HOLY FAMILY BECOMES A PARISH
Fr. Bernard Schafer from St. Andrew Cathedral, Grand Rapids was transferred to St. Cyril & Methodius, Gun Lake and St. Joseph, Leighton in 1964. Father determined a need for a better religious education program and the same fall, class was arranged at Caledonia Public School for children of St. Joseph. The following year at the suggestion of the people who were polled and who desired a quality program, three area parishes: St. Mary, St. Patrick and St. Joseph, joined the religious education program at the public elementary school. After several meetings a consolidation was found to be in order since the committee members of both St. Joseph and St. Mary contemplated relocating their churches.
In September, 1965 a survey was taken and the results showed about 70% of St. Mary’s parishioners to be favorable to consolidation. The results of the poll at St. Joseph showed 32 in favor and 28 in opposition. However, some of the negative votes did not object to the merger but rather to the site that had been bought south of Caledonia. St. Patrick families were against consolidation and declined to join. In September 1967 merger talks with Bishop Salatka began.
On October 16, 1967 the purchase of 20 acres on Kraft Avenue was negotiated by the Site Selection Commission; Messrs. Durkee, Gless, Joyce, Rich, Cameron, Morrison and Kaechele. In March, 1968 the name of the new parish was announced. A combination of St. Mary and St. Joseph seemed to be in order, thus Holy Family Catholic Church was a reality. A new era in the history of the Catholic Church in the Caledonia area had begun. On July 8, 1969 Rev. Bernard Schafer was officially assigned as the pastor of Holy Family.
In September, 1969 the Men’s clubs of both parishes merged membership and the pastor appointed building, planning, and finance committees at the urgence of the parishioners. The Finance and Publicity Committee consisted of Ted Malinowski, Art Homrich, Bob Morrison, Russ Therrien, Forrest McLenithan, Jean Durkee, Rosemary Kilmartin, Carl Church and Elizabeth Kegle. The Building Committee included Gilbert Rich, J. Robert Bright, Robert Powers, Michael Patterson, Alvin Snyder, Garry Durkee and Rosemarie MacDonald. Between the appointment of the committees and the first Mass, many long hours and difficult decisions were made.
The 1970 Midnight Mass celebrating the Birth of Our Lord was the first Mass offered in the New Church.
