The Church of the Divine Child

History

Then and Now -- A Brief History of Divine Child

The founder of Divine Child was Reverend Monsignor Herbert F. Weier. He was appointed to start the Church of the Divine Child on June 15, 1950. In August 1950, the Dearborn City Council unanimously voted to trade 20 acres of undeveloped land for approximately six acres of developed property. This guaranteed Divine Child the land for buildings and properties and the city land for parks. A shrewd but wise move by our founder!

On September 20, 1950, Maurice Decker was appointed as the first Associate Pastor. Two Masses were offered in the Haigh School Auditorium at 9:30 and 10:30 AM with approximately 130 people in attendance. The collection netted $61.37. Within a month, 600 people were attending Divine Child, and the collections were over $200. Daily Mass was said in the basement chapel of our first Rectory on Silvery Lane. On November 18, 1951, the first Mass (7:30 AM) was held in our gym. Parish families = 330.

Construction began for the grade school in December 1952 at a cost of $256,000. In September 1953, our school opened with 297 students, Grades 1-4, with an additional grade added each year. The Elementary School now accommodates approximately 800 students.

A raffle in October 1953 enabled the parish to start building a convent. It was completed in one year. On October 1, 1954, eight Bernardine sisters moved in. In March 1957, many more additions were made, and today it is a very beautiful home to our beloved Bernardine sisters, some of whom still work in our schools.

The High School was built in 1958 (costing $500,000). A one-story building with ten homerooms opened in 1959 with 84 students. The first graduating class was in June 1962 -- 69 students. The High School presently has approximately 800 students. By comparison, June 1993 saw 210 students in the graduating class.

In February 1961, Reverend Herman Kucyk was appointed Associate Pastor. In June 1962, construction for the new church began. The cornerstone was laid in September 1962. On September 30, 1962, Fr. Weier was named Monsignor, and the Church of the Divine Child was dedicated in June 1963. Fr. Kucyk was reappointed to assist Msgr. Weier in 1972 as Co-Pastor, and in January 1976, he was named Pastor of Divine Child. In June 1990, he was named Monsignor.

To accommodate ever-changing and ever-growing circumstances, church renovations began in January 1998. The choir loft was expanded, organ pipes were exposed and new stained glass was added to the choir loft. In May 1998, groundbreaking took place on the new Activities Center for the High School, which was dedicated on April 25, 1999. One of the Elementary School's gymnasiums was converted into a cafeteria, and in September 1999, the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, built adjacent to the south side of the church, opened its doors. The Church of the Divine Child proudly celebrated its Golden Jubilee in June 2000. Msgr. Kucyk's celebrated his 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood on June 1, 2007, and his parish family welcomed its third pastor, Rev. James Bilot, on July 1, 2007. Msgr. Kucyk continues on as Pastor Emeritus in residence.

Today, approximately 3000 families are registered parishioners of Divine Child. Two daily Masses are celebrated Monday through Friday, and one on Saturday morning. We have one Saturday evening liturgy and four Masses on Sunday.

WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED...ONE SPIRIT, ONE FAMILY