparation begins at least one year before the desired wedding date. At least one member of the couple should be a registered St. Blase parishioner. Annulment information is available through Father Randy or Mary Dumm. Returning Catholics who feel distant from the Church are invited to sit and talk with Mary Dumm.
Music Ministry: Guitar, Choir, and Bells
Music at St. Blase is led by Directors of Music David and Susie Taylor and Director of Youth Music Ministry Alicia Bryson. The adult program includes the Remnant Music Ministry, a contemporary ensemble of instrumentalists and SATB singers that rehearses Monday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, September through May; Voices in Praise (VIP), a four-part SATB choir with instrumentalists that rehearses Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 PM for adults eighteen and older; and a Cantor/Accompanist Program for solo singers and instrumentalists who lead the assembly. A new Adult Bell Choir, open to beginners and seasoned ringers alike, meets two Fridays a month in Room 4 West Wing from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
Children's music is anchored by the Kindred Youth Choir for first through twelfth graders, rehearsing Wednesday evenings at 5:00 PM. Instrumentalists are welcome. Music selections for each Sunday Mass are listed in advance and published to the parish music library.
Faith Formation for Children and Teens
The Faith Formation program gathers children and teens in age-appropriate groups. Early Childhood, for three- through five- and six-year-olds (preschool and kindergarten), meets twice a month on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, October through May. Sessions are designed around a specific faith theme, craft, storytelling, music, and prayer. Kelly Sakorafos, who experienced the program first as a parent, coordinates the program.
Grades 1 through 6 meet twice a month on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 PM. Grades 7 meet twice a month on Wednesdays and Grade 8 twice a month on Thursdays, both from 6:30 to 7:45 PM. Registration requires that children be regularly attending Sunday Mass; a letter from another parish is required for non-parishioners. For special-needs faith formation that St. Blase cannot accommodate, the parish partners with St. Ephrem's on 17 Mile and Dodge Park.
Vacation Bible School, Summer Circle, is a four-day program in June for children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, featuring Bible-learning activities, songs, games, meals and treats, science experiments, and one-of-a-kind Bible Adventures. St. Blase was one of the first Catholic parishes in the country to offer Vacation Bible School.
Youth Group welcomes middle schoolers (Sparks, grades 5-8) and high schoolers (Embers, grades 9-12) every Sunday after the 11:00 AM Mass until 2:00 PM in the Social Center. No registration is required; just contact information at drop-off. Open to friends of any faith, the group shares food, builds friendships, and dives into faith through games, fellowship, and ministry lessons. Diann Chase directs the program.
Adult Faith Formation
An Adult Faith Formation committee meets four or five times a year to plan programs. All sessions are open to anyone, not just registered parishioners, and friends and neighbors are welcomed.
Sunday Scripture Insights meets every Wednesday from 10:30 AM to noon in the Bowman Room. Each session focuses on the readings for the coming Sunday. Little Rock Scripture Study, led by Deacon Ed McLeod, meets Mondays or Tuesdays at 10:00 AM for deep study of the Gospel of Luke. A four-part instructional series titled A Moveable Feast is offered on the Mass itself, with sessions on the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and liturgical music and movement. Catechist formation topics in Scripture, theology, sacraments, and learning methodology are offered at various times, and a Women's Friendship Breakfast combines fellowship, song, prayer, and a guest speaker.
Christian Service and Outreach
Lisa Grembi, Christian Service Coordinator, organizes a robust set of outreach partnerships. St. Blase sponsors a cereal collection on the second weekend of every month in support of the Macomb Food Program, with daytime volunteers sorting and delivering donations to local charities.
The Pope Francis Center in downtown Detroit provides nutrition, hygiene, laundry, and social services to the homeless. St. Blase supports the center through donations and an Amazon wishlist. Second Hand Rose, a project of Turning Point, accepts gently used furniture, household goods, and clothing; Turning Point also runs a 24/7 domestic violence hotline. Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers recruits volunteers to sit with frail or disabled adults so family caregivers can run errands, attend appointments, or take a break, and also needs drivers, handypersons, and chore-helpers. Macomb and Detroit Habitat for Humanity enlist volunteers to rebuild neighborhoods one house at a time. Plastic with a Purpose turns recycled plastic into mats for the homeless.
The Haiti Outreach Mission, described in its own section below, is the parish's signature mission partnership. MCREST, the Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter, has been supported by St. Blase for many years, and the parish was among the founding congregations of the Macomb County Warming Center that cared for homeless neighbors through the winter months.
Parishioners also pack Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter baskets, collect books and supplies for children's libraries and schools, and respond when neighbors experience a fire.
Haiti Outreach Mission: A Parish Signature
The Haiti Outreach Mission was founded in 1998 after Dr. Dominique Monde-Matthews and her husband Roger traveled to her homeland on their honeymoon and decided to help alleviate suffering there. St. Blase became involved through its relationship with sister parish St. Gerard (now Corpus Christi) in Detroit, and helped found the mission. HOM's member churches today include Corpus Christi (Detroit), Our Lady of Victory (Northville), St. Bernard (Billings, Montana), St. Clare of Assisi (Ann Arbor), and St. David (Southfield).
HOM partners with the rector of St. Pierre Episcopal Church, Father Alphonse Jean Philippe, and the pastor of St. Louis Catholic Church, Father Romel Eustache, in Mirebalais, Haiti, with additional work in Hinche, Port-au-Prince, and the villages of Desvarrieux, Noyau, and Trianon. HOM supports a medical and dental clinic, a water purification system, solar power, schools, and construction projects, and provides humanitarian aid by sending money for food and rent for people fleeing gang violence. The organization operates entirely with volunteer personnel.
The St. Pierre Medical and Dental Clinic was converted from an abandoned building and became full-time in November 2005, staffed by a doctor, dentist, nurse, and support staff. A lab for urinalysis, hemoglobins, and hematocrits was added in 2016. Children are seen free and adults pay a nominal fee. After the original generator failed, HOM funded a replacement, a new dental compressor, and exterior and interior painting.
The former St. Blase Orphanage in Mirebalais was dedicated on May 8, 2005, funded entirely by the parish. In 2013, Father Randy and a mission trip team met with Father Lévêque and discussed transitioning the building to the Mgr. Remy Augustin School to meet current needs. Today the building serves as a secondary school, and HOM provides financial support to the children of St. Pierre and St. Louis schools in Mirebalais and Our Lady of Grace School in Desvarrieux.
In July 2020, a St. Louis Water Purification System was added onto the Mgr. Remy Augustin School, with a $5,000 grant from the Rotary Club of Bellville, Michigan matched by HOM. A gallon of purified water costs 25 Gourdes (about nineteen cents), and school children drink free on site. In 2022, HOM funded solar power for the St. Louis rectory and church, providing electricity twenty-four hours a day.
Annual mission trips that once brought doctors, dentists, nurses, and construction crews to Haiti have been suspended for several years due to COVID and ongoing gang violence. During the most recent trip, twenty-three missionaries including six doctors, two dentists, and five nurses treated 827 medical patients and 111 dental patients in a single week.
Parish Life: Fellowship and Fun
Fellowship at St. Blase is woven through the week. The Friendly Blasers, the parish's senior group, meets the first and third Thursday of each month at the church for lunch, conversation, and the occasional game of bingo. Circle of Women is a constellation of small faith-sharing and support groups for women, each circle choosing its own meeting times. The Knights of Columbus council holds business and officers' meetings and supports parish life.
Bagels and Donuts and the Lenten Fish Fry are longtime parish favorites. An Annual Rummage Sale, a Semi-Annual Blood Drive, a Halloween Candy Donation to Sacred Heart Major Seminary (where seminarians host over 2,000 neighborhood children for a safe trick-or-treat), and an Eyeglasses and Hearing Aid Donation Drive round out the parish calendar. The Blessing of Pets each fall brings parishioners, families, and their animals together. Adult Bell Choir, Plastic with a Purpose (mats for the homeless), Monthly Game Night, and Scout Troop 154's Pancake Breakfast round out the rhythm of the year.
The Traveling Blasers, a parish travel group, organizes excursions together. The Fellowship Committee welcomes new members and supports parish social events.
Liturgical Ministries
More than a dozen liturgical ministries invite parishioners into the celebration of the Mass. Greeters welcome visitors and assist those with special needs. Ushers seat the assembly, assist during Mass, and distribute bulletins. Lectors proclaim the Word of God at Mass and at non-Eucharistic liturgies on a rotating schedule. Eucharistic Ministers distribute the Body and Blood of Christ; a separate corps of Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound brings Communion to those unable to attend. Mass Coordinators handle the details of preparing the facility and sacramentals for an assigned Mass, working with other liturgical ministers so that Mass runs smoothly. Sacristans set up and clean the vessels for Communion. Altar Servers, boys and girls of any age, assist the priest and enjoy scheduled social opportunities. Altar Care teams dust the sanctuary, clean the vesting room, vestibule, and adoration chapel, and laucen and iron linens. Funeral Mass Servers assist at funeral liturgies. Wake Ministry and Bereavement teams lead the vigil prayer ministry for those being buried from the parish. Wedding Liturgy Assistants help brides, grooms, and wedding parties at rehearsal and on the wedding day. The Arts and Environment Committee prepares the worship space for the seasons of the liturgical year.
Stewardship and Safe Environments
Online giving is available through Our Sunday Visitor, allowing parishioners to set recurring or one-time electronic donations from a bank account or credit card. Tax contribution statements are printed by request only. A Technology Committee supports the parish's digital life, and Bequest Information is available for those considering a planned gift.
St. Blase follows the Archdiocese of Detroit's Safe Environments program. Anyone who minister with children or vulnerable adults must complete a Protecting God's Children workshop, sign a Code of Pastoral Conduct, and pass a criminal background check, all through virtus.org. Teens who work with children complete Healthy Relationships for Teens 2.0. Children in the Faith Formation program use the Empowering God's Children curriculum. The parish reports any allegation of abuse by clergy or church representatives to civil authorities.
Leadership and Parish Pastoral Council
Alongside Father Randy Phillips, Dr. Mary Dumm serves as Pastoral Associate with a background in Scripture, liturgy, and sacraments and a doctorate in ministry from the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit. Deacon Ed McLeod, ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2003, is a Spiritual Director working toward a certificate in Spiritual Direction. Alison Byberg serves as Parish Business Manager. Lisa Grembi is the Christian Service Coordinator. Diann Chase is Director of Religious Education. David and Susie Taylor direct the Music Ministry together, and Alicia Bryson directs Youth Music Ministry. Sarah Richard manages Media and Communications. Linda Wilkins and Angelica Ramirez are parish secretaries. Tom Haas is Maintenance Supervisor. Kelly Sakorafos is the P3-K5 Early Childhood Coordinator. Christina Willson and Anthony Howell coordinate First Eucharist and First Reconciliation.
The Parish Pastoral Council serves as a consultative body to the pastor. Members serve three-year terms selected at Pentecost. The current council includes Chair James Byberg, Vice Chair Paul Marrero, Secretary Vicariate Representative Shirley Braschayko, and council members Diane Fisher, Mike Koss, Genie Palmer, David Rudzinski, Pat Malone, Mary Robbins, and Jerry Sornig. The council organizes the parish's commissions in Education, Service, Stewardship, Worship, Worship Space Enhancement, Liturgy Preparation, and Evangelization.
Parish Life in the Archdiocese of Detroit
St. Blase is a member parish of the Archdiocese of Detroit and participates in the annual Catholic Services Appeal. CSA funds support more than 100 programs across southeast Michigan that form clergy, strengthen families, serve the poor, and renew parishes. If St. Blase exceeds its goal, 100 percent of the overage returns to the parish; if it falls short, the shortfall comes from the parish budget.
Parishioners are encouraged to register with the parish office or online to receive newcomer packets, the Faith Formation Handbook, and information about ministry opportunities. Visitors and newcomers are always welcome.