A Historic Shrine on Iron Lake
St. Joseph Shrine Catholic Church has stood on the shores of Iron Lake in the Irish Hills of southern Michigan since 1854, making it one of the older Catholic congregations in the Diocese of Lansing. For its first hundred years the community served as a mission church before becoming a full parish; today the historic stone church shares worship space with a Family Center around the corner, and a lakeside path of outdoor Stations of the Cross ties the parish to its nineteenth-century roots.
The main church sits at 8743 US-12 in Brooklyn, while the Family Center, where Sunday Mass and most parish activities take place, is just down the road at 8956 US-12 on the corner of US-12 and Egan Highway. Outdoor Stations of the Cross run between the church and the lake, most of them still bearing their original mosaic tiles from the 1930s.
Mass Times, Confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 5:00 PM in the Church and on Sunday at 8:00 AM in the Church and 11:00 AM in the Family Center. During the summer months between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, the Sunday Family Center Mass moves to 10:00 AM.
Weekday Masses are offered on Tuesday at 9:00 AM in the Church, and on Mondays at 9:00 AM as the priest's schedule permits. Holy Day Masses are at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM. Ash Wednesday brings two Masses, one at 8:30 AM in the Church and another at 6:00 PM in the Family Center, followed by a meatless soup and bread supper.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:30 PM in the church confessional and on Tuesdays following the 9:00 AM Mass. Eucharistic Adoration takes place on Tuesdays for half an hour after the morning Mass and on the first Friday of each month from 1:00 to 5:00 PM in the Church.
The Seven Sacraments
St. Joseph Shrine prepares members for each of the seven Catholic sacraments.
Baptism is arranged through the parish for young children and through the adult formation team for adults. First Holy Communion is generally received in second grade, with children expected to be enrolled in Faith Formation classes for a year before sacramental preparation begins. First Reconciliation precedes First Communion in the same age group. Confirmation is offered to students in ninth grade and older who have completed a year of Faith Formation beforehand; adult candidates are welcomed through the OCIA process.
For couples preparing for Matrimony, a nine-month preparation period is standard, with an additional procedure required if either party has previously been married. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is available by calling the parish office prior to surgery or in time of need. Those discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life can find information through the Diocese of Lansing.
Faith Formation and the Irish Hill Saints Youth Group
Faith Formation at St. Joseph Shrine serves children from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, meeting on Sundays from 9:30 to 10:45 AM in the Family Center. The program aims to facilitate meaningful encounters with Jesus through the Eucharist, the sacraments, catechesis, community, conversation, and service, while supporting parents as the primary educators of their children and forming disciples equipped to share the Gospel in daily life.
The Irish Hill Saints, the parish's junior high and high school youth group, gathers on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at The Rock for fellowship, snacks, and an effort to make the Gospel come alive. The group is open to all incoming ninth graders through recent high school graduates, and friends are always welcome.
Adult Faith Formation, OCIA, and CAFE
Adults who want to explore the Catholic faith or complete their initiation can join the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), which meets on Mondays at 7:00 PM in the Family Center. Sessions are scheduled around the needs of participants and often culminate in reception of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil.
CAFE, the parish's Catholic Adult Formation and Education program, meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:45 AM in the Cafe Room of the Family Center during the program year. The Christian Family Movement, a national network of small parish groups of five to seven families, also meets monthly in members' homes or at the parish, with family ministers coordinating the local chapter.
Parish Life: Altar Society, Knights, and Moms
The Altar Society, an active group of women from the parish, meets on the second Monday of each month at noon in the Family Center, except in January and February. The Society sponsors two summer Rummage Sales, cooks and serves funeral luncheons throughout the year, purchases altar supplies, and offers K-12 scholarships to St. Joseph Shrine families whose children attend Catholic school.
Knights of Columbus Council #6223 supports the parish through works of charity, faith, and fraternity. Moms Group gathers on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 10:30 AM in the Family Center, alternating between fellowship at the parish and outings to Onsted Park during the summer months.
Wellness, Exercise, and Life After Fifty
The Parish Health Ministry sponsors exercise opportunities at the Family Center on Mondays and Wednesdays. An exercise class meets at 9:30 AM, and a chair exercise class follows at 11:00 AM, with people of all fitness levels welcome. The Life After Fifty (LAF) ministry organizes monthly lunches on the third Wednesday of the month for older members of the parish.
Outreach and the Outdoor Stations of the Cross
St. Joseph Shrine partners with the Brooklyn Food Pantry by collecting dish soap, deodorant, and non-perishable items, and supports the Stuff the Stockings drive with toys and crafts for eight- to eleven-year-old children. The parish also takes part in the Diocese of Lansing's televised Outreach Mass, broadcast on Sunday mornings on local Catholic television and radio across mid-Michigan.
Behind the historic church, a path of outdoor Stations of the Cross runs along the lakeshore. Most of the original stations, built between 1932 and 1936, still stand with their original mosaic tiles, and families have adopted individual stations to help maintain them.
Visiting St. Joseph Shrine
Parish office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM, and the parish recommends calling ahead to confirm that a staff member is available before stopping by. The parish office can be reached at 517-467-2183 or office@stjosephbrooklynmi.com, and online giving is available through ParishSoft. The myParish app offers another way to keep up with parish news and schedules.
Father Zachary Mabee serves as pastor, assisted by Deacon Todd Dahlberg. Lisa Back directs Faith Formation and Youth Ministry, Beth Padley directs Adult Formation and OCIA, Debra Falk leads Music Ministry, and Jodi Dahlberg coordinates marriage, media, and ministerial life for the parish.