By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp.- St. Anne Catholic Church is celebrating 60 years as an official parish.
A Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, July 30 at the church located at 825 S. Ortonville Road. Bishop Arturo Cepeda will celebrate the Mass and concelebrating will be current St. Anne pastor, Father Gerry Frawley, as well as former St. Anne pastors Fr. John Sullivan, Fr. Mike Verschaeve, and Fr. Ron Richards. All in the community are welcome to the celebration.
“It will be a really nice event,” said Judy Pierce, St. Anne member for more than a decade. “We are thanking God for 60 years.”
In 1957, St. Anne was raised from a mission to an official parish of the Archdiocese of Detroit with Rev. John J. Hardy as the first resident pastor. The church had 85 registered families at the time, a number which has since grown to more than 800 families. A rectory was completed in 1959 and a social hall was added to the church in 1964.
“This church has been a pillar of the Ortonville community and the people who are the parishioners are so devoted and love it so much,” said Pierce. “We are so proud and blessed to be part of this church. People don’t want to move away because they love being involved with the church. It is truly representative of God’s house and has certainly has been a blessing in my life.”
Following the 60th anniversary Mass, the celebration will continue with games and activities for adults and children, including a scavenger hunt, hula hoop and horseshoe contests, ping pong, over-sized chess, air hockey, cornhole, sack races, volleyball, basketball, badminton and face painting.
For more information, call 248-627-3965.