Long before erosion carved out the hillside and time fractured the concrete, the Stations of the Cross at St. Joseph Shrine were meant to be walked as a holy journey.
The path winds through maples and oaks and down toward the lake, revealing each station gradually — some tucked into the hillside, others opening outward toward the water. What remains today is still striking, but it is only a portion of what once stood. “It used to feel like a village,” said Liz Marsh Girdham, who has deep roots at the shrine. “You walked through the streets of Jerusalem. There were arches, balconies — spaces you moved through, not just past.” The church itself dates to 1854, when Irish immigrants established a parish in the Irish Hills on a bluff overlooking Iron Lake. “They built it a little at a time,” Girdham said. “You can still see it in the stonework. There are lines where you can tell they stopped and started again. It didn’t go up all at once. It grew.” St. Joseph Shrine was part of a broader network of early Catholic missions in the region, served by priests who traveled between communities including Manchester, Clinton, Saline, and Tecumseh. But, as Girdham explained, the shrine developed as a “wayside” church — one not centered in a town but situated along a travel route. In 1928, Father Joseph Pfeffer arrived. He had an idea that would transform the church into both a parish and a destination. Between 1932 and 1936, Pfeffer worked with master craftsmen, including Dionicio Rodriguez and Ralph Corona, to create a devotional landscape using a technique known as “trabajo rustico.” Wet concrete was sculpted by hand to resemble wood and natural forms — a style also seen at McCourtie Park, six miles to the west. “They made concrete look alive,” Girdham said. “You can see the grain, the bark, even insects — every detail.” The result brought thousands of travelers from all over Michigan as well as other parts of the country. Girdham pointed to a photo showing cars parked three deep along the side of the road in the years when U.S. 12 had a much lower speed limit. The wayside parish was getting some serious traction among the summer lake crowds. “It’s more than a religious site,” said Girdham. “There’s art here, history here — connections people don’t expect.” In late 2024, parishioners launched a restoration effort. Damage to the ground and the concrete statuary was beyond the efforts of volunteers, according to Cindy Lapham Czubko, who, like Girdham, has grown up at the shrine. The following year, a four-phase plan to restore the stations was developed. “The first phase is really about saving what we still have, addressing drainage, erosion, and making the path safe for visitors,” she explained. Future phases will focus on stabilizing the hillside, repairing damaged structures, and eventually rebuilding stations lost decades ago. The full cost of the project is expected to reach into the millions, and Czubko said that the parish is relying on donors who share the parish’s passion for restoring it. “These stations were part of my life growing up. There’s a deep desire to keep this legacy alive for generations beyond our own.” Girdham agreed. “This is something special,” she said. “We want people to be able to walk it again — not just see it but experience it.” Seasonal events include gatherings like the impromptu grill-outs hosted by the Knights of Columbus, and the grounds are open for those seeking a quiet walk. Girdham regularly offers historic tours and encourages groups of all kinds to visit. There is no cost to walk the grounds or visit the historic church. “I love telling the story,” Girdham said with a laugh. “Sometimes it’s hard to get me to stop.” St. Joseph Shrine8743 US-12, Brooklyn
517-467-2183
