St. Paul’s was formally established as a parish of the then, Diocese of Detroit in 1834, but its roots go back to the time of French missionaries in the 1600’s.

The present church is the fourth place of worship for Catholics in the Grosse Pointe area.  From 1819 until 1825, a chapel was in use in the home of Pierre Provençal, located near the Renaud family farm on Lake St. Clair, just north of Vernier Road, in what is now Grosse Pointe Shores.  That house was later moved to its present site on Kercheval Avenue in Grosse Pointe Farms, where it serves as headquarters for the Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

In 1825, the Rev. Francis Baden, an assistant of the Rev. Gabriel Richard, who had pastoral responsibility for the area, built the first St. Paul Church, a small free standing chapel, on the Renaud property.  In 1846, a non-resident pastor, the Rev. Paul Kindekens, being far-sighted, purchased the land that today is the site of the church and rectory.  In 1848, he began construction of a frame edifice of local timber that was not completed until 1857.

Forty-one years later, the present church was built in 1898.  After more than a century of daily usage, it was closed in 2000 at the onset of a major reconstruction project, covering every feature of the building.  Its age was clearly showing and its electrical and mechanical systems were hopelessly outmoded.  It had been closed earlier on only three occasions-in 1918, during the influenza epidemic; in 1976, in the aftermath of a powerful ice storm; and in 1978, because of a devastating fire.

On Saturday, June 22, 2002, St. Paul’s –rebuilt and renewed-, His Eminence, Adam Cardinal Maida, Archbishop of Detroit rededicated it to the service of God and to the use of its parishioners and the community. Its past was artfully reflected in the modern restoration of the building.  The lakeside front doors, classic reproductions of the heavy originals, were opened once again and the parishioners were greeted by a bright light interior that highlights the architectural features which have distinguished it as a classic place of worship over the decades.  New pews, lighting, heating and cooling systems, new flooring and a new marble floor for the altar and center aisle were among the more visible improvements.  A gathering space, assembly room and new sacristies were added between the newly configured rear entranceways.  An unused building and storage shed on the property were demolished, allowing for more parking spaces and a completely new and attractive landscaping plan.  St. Paul Church, in its up to date form, once again was ready to continue its mission of faith to the over 2500 families in its active congregation and the community at large.