HISTORY OF SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST PARISH, FLINT

The post World War II years in Flint were boom years. In November 1949 Bishop Joseph H. Albers met with the pastors of St. Agnes and St. John Vianney to discuss the possibility of another parish in the northwest of Flint. On July 9, 1950, the parish of St. Luke the Evangelist was canonically erected and Rev. Raphael R. Dunigan was sent as the founding pastor.

The first Mass offered for the St. Luke community was held at the Haskell Community Center on January 7, 1951. After completing a census, Fr. Dunigan reported to Bishop Albers in August 1951 that he found 490 homes with Catholics in them. He found 65 unbaptized children and 746 children twelve years of age and younger. With all these children, efforts were directed toward a school. A six-classroom school was begun in September and opened in the fall of 1952. The Sisters of St. Dominic of Adrian staffed the school and remained there until the school closed in June 1971.

The fifties were a time of great expansion. Mass was first celebrated in the second temporary church in August 1954. A social hall, kitchen facilities and four classrooms were added to the school in 1956. The convent had a four-room addition built in 1959.

Even after Fr. Dunigan was transferred in March 1960 the building spree continued. Rev. Edward G. Donahoe oversaw the construction of the office and rectory complex in 1961 and a six room addition to the school in 1963. The last building to be added to the complex was the permanent church, which was built in 1966.

Rev. Donald Eder succeeded as pastor at St. Luke. From 1969 to 1973 St. Luke was part of the tri-parish team ministry which served St. Luke, Sacred Heart and Christ the King parishes. The team ministry concept was dissolved in 1973 and Rev. Robert Kolenski became pastor and remained for five years. On October 12, 1975, Bishop James S. Sullivan celebrated the 25th anniversary Mass.

The year 1990 was very significant for St. Luke parish.  In June the last resident pastor, Rev. Bernard L. Reilly was transferred. Sr. Jean O'Conner, I.H.M., became the parish's first pastoral coordinator. Bishop Kenneth J. Povish presided over the parish's 40th anniversary Mass in October of that year. Since July 1994 Sr. Judith Blake, S.S.J., has cared for the needs of the St. Luke parish family.

(Living in Joyful Hope - A History of the Diocese of Lansing, Rev. Msgr. George C. Michalek)