The Malachy Message

Explore all there is to know about our St. Malachy family with the Malachy Message, our official bi-weekly church newsletter!

Parishioner of the Week

Missed the newsletter? Find your Parishioners of the Week below! This initiative gives our community the opportunity to meet new parishioners and to learn about what makes our Family of Faith so special!

Interested in becoming the next Parishioner of the Week? Please contact Ursula for more information!

Rose Queentry

Rose Queentry has been a member of the St. Malachy Parish Community for 55 years, ever since she and her late husband moved to the area from St. Clair Shores back in the 60s.

Rose’s husband was an usher at the church. This helped her grow more involved with the parish as well, including keeping watch over the doors when Catechism classes were in session, and taking care of the Shrine…since the beginning of it! “You name it, I’ve done it,” she says.

In addition to helping out around St. Malachy, Rose was a ‘lunch mother’ at Black Elementary, and became quite famous around the area! Children and parents alike seem to radiate around her contagious personality, and she adds to the “family” atmosphere at our church.

The best way Rose describes St. Malachy is very friendly and open to new people, especially with all the committees and groups offered. She insists that there is none other like it. “This is my parish; I would not know how to act in another parish, and I love Fr. Joe dearly. He’s a very good priest and he’s good to all of us, especially our youth, and that’s just the way it is.”

Rose says St. Malachy has made her grow in her faith, especially with all the ways she has been involved in the parish community. She attends daily Mass, and is always willing to help out around the church. If you ever see her around, it is guaranteed that she will have a smile on her face!

“It’s my church! This is my parish, and I love it!”

Tom Torrento

Tom Torrento has been a member of St. Malachy since 2006, after he left his previous parish in the area. He wanted to join a church like St. Angela, the parish he grew up in, as he was very active there. A coworker of Tom’s was an usher at the 7:30 am Mass, and told him about St. Malachy. “I gave it a try and was hooked from day one,” said Tom.

He described St. Malachy as one huge family, like many people do! “The more I got involved, the more people I got to know and now they have become very close friends of ours,” he said. “I was very involved at St. Angela, seeing that I went to grade school there, got married there, had my two oldest children go to school there, and was an usher with my father there.”

Now, with being very active at St. Malachy, it seems to have come full-circle. “St. Malachy is my second family and always will be,” he said.

Tom enjoys Fr. Joe, with a great realization at how much the pastor has impacted his life!

“In my younger days as a new parent, I had to force myself to go to church,” he said. “The more you get involved, you look at things with a different perspective and that is what happened to me when I finally found a new church home.”

Since coming to St. Malachy, Tom wanted to get involved in as many things as he could. He joined the Men’s Club and has been Secretary for the past 10 years! For the past eight years, he has chaired the Festival Pasta Dinner with his wife, and he has been Lead-Usher at St. Malachy for the past six years.

This has helped him get involved with the Knights of Columbus, where he is currently the Grand Knight of the John F. Kennedy Council 5460.

It is in this way that St. Malachy has helped his faith… being surrounded by the many people and groups of our Parish Family!

“So in a nutshell, just getting involved and meeting different people with different ideas but having the one same thing in common…the love for God and for our fellow man.”

Rocky Mercier

Rocky Mercier became a St. Malachy parishioner around three years ago, when he came from his childhood church which he was very involved in with the youth group, along with his son, Nick. St. Malachy was very associated through the two youth programs, so Rocky was familiar with both churches. When the youth group at his church disbanded, Rocky saw they weren’t meeting the youth’s needs, but St. Malachy was!

“I was familiar with Fr. Joe and St. Malachy because of the way we [the youth groups] have done so many things together, and so we decided as a family that we’d start going to St. Malachy,” said Rocky. “And I’m so glad we did!”

Rocky explained that Fr. Joe delegates to his church, which really helps the youth and their involvement in the parish, and that Fr. Joe is the reason St. Malachy is so welcoming.

“I’ve never been to a church where every single week, the priest is there,” said Rocky. “He greets you at the door, and he’ll be in his umbrella and his blanket and his headgear and everything, whatever it takes, and he’ll be out in front of that church.”

Rocky is part of a group that brings Eucharist to members of a retirement home when they are unable to attend Mass themselves. When he stops by the church to get the Eucharist, Fr. Joe is already sitting outside the doors waiting to greet his parishioners…at 7 am!

The technology at St. Malachy was a turnoff for Rocky at first, but he got used to it and now prefers and admires it. He especially enjoys the livestreaming, especially since he can bring Mass anywhere!

Contemporary mass is also something Rocky said he enjoys, especially seeing all the young families, like his own, at St. Malachy.

“It feels like a family because I know a lot of people there now, and I knew some before,” he said. “It’s welcoming, and even if they aren’t talking to me, you can just see in the atmosphere how people are talking to each other and becoming friends.”

Rocky explained that there are many things offered to keep his faith-journey going. He especially enjoys the people that Fr. Joe invites to the church for series like Walk Among the Saints and The Cross and the Light. Opportunities like this and others, such as Gordon’s study groups, help keep Rocky’s faith alive.

“St. Malachy is always running in the background, and I have no choice but to keep my faith going.”

Karen Chimenti

Our Parishioner of the Week is extremely active in our Church, and we are sure you will recognize her!

Karen Chimenti has been a part of the St. Malachy community her entire life! Being as this is the only Church she has been a member at, she was baptized at St. Malachy, and made her other Sacraments within the walls here.

“The sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation were part of my growth and formation of who I am now,” she said. “The opportunities to serve and minister, to use my gifts to serve the St. Malachy community, has helped my faith journey which has brought me closer to God.”

Through the love, joy, and support she receives in the St. Malachy community, Karen described St. Malachy as her welcoming, caring, sharing, giving, and supportive Family of Faith.

“St. Malachy is my home and second family.”

Katie and Derek Miller

Katie and Derek Miller became members of St. Malachy in 2016 when they started a family! They both grew up in Warren and faith took a strong role in their upbringings. When the couple married in 2014, they committed to each other that they would continue their strong faith as they raise their own children.

Shortly after their oldest daughter, Dakota, was born, the priest at their previous church left the parish. Katie and Derek felt that they were due for change as well. Their goal was to belong to a parish that promoted fellowship, youth, and an overall uplifting feeling from attending Mass. “We truly look forward to Mass each week and the positive response we receive from bringing our family here,” said Katie. “Everyone is so kind and friendly!”

Katie, Derek, and Dakota attended their first 11:30 am Mass at St. Malachy in 2016, shortly before Katie became pregnant with their middle child, Savannah. “It’s been our home ever since,” she said.

Dakota and Savannah are both active in the children’s Catechism program, and Katie said that their youngest daughter, Rosie, has earned the hearts of all the ushers!

Katie first heard about St. Malachy from her neighbor, Geri Malek, when she moved into her first home in a nearby subdivision. Geri was very involved in St. Malachy and always encouraged Katie to try the church. Derek’s parents knew Fr. Joe personally from being politically involved in the area, as Derek’s dad, Art Miller, was a State Senator for many years!

While both of these connections have helped a lot with the transition to St. Malachy, the people of the church have created a family for Derek and Katie. “We’ve been through some really hard things since 2020,” Katie said. “There were several people in church that seemed like perfect strangers, but became our biggest cheerleaders and now friends.”

Katie and Derek agreed that belonging to a church they enjoy coming to has made the effort of attending every week with three young children incredibly worth it.

“We continue to wish that more parents would bring their children, as we often don’t see as many young parishioners as we would like.”

Frank Farina

Frank Farina has been a member of St. Malachy for 53 years, after his wife and him moved into the neighborhood. They were married about two and a half years, and both became members when Fr. Ghelfi was pastor.

Frank said St. Malachy truly embodies a faith-family, and our parish is very active compared to others in the area. While it is more difficult to get volunteers, the Church still has so many activities that get the community involved.

“I was very blessed in my business for a while, but this brought me back to what is really important,” Frank said. “After I retired, I decided I was lucky and that I should give back for the many blessings I’ve gotten here.”

Frank explained that the core group of leadership in the parish is the biggest blessing, especially Fr. Joe. “He is very generous to us, and I think he really feels that we are family to him.”

Frank said he has made most of his friends through St Malachy. He was president of the St. Malachy Baseball Program for the kids in the area, and he was on the Parish Council for ten years! Now, he is the St. Malachy Men’s Club Treasurer, and he always has a wonderful time with his crew at all the events they plan!

St. Malachy has given Frank many blessings, and he is certain it will do the same for you!

Mary Anne Kadets

Mary Anne Kadets has attended St. Malachy since 1978, when she and her husband moved to the area. During their 20s, they lived in Detroit and were very involved in their parish downtown. Her husband was an usher there and she was in the Women’s Society.

However, they lived in an apartment together and were looking for a home. They bought a house by St. Malachy and commuted back and forth to their parish in Detroit for about three months. Eventually, the drive became too much to handle, and they decided to change to St. Malachy, which took a lot of adjusting. As many know, the change was worth it!

Having described St. Malachy as a very friendly and generous community, Mary Anne worked in the Christian Service Group and has been in charge of the Giving Tree, the Tree of Life, and the School Supply Drive. “I cannot believe that even in times when it is really hard and you wouldn’t think you’re gonna get a whole lot, the pouring in is just unbelievable,” she said. Mary Anne has also Eucharistic ministered for 30 years and was a member of the Parish Council.

Mary Anne has met a lot of people attending St. Malachy for as many years as she has. She said she attends the 9:30 am Mass, and has gotten to know the people who sit around her. “The more you get involved, the more you learn about people,” she said. “You get to know them and their families and if they’re not in church you wonder where they are.”

When her mother passed away, a stranger walked up to Mary Anne and gave her a hug, saying how sorry she was. After that, Mary Anne got to know her quite well. It is in this way that St. Malachy is a family.

Mary Anne expressed that it is hard NOT to talk to people at St. Malachy. “It’s a family…you come into church and you meet people and you greet people,” she said. “I even told my husband, if we ever move, I couldn’t give up this parish…we’d have to come back.”

She claimed that even going to Mass up north feels different because it is not Fr. Joe, whose homilies are always personal and informative to his community.

Throughout her life, Mary Anne always attended Church and never wavered, but she said she has never had the same feeling of belonging that she does at St. Malachy.

“I think St. Malachy has made me stronger…I used to go to church because I had to, but now I go because I want to.”

Steve Smith

Steve Smith is one of the rocking faces of our Contemporary Choir! With his talented guitar solos and his dedication to ministering through music, let’s get to know him a little bit more!

Steve joined the St. Malachy community three years ago, and he claimed it as one of the best moves of his life!

Steve lives close to the church, and he first became interested in St. Malachy when a former guitar student of his told him to come check it out. Luckily for Steve, he did, and his life changed forever.

“When I saw the Contemporary Choir play, I watched them having so much fun singing these amazing, uplifting worship songs,” he said. “I had to be part of that!”

Steve said he is forever grateful for Fr. Joe, former St. Malachy Music Director, Cat Dacpano, and the rest of the “Contemporary Crew” for letting him be part of the group.

He described St. Malachy’s congregation and staff as a warm, friendly, and inviting bunch. “It’s a very cool vibe we have here,” he said.

Being a member of the Contemporary Choir really highlights the “family” aspect of the church for Steve. “Being part of the Contemporary Choir, together we try to bring these amazing worship songs to our congregation,” he said. “The support and love we receive back from them far exceeds all the hard work we put in.”

Steve said his faith journey has really taken off since becoming a member of St. Malachy, especially through the songs he plays weekly. He said they help guide, inspire, and remind us just how great our God is!

Nick and Emily Kostrzeba

Nick and Emily Kostrzeba have been dedicated members of the St. Malachy parish for a long time! Nick began attending over 20 years ago, because his parents live in the connecting subdivision of the church.

Previously, they attended St. Martin de Porres, but visited St. Malachy on occasion. It was not until high school that Nick joined the Youth Group and attended St. Malachy on a regular basis. “I really connected with the community and Fr. Joe’s vision for building that community,” Nick said.

When Nick started dating Emily, they both went to St. Malachy. They were married by Fr. Joe at the church in 2008, and had three children, all of whom Fr. Joe baptized! “One thing we really value about St. Malachy is the community,” said Nick. “There is such a diversity of people who all come together to support each other in their Faith and to be the best person they can be.”

Nick and Emily said Fr. Joe has done an amazing job with evangelization. They feel he has found a way to meaningfully incorporate the youth into all aspects of the parish, and that it has made St. Malachy so special. “When Emily and I moved to northern Macomb township, we tried multiple parishes, but always found our way back to St. Malachy, even with the long drive,” Nick said.

Nick and Emily agreed that St. Malachy provides multiple opportunities to support its Faith. Their children are enrolled in the Religious Education classes, and as parents, they are still learning and growing as they support their children in developing their Faith.

The couple said they feel there is something for everyone: “From virtual mass and Saint of the Day videos, to committees, clubs, and events like the parish festival or Halloween party.”

With each aspect of the church building on to the concept of community, Nick and Emily explained that St. Malachy allows parishioners to connect, learn, and grow in an environment that best supports their needs.

“The parish feels energized and relevant.”

Karen Koval

While Karen Koval was raised primarily in the Byzantine Catholic Church and attended a Roman Catholic school in Detroit, she left the Catholic Church a little over 50 years ago.

However, she enjoyed the peer influence and wanted friends who showed love and acceptance. During the next few years, Karen attended various non-denominational churches and was even trained and given pastoral and chaplain accreditations.

She was also involved in teaching at some local non-denominational schools and attended dance classes at a Christian dance school. There, she ministered in dance and eventually learned sign-mime interpretation of worship songs!

As the years passed, Karen found herself longing for her Catholic roots. “I wanted to worship with a community where the emphasized core values included gentleness, humility, mercy, living simply,” she said. “Jesus is gentle and humble of heart.”

Karen gave up her pastoral and chaplain accreditations and became more familiar with what was being taught by the Catholic Church, as opposed to what people think they know about the faith.

She began visiting different local churches as she searched for the community God wanted her to be involved in. “When I came to St. Malachy, I felt the most at home,” she said. Karen has been attending Mass at St. Malachy since the fall of 2016.

Karen described St. Malachy as a welcoming community, and she enjoys Fr. Joe’s homilies because they teach the values she was searching for in the past (gentleness, humility, mercy, and living simply.)

She began participating in some of the ministry groups, such as helping with the Shrine and assisting with the Hospitality Ministry. However, she found her greatest purpose in the Worship Choir!

While it takes time to get to know people, Karen has met a variety of individuals throughout her time at St. Malachy who are truly committed to loving Jesus.

“I am so very thankful to have found them and to see them at Mass regularly,” she said.

Being part of St. Malachy has given Karen a home where she can use the many gifts and graces God has granted her!

“It is a place where I make many mistakes – and through the love and patience of others, I continue to learn how God wants to adjust my heart, attitude, and responses to be more like those of Jesus: gentle and humble of heart, while speaking the Truth of the Kingdom of God.”

Corey Sanborn

Corey Sanborn grew up in Detroit when he was a child, and Fr. Joe was the pastor of the church he attended. He altar served for many years and ultimately grew to know him very well! When Corey was in eighth grade, Fr. Joe left to attend a new church.

“I remember being in the basement of the church where we had a farewell party for him and thinking to myself I’ll never see him again,” Corey said. “I was a kid, so it wasn’t like I could follow him.”

Years later, Corey graduated from St. Alphonsus High School in Dearborn, moved to Eastpointe, got married at St. Basil, and he and his wife, Jaime, became parishioners there.

Together, they started a family of two daughters, Olivia and Brianna. They moved to Sterling Heights four years later. Again, it was time to find a new church.

“I wanted a modern church, not the same boring Catholic church that I grew up in,” Corey explained. “I wanted upbeat music, and I wanted my kids to want to go instead of being forced to go.”

He attended a new church in the neighborhood every Sunday in hopes of finding a good fit. “I went to St. Anne in Warren, St. Basil Byzantine in Sterling Heights, and a couple of others,” he said. “One Sunday, it was St. Malachy’s turn.”

Without remembering where Fr. Joe had ended up, Corey was completely shocked when he saw the familiar face walking down the aisle. Then, the music started. He was hooked.

Corey reconnected with Fr. Joe after Mass, and he went home to tell Jaime that he had finally found their new church.

He and his family officially started attending St. Malachy in April of 2008. “Between Fr. Joe’s homilies and the music from the Contemporary Choir, there is no better church,” he said.

Corey and Jaime have brought friends and family members to visit St. Malachy, and have received the same comments on how great it is. “Everyone is so welcoming, and we’ve made some great friends over the years,” said Corey. “I love how Fr. Joe engages with the kids and gets them involved.”

Corey and his family really enjoy the Holy Hours, Youth Ministry, Faith Formation program, modern technology, and the website that St. Malachy offers.

“I don’t know if we will ever move again,” Corey said. “But we better plan to commute on Sunday mornings because I’m staying at St. Malachy.”

Lindsey and Ken Jeffers

Lindsey and Ken Jeffers began attending St. Malachy in 2009 when they first met. In fact, they got engaged after 5 o’clock Mass on October 26th, 2010! Ken showed Lindsey all the paver stones on the outdoor shrine that held his family’s handprints before proposing to her with their own stone. “You can find it outside near the fountain, where it reads, ‘Lindsey Dennis and Ken Jeffers engaged 10-26-10,’” Lindsey said. “Getting engaged just outside the church really clenched it for us.”

St. Malachy quickly became their permanent church where they got married and had their children make their First Communion and get Baptized.

Ken and Lindsey had first heard about St. Malachy through Ken’s grandparents, Joan and Lannie Jeffers, who are highly involved with the parish. They used to live near St. Malachy, and they continue attending even though they moved further away.

Lindsey best describes the church as friendly and family-like. “The people here are amazing,” she said. “I love seeing the familiar faces and people coming up and asking how our boys are doing because they remember us coming when they were infants.”

The Jeffers family helps out with the festival each year, helping organize the basket raffle, cooking the fish dinner on Friday, and working the ice cream booth!

Ken and Lindsey attend Faith Formation with their children, and their eldest will be joining FROG in a few years. “I like how Faith Formation makes learning about our faith fun and interactive,” Lindsey said. “Our youngest, Paul, is going to be making his First Communion this year!”

Ken and Lindsey both agree that being part of St. Malachy has helped them learn how faith can be vibrant and interactive.

Where's Saint Malachy?

If you’ve been to Mass in-person lately, you might have noticed that our Saint Malachy statue has hibernated for the winter to get some maintenance done…(trust us, it gets super cold outside!!!)

Our creative Office Staff came up with the idea of sending Saint Malachy on a vacation to see how far he will go! We need your help for him have the best trip ever!

Download the photo of Saint Malachy below, print him out or pull him up on another device, snap a photo of Saint Malachy wherever you are, and send the photos to ukrause@stmalachychurch.org!

We want to see just how far Saint Malachy can make it before he returns to the front of the Church in the spring!