The History of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church
Our history begins with folding chairs, fundraisers,
and families who find each other in Frankenmuth,
Michigan, a strong German Lutheran community
in the Saginaw Valley of mid-Michigan. In 1967,
the idea of establishing a Catholic Church in
Frankenmuth gained momentum from the hard
work and generosity of a small group of Catholics,
their strong faith and the hospitality of local
leaders. Today Blessed Trinity is a vibrant parish
with membership that spans three generations.
The founding 45 families met in the local high school gymnasium for the first Mass on April 23, 1967,
establishing Blessed Trinity as a mission of neighboring St. Christopher’s Church in Bridgeport.
Later that summer, members purchased 7.5 acres of picturesque land on Tuscola Road, marking it
as the future site of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church. The location of Sunday Mass moved in 1969,
when members of the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church agreed to share their new social hall.
That generous arrangement continued for the next seven years but the goodwill and covenant
established between the two churches endures to this day.
Following a successful fundraising drive, groundbreaking for Blessed Trinity’s own church building
took place in the summer of 1974. Construction included the church, sacristy, offices, and a social
hall that could be converted into eight classrooms for religious education. Father Charles Keho
celebrated the first Mass on April 11, 1976.
Parish life thrived as the membership and local community grew. The church, under the leadership
of six different pastors, established itself as a parish with meaningful liturgies enhanced by
prayerful music. Various parish groups sponsored religious and social events for adults and teens,
expanded faith formation offerings for children, and volunteered for community events including
the annual Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival. Blessed Trinity established the tradition of contributing
a percentage of its annual collection to a wide array of worthy organizations that help the larger
community, including Saginaw’s Rescue Mission and Eastside Soup Kitchen.
The church complex expanded eastward in 1993 to include six permanent classrooms, a parish
library, offices and additional seating. Then, at the turn of the century, the parish took on a five-year
expansion project that resulted in the building of a new church to the south of the original
structure. The original church was remodeled to include a large gathering space, classrooms, youth
ministries area, administrative offices and storage. Father Fred Kawka celebrated the first Mass in
the new church on Sunday, Nov.14, 2004.
Blessed Trinity Leadership
Father Joseph Favara April - Sept. 1967 - Pastor
Father Chester Pilarski 1967 -1970 - Pastor
Father Kenneth Lerczak 1970 -1973 - Pastor
Father Charles Keho 1973 -1979 - Pastor
Father Chester Pilarski 1979 -1986 - Pastor
Father William Taylor 1986 -1995 - Pastor
Father Fred Kawka 1995 -2007 - Pastor
Father Robert Byrne 2007 - 2018 - Pastor
Deacon Larry Deford 2018 - 2019 - Pastoral Administrator
Father Patrick Jankowiak 2019 - present - Pastor