A Little Parish History
by: Father Dennis Morrow
"What God was to Job, the river was to the first inhabitants of Grand Rapids: it gave and it took away." (Taken from Gathered at the River by James D. Bratt and Christopher H. Meehan 1993)
The Grand River gave our city its name and has been interwoven in the lives of its residents ever since. The first white settlers at the rapids were of French descent, and were devout Catholics. They had long been the only form of Christianity in the territory. The Rev. Patrick Joseph McManus was a strong force behind the building of the Cathedral of Andrew's, our first Catholic Church. Other Catholic Churches were added serving the faithful settlers.
In 1904 the Parish of SS. Peter and Paul was organized, and the church built in 1924. Originally the Church was on the second floor and the school on the first. Our school was established in 1907 making this our 100th year educating our youth and sharing our Catholic Faith. We have come a long way since we separated from our parent church of St. Adalbert's, but we remain true to our calling, serving the Lithuanian community as well as the community at large.
