Christ the King, Howard City and St. Francis de Sales, Lakeview at 9596 N Reed Rd, Howard City, MI 49329 US - FONT face=

Christ the King Church

1970- Fr. Raymond Bruck founded the first Catholic Church in Howard City. The first Mass was celebrated in the Masonic Lodge on the last week in July. The free Methodist Church was purchased for $5000. Later sold for $6000. First Mass was held September 26th. The last Mass was celebrated in 1976.

1972- Seventeen acres were purchased on the corner of US 131 and M 46 for $5000. Land was cleared by parishioners and construction ensued.

1976- Present Church of Christ the King was dedicated.

1978- Present Rectory was built.

1982- Fellowship Hall was erected.

1983- Present Church roof restored, addition of new offices and canopy for foyer expansion.

Pastors

Fr. Raymond Bruck 1970-1979         

Fr. Louis Anderson 1979-1982         

Fr. Philip Witkowski 1982-1990

Fr. William Zink 1990-1995

Fr. Phong Pham 1995-1999               

Fr. Philip Sliwinski 1999-2003

Fr. Raymond Bruck 2003-2004         

Fr. Troy Nevins 2004-2007

Fr. James B. Wyse 2007-

St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales is first mentioned in the National Catholic Directory in 1892 as a station of St. Clara at Maple Valley (presently Coral). In 1945 Lakeview reappears in the same Directory as a Mission of St. Mary in Sand Lake. The present church basement was dug and enclosed in 1949 and  for fifteen years Mass has been prayed there.

On February 23, 1964 Fr. Jerome Winikaitis offered Mass for the first time in the new and present church building. Over the years priests from St. Mary in Sand Lake, St. Clara in Coral, plus priests from St. Joseph Seminary, including Bishop Robert J. Rose offered Mass.

Under Fr. Edwin Thome, St. Francis became a mission of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in Edmore.

In 1970 St. Francis was joined with the parishes of Christ the King in Howard City and St. Apollonia in Morley.