SS Charles and Helena Parish, Clio at 230 E. Vienna St, Clio, MI 48420-1423 US - Our Church History

Father Frederick Horton was appointed the first pastor to the Parish on July 15, 1954. Father Horton celebrated the first Mass in the Vienna Township Hall, attended by 125 families, on July 25, 1954.
On September 19, 1954, ground was broken for the new church and the cornerstone was blessed on November 14, 1954. 

The church was completed the following year at a cost of $125,000. The first Mass was celebrated in the new church on June 12, 1955. The First Communion class was on the following Sunday, June 19, 1955, and the First Marriage in the new church was on Saturday, June 25, 1955.





The following year, 1955, the rectory was built at the cost of $60,000 which was also donated by Mrs. Mary Hughes Mann.

Father Horton served the Parish until his retirement in 1970.


Father C. Robert Stockwell was appointed to succeed Father Horton as Pastor of SS. Charles & Helena Parish on July 1, 1970. Father Stockwell acquired 4 ½ more acres for the Parish. 


In the spring of 1973 began construction of the Parish Center which was dedicated on October 15, 1973. Later, the Parish Center became known as the Father C. Robert Stockwell Parish Center. During Father Stockwell’s time as Pastor, he formed the Parish Pastoral Council and Commissions that are still active today.

As the Parish grew in numbers and the needs of the Parish increased, the Bishop assigned priests to assist Fr. Stockwell in the many areas of ministry in the Parish. Father Steve Makranyi served the church from September 1975 to June 1979. Father Robert McGraw served from July 1979 to August 1981. Father Greg Pleiness served the Parish as transitional deacon in March 1981 until his ordination in September 1981. Father Anthony Batung came to our Parish from Ghana, West Africa in 1983 and served while Father Stockwell was in Rome on sabbatical.



                 

During the early 1980’s, one of the men of the parish, David J. Pigott, began studies to become a permanent deacon. David was ordained on June 13, 1981, and continues to faithfully serve the Parish today.

In 1980, Father Stockwell received permission from the Diocese of Lansing to begin a remodeling project of the existing church. This remodeling included: total renovation of the sanctuary, new stained glass windows, new entrance and exit area, new carpeting, new vesting/brides room, new Risen Christ and Holy Family Statue, and new furnishings for the altar. Restoration of the existing cross and corpus was done and reinstalled in the annex. During the remodeling, Masses were held in the Parish Center. A Rededication Mass was held on October 25, 1981 with Bishop Povish presiding.




In 1981, the Parish started its tradition of Septemberfest. The festival is a weekend of music, games, food and fun. It has also been a time for all of our parish family to come together to work and play for a common goal. It has been held every year since and is still going strong today.

Father Stockwell served the parish for 20 years. He retired due to health problems in 1990.

Father Paul Schwermer succeeded Father Stockwell as the third pastor of SS. Charles & Helena in 1990. Father Paul had a warm and spirited personality which inspired many men and women to become involved in the various ministries in the church. Father Paul Schwermer served the Parish for three years, 1990-1993.

He was succeeded by Father Paul Guoan who was gifted with a special compassion for the elderly, sick, and dying. Under his leadership, statues of St. Charles, St. Helena, the Holy Family, and the Risen Christ were purchased. Father Paul Guoan served as Pastor until 1997.


Father Paul Guoan was succeeded by Father Gerald Ploof, our fifth and present Pastor, in June 1997. Under his leadership, the pastoral staff was expanded, the Welcoming Jesus Statue was added to the Parish grounds, a new sign was erected near Vienna Road, and a new Pavilion was constructed.

Along with other parishes of the Diocese, SS. Charles & Helena entered into the program, Tomorrow’s Parish, which was a plan to prepare the Parish for the needs of the next millennium. Many important issues surfaced as a result of Tomorrow’s Parish. It became abundantly clear through the program that the Parish Center and the Church needed many updates to make them useful buildings for the needs of the present and coming generations. The Journey to Change Committee was formed to begin the process of updating our parish facilities. The committee represented the various ages and groups within the Parish. Once the committee began working with the architect and liturgical consultant, a pledge drive was initiated and the process of “Reshaping Our Future in Faith’ began.

Renovation began with the addition of seven new classrooms, a library, a conference room, and handicapped restrooms to the Fr. Stockwell Parish Center. Ground was broken in May 2001, and the Fr. Stockwell Parish Center was completed in September 2001.

The last Mass in the old church took place on January 13, 2002. Immediately following the last Mass, a Leave Taking Ceremony took place, where the parishioners picked up the altar furnishings and carried them to the Fr. Stockwell Parish Center where liturgical functions were held during the renovation.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held and the work began. Renovation included complete removal of the west wall for the construction of the main sanctuary and sacristy, music office and music area, the Eucharistic Chapel and the Reconciliation Chapel. The remaining part of the old church was remodeled into a baptistery, a gathering space, new restrooms, a new bride’s dressing room, art and environment room, ushers room, vesting room, coat room and a chapel for daily mass.

On November 24, 2002, we gathered with great joy to celebrate the First Mass and Dedication of our new worship space, Bishop Carl Mengeling, along with many priests of the Diocese, and parishioners, attended the dedication and reception.


In 2004, SS. Charles & Helena celebrated its’ Golden Anniversary – 50 years as a Parish. On Friday, June 25th, the Parish celebrated with a 50’s Sock Hop dinner and dance. On Saturday the 26th, there was a Golf Scramble in the morning and in the afternoon Bishop Mengeling presided at the 5:00 mass with a reception following. On Sunday, there was a Parish Potluck Picnic on the grounds to bring everyone together and celebrate.