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Bishop Gallagher
In early May 1925, Michael J. Gallagher, the Bishop of the
Diocese of Detroit, traveled to Rome to witness the
canonization of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Determined to
establish the first parish in her honor in the United States, he
telephoned from Rome with instructions to name the new
church after her. The Bishop chose Royal Oak for the new
parish, although only 28 Catholic families resided there at
the time because he foresaw that the booming auto industry
would attract many Catholics to the area. The new pastor
was to be a young priest who already had earned a
reputation for stimulating Mass attendance: Father Charles
E. Coughlin. |
