St. Michael Roman Catholic Church / St. Michael Roman Catholic Church

In 1834 Daniel O’Sullivan, a teacher from Ireland, moved to Flint and began teaching religion to students after school. Together with two traveling priests he convinced Bishop Lefevere to build a church in Flint. That church became St. Michael Roman Catholic Parish. In 1848 the parish completed its first church on land donated by Chauncey S. Payne. When this church became too small, the parish built its second church in 1883 under the leadership of Father Timothy J. Murphy. In 1924 fire destroyed the sanctuary of that church. Monsignor Patrick Dunigan had it rebuilt that same year. Monsignor Earl V. Sheridan led the construction of the third church in 1964. It was dedicated in 1966. Father Charles DeCeuninck, the third pastor of St. Michael, organized the parish’s first school in 1856. The first permanent school building was completed in 1872. In 1877 the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary began staffing the school. The rectory became their convent. The parish built a new school in 1928, and a new rectory in 1938. A new convent for the sisters was completed in 1950. The school was enlarged in 1954. In 1940 the Franciscan Sisters came to Flint and were given the Holy Angels Convent, on the St. Michael property. In 1970 the school merged with other area Catholic Schools and the convent belonging to the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary became a Parish Religious Education Center.