OUR LADY OF THE LAKE PARISH…A Brief History

The parish had its beginnings as a mission church of St. Mary’s Parish in Niles in 1923 when the entire area was still part of the archdiocese of Detroit. At that time Catholics from Michigan and northern Indiana who had summer homes on Eagle Lake thought that a Catholic church in the area would be a great convenience. So, a small frame chapel was erected on the south shore of Eagle Lake. With this location and because of priestly assistance from the Holy Cross Fathers at nearby Notre Dame, the chapel was dedicated to the Blessed Mother under the title “Our Lady of the Lake” o, in French, “Notre Dame du Lac.”  
 
Just two years later, due to an increase in summertime attendance, an addition was made to the chapel. But, because there were only six to eight year-round Catholic families, half the church was closed off, not heated and not used during the cold winter months. The organ in this first chapel was built by Hugo Van Dinter of Mishawaka and was pumped by a hand lever on the side.
 
By the 1940’s, increasing membership outgrew the original chapel. So, the Ralph Kaja family of the parish donated the five-acre corner of its farmland on Route 12 for a new church. In the Spring of 1954, a new 40’ X 80’ red brick church that could seat 130 was completed. Now a part of the new diocese of Lansing, the new church was dedicated August 29, 1954 By Bishop Joseph Albers of Lansing.
 
The congregation was still a mission of St. Mary’s in Niles. And in 1965, Fr. Cletus Rose of St. Mary’s began the expansion project and new addition at Our Lady of the Lake. His successor, Monsignor John Slowey, completed the project with the aid of Assistant Pastor Fr. Allen Theis that resulted in a new church dedicated September 15, 1967. The structure included a small apartment for the visiting priest and a full basement with a social hall and kitchen. Shortly after the dedication, the former church building was converted into classrooms for religious education.
 
In 1971, the new diocese of Kalamazoo was established with Bishop Paul Donavan as its first bishop. Around the same time and during the 1970’s, Our Lady of the Lake was a mission church of St. Ann’s in Cassopolis.
 
Then, in 1981, due largely to the pleading of the mission community’s members headed by Ted Jarosz, Bishop Donovan established Our Lady of the Lake as an independent parish with Salvatorian Father Bill Remmel as its first resident pastor. By this time, the parish had over 200 families with many additional summertime visitors. Fr. Bill was a force in building up the parish community and developing many enriching programs, events and activities. Under his guidance, the parish built a beautiful rectory in 1987 that was to be used for parish meetings as well.
 
In the summer of 1988, Bishop Donovan appointed diocesan Father Dave Otto as pastor. Despite his infirmities due to rheumatoid arthritis, Fr. Dave was a devoted spiritual leader for 18 years. During this time, the parish leadership planned and built a new building adjacent to the church that would house a new social hall and kitchen and ten classrooms at its lower level to accommodate the growing religious education program. The new Social Hall and Classroom building was dedicated July 1, 2000.
 
In 2006, the former classrooms in the former church building were converted into parish offices and meeting space for the growing parish staff and key volunteers. By this time, the parish had grown to include 400 families.
In July 2006, Augustinian Father Joe McCormick became pastor. During his years, the parish continued to grow, new programs and ministries were undertaken and new positions were added to the parish staff. In Spring 2014 a $2.4 million renovation and expansion of the church was undertaken that would include a new sanctuary and church that would accommodate 450, a large narthex, a renovated office and meeting space and expanded parking. At the time of the groundbreaking, the parish had grown to over 550 families.

Christmas of 2014 we thanked God and all our generous supporters for our new church.  After several years of planning and seven months of construction, the new church was dedicated on November 22 by Bishop Paul Bradley of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. Here are some of the highlights of our new church:

Stained Glass

The 13 windows were purchased from the Archdiocese of Detroit in March 2011. A studio in Detroit has repaired, restored and stored them prior to their installation.  Removed from St. Rita Church in Detroit, which was built in 1954 and closed in 2007, the windows were created by Dutch artist, Joep Nicolas (1897-1972) who fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and moved to New York City where he worked for Rambush Decorating Company. During his years in the US, Nicolas fulfilled commissions for stained glass throughout the country as well as Europe. Because of his prolific work and distinctive style, Joep Nicolas is known as "the father of modern stained glass."  According to the Michigan Stained Glass Census at Michigan State University Museum, Our Lady of the Lake is now the only church in Michigan with works by Joep Nicolas. Beginning at the center and moving clockwise, the windows depict: 1) The descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary and the apostles; 2) the miracle at the wedding feast of Cana; 3) St. Peter; 4) St. Paul; 5) the three virtues of the Kingdom of God-love, peace, justice; 6) the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (above the baptistery); 7) the assumption of Mary into heaven; 8) the coronation of Mary, queen of heaven and earth; 9) the annunciation of angel Gabriel to Mary; the presentation of the Christ Child in the temple.

Altar and Ambo

Custom designed for Our Lady of the Lake by architech and liturgical consultant, Sam Jones of the Troyer Group in Mishawaka, the atlar and ambo are composed of matching Carrera marble and crystal gold granite stone with wood trim. The triangular design of the front panels, which is repeated throughout the interior and exterior of the church, reflects the traditional image for the Holy Trinity. The bronze emblem on the altar symbolizes the Eucharist and the images on the ambo represent the four evangelists.

Baptistery

Donated by the Horvath family in memory of their parents, the late parishioners Joseph Sr. and Margaret Horvath, the baptistery was designed by Wesco Fountains, Inc. of North Venice, FL, whose executive manager is Jeff Horvath. Wesco designs, builds and maintains a variety of water features throughout the US and beyond. The new baptistery is designed to accomodate baptisms by both aspersion (pouring) and immersion, the more ancient form restored to the life of the Church in recent years. The location of the baptistery at the church entrance is meant to remind us that baptism is the sacramental entrance into the life of the grace.

 Crucifix

  Made of fiberglass, the corpus of the crucifix suspended over the altar was created in Italy for Our Lady of the Lake. It was shipped to the US where it was attached to a wooden cross of red oak similar to the pews.

Stations of the Cross

The Stations were retrieved by parishioner Janet Pietrzak from her childhood parish, Assumption Church, in East Chicago, Indiana, when it closed in the 1990's and were hung in our previous church.These pllaster Stations were designed and created by the Deprato Studio in Chicago, a famous liturgical design company, probably in the 1950's. They have been restored by an artist in Detroit for the new church.

   Sacred Heart Statue

Like the Stations, this plaster statue came from another previous and unknown church setting. According to some, this statue has graced all three of the previous church structures of the parish. Like the Stations of the Cross, a consultant has suggested that it is the product of Deprato, though it has no marking. And, like the Stations, it has been restored for the new church by the Detroit artist.

Blessed Mother Statue

This beautiful plaster statue was acquired in 2001 from a closed church in Wisconsin by parishioner Ted Jarosz who served the parish for so many years as volunteer assistant to the pastor in the area of plants and grounds as well as programs. When moved here the statue had graced the entranceway of the new Social Hall. Now the statue has been transferred to a new devotional area in the church where it can be more appropriately a focus of prayer and devotion for parishioners. In place of the statue at the Social Hall entrance, a new display celebrates the ecumenical spirit of churches and citizens of the local community.

Technology

A security camera monitored from the parish office has been installed in the church to allow for the church to be open for personal prayer visits for longer durations each day. Additional video cameras are available for videography and "streaming" various services and events through the parish website.

Reconciliation Room

Located in the northeast corner of the new church, this room has been designed and comfortably furnished for both methods of the individual for of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession):
face-to-face in chairs or anonymous with the screen separating the priest and kneeling penitent.

Handicap Access and Seating

Two of the three new entrances are equipped with a ramp and automatic doors: the main entrance on the east side leading into the narthex and the direct entrance into the church on the southwest side of the building. Ample handicapped parking is available near these entrances. Within the church, there are "cut-outs" at the end of some of the rows of seating as well as additional space around the perimeter to allow for a variety of seating opportunities for those with wheelchairs and walkers and their families. Even a ramp at the south side of the sanctuary allows for full access right up to the altar and ambo.  Our Lady of the Lake received recognition and a $1,000.00 grant from Pathways Foundation in Chicago for its accessibility enhancements.

Narthex (or Gathering Space)

For weekend Masses, the narthex is meant to be the transitional space through which the people move from their busy life to the more prayerful atmosphere of the church. It is a place for offering greetings and welcome before Mass and friendly conversation and parish activity promotions after Mass. Equipped with its own sound system and limited video, the narthex becomes a multi-purpose room for wakes, receptions, meetings, lectures and other programs during the week.

Cry Room

As is customary in newer churches, the old Cry Room has been replaced  that a parent may have to moveby an area behind the rear glass wall of the church. In this area of the narthex, speakers have been installed to allow parents and children to hear the prayers and music. It is foreseen that a parent may have to move to this area with a restless child for a portion of the Mass.