Journey to the Catholic Churches of Detroit.: St. Irenaeus-Rochester Hills

St. Irenaeus is located in the upscale community of Rochester Hills in a scenic area among stately looking homes and Oakland University nearby.

The patron saint of St. Irenaeus was born sometime during the 2^nd century. He was the bishop of Lugdunum in what is now Lyon France. He was a church father and apologist. He also wrote several books. His feast day is June 28.

When you enter St. Irenaeus church you step into a large welcoming area that leads into the church. Inside the church there are 5 sections of pews, each section has several rows. They form a semi-circle around the main altar. The pews are made of medium oak and have soft kneelers. The Stations of the Cross line up along the back wall of the church behind the pews.

The altar has a statute of Jesus on a cross with his hands held up, as if, in blessing of the church and the congregation. The altar, like most, of St. Irenaeus is modestly decorated. This gives the church a feeling of humbleness and holiness.

A retired priest, “Fr. Frank”, was the celebrant at the mass we attended. He spoke about the importance of making room for God in our lives especially during the time of advent, which he described as a time of new beginnings as we await the birth of, our savior, Jesus Christ.

The mass we attended at St. Irenaeus was well attended by families, seniors and young adults who came together to give thanks to God for all his blessings and to live out the mission statement of the church, which in part, says that they are called to proclaim God’s glory by reaching out to others.

We found the people of St. Irenaeus to be very friendly and welcoming and we enjoyed our visit and the opportunity to praise Jesus in such a wonderful faith-filled community.

Up Next: St. Anthony-Belleville

St. Irenaeus Church