Our Beliefs
“Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of everything. The Credo begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the Most Holy Trinity; our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 198
Our Story
Holy Family Parish was established by the Most Rev. Patrick Cooney, Bishop of Gaylord, on July 1st, 1997. Two parish families in the Tawas Area came together to set forth on a new journey of faith. St. Joseph Parish of East Tawas and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish of Tawas City were formerly united. Although as separate parishes in sister cities their respective stories tell of the strong Catholic roots and heritage in the Tawas Bay region.
Learn About the History of Our Parishes
- Holy Family Parish (est. 1997)
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish – Tawas city (est. 1952)
- St. Joseph Parish – East Tawas (est. 1883)
- St. Joseph School (est. 1905)
Our Diocese
The Diocese of Gaylord is one of seven Roman Catholic Dioceses in the state of Michigan. It was established on July 20, 1971 by his Holiness Pope Paul VI.
The 11,171 square miles of the diocese is comprised of territory which had previously been a part of the Saginaw and Grand Rapids dioceses. The area includes the 21 most northern counties of Michigan’s lower peninsula, which are mostly rural in nature. Total population of the area exceeds 505,000, of which more than 66,000 are Catholics.
Within its boundaries there are 77 parishes, 17 Catholic schools and many closely related institutions. All of our clergy, religious sisters and brothers, and laity have been called through Baptism to be disciples and to reflect the message of the Gospel.
We welcome your visit to the Diocese of Gaylord through our website, but especially in person, and we stand ready to minister to your needs as best we can.