• Pictures of the exterior and interior of the former church, as well as a video of the old church burning are available for viewing at the Parish Office.
  
  The Current Church
  The current church was built across the street from our former church which was destroyed by a fire on April 20, 1959. On May 28, 1962, our current church was dedicated. Once again the "bells of St. Mary's" rang out around the small village of Westphalia, and what a joyful event it was! The new bells were named for Mary, St. Joseph, and St. Boniface, patron of Germany. The exterior of the current church is, without a doubt, an imposing sight. Equally magnificent is it's interior
  
  Within it is a life-sized figure of Christ hangs above the altar, with a sunburst mosaic behind it. This mosaic represents the hope and joy radiating from Jesus' resurrection. Above the crucifix is a bronze baldachin, and below is the large altar made of Italian marble.
  
  At the side altars stand the statues of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. The Blessed Mother stands to the south (left facing the altar) of the main altar, and St. Joseph stands on the north (right).
  
  The statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands in the shrine in the south transept, and the statue of St. Anne stands in the north transept.
  
  A small statue of the Infant of Prague stands between the north transept and the main altar. This statue, along with the statues of the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and St. Anne, are all sculptured of Florentine marble.
  
  Five mosaic icons, designed and made in Venice, Italy, hang in the main altar area and in the south and north shrines. Next to the pulpit hangs the mosaic Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In the south transept shrine are the mosaics of St. Aloysius, patron of youth, and St. Pius X, patron of first communicants. In the north transept shrine are the mosaics of St. Jude, patron of hopeless cases, and St. Isidore, patron of farmers.
  
  In the south vestibule stands the statue of Our Lady of Westphalia. Even as the former church was burning in 1959, Mr. Joseph A. Arens and Mr. Joseph I. Martin lifted this statue from the main altar and handed it to a group of men below.
  
  Along the main aisle of the church hang the hand carved fourteen Stations of the Cross.
  
  Many beautiful stained glass windows line the entire church. In the sanctuary, the windows depict God's loving care for his people.
  
  On the south side of the altar, the windows show the institution of the Eucharist. Jesus and the Last Supper are on one window, while the picture of St. Pius X, who extended the privilege of receiving the Eucharist to the young, is on the other. The windows on the north side of the altar show the foreshadowing of the Eucharist. Moses striking the rock in the desert for water for the thirsty Israelites is on one window, and Jesus multiplying the loaves and fishes and feeding the hungry people is on the other.
  
  The large stained glass windows in the south transept above the Sacred Heart of Jesus contain symbols from the litany of the Sacred Heart. Center window - The top triangle symbolizes the Trinity. The hand represents the hand of the Father and Creator who beget His only Son. The rays symbolize the Divine Grace from the Holy Spirit. The stags drinking from the water refers to a passage in the Bible that we are like stags, because we long for God like they long for water. Left window - The three objects, the book, crown and oil lamp, represent knowledge, treasure, and wisdom, respectively. These objects represent the treasures of wisdom and knowledge found in the heart of Jesus. Right window - The dove flying into the monogram of Mary symbolizes the conception of Jesus in Mary by the Holy Spirit.
  
  The windows in the north transept above St. Anne show the connections between the Old and New Testaments. Center window - The same symbolic triangle and hand are at the top, as in the south window. The root represents the root of Jesse, and the three crowns represent the three kings of Israel. The stream extending to the bottom to the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ being of the line of Jesse. Jesus is at the bottom robed in purple, a sign of royalty, holding a banner reading "Emmanuel." King David is next to him, symbolizing that Jesus is also of the line of David. He holds a harp because he wrote many of the psalms proclaiming God. Left window - The monogram is a symbol of Mary, and she wears a crown with the Star of David. This symbolizes that Mary is the Queen of the New Israel. Right window - This window shows the temple and the Arc of the Covenant. The temple symbolizes Mary, as she is a type of church.
  
  The windows along the main aisle of the church portray scenes from the life of Jesus and Mary.
  
  The large stained glass window above the choir loft is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the church, and some regard it as the most beautiful in Michigan. The design summarizes the people of Westphalia as farmers, laborers, Americans, and as people of faith. The tractor and factory depict the people's labor. America is represented by the stars and stripes in red, white, and blue. The church represents our faith. The communion of people in the church and on earth are shown on Our Lady's mantle, to whom this church is dedicated.
  
  Also saved from the church fire in 1959, and now hanging on the back wall of the church are two historic paintings:
  
  On the north side, is the portrait of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Quite a romantic story lies behind it. In lower Franconia in Bavaria of Germany, Baron George Frederick Heinlein lived with his noble family. Working in the castle was the beautiful seamstress named Barbara. Despite the large class difference, George and Barbara fell in love and married. George's family believed that Barbara was far below his rank and thought the marriage was disgraceful. A bitter dispute rose among the family. The family disowned George, and his brothers would not allow him on their land. George, Barbara, and their young children eventually left for America, and they brought their one valuable possession, the painting of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. This painting was from the Heinlein's castle. On the journey, the ship got caught in a terrible storm. All aboard feared their lives. Barbara prayed fervently to the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and she promised to them that if she and the passengers survive, she would give the painting in their honor to the church that she would become a part of in the New World. The ship and passengers survived, and Mrs. Heinlein kept her promise.
  
  The Fourteen Holy Helpers are (from top center clockwise) St. Christopher, St. Cyriacus, St. Pantaleon, St. Margaret, St. Giles, St. Catherine, St. Blase, St. Denis, St. Erasmus, St. Barbara, St. Eustace, St. Achatius, St. Vitus, and St. George.
  
  The picture on the south side of the back wall was commissioned at the 100th Anniversary of St. Mary's Parish in 1936. The painting evolved from the story told by Bernard Hanses as he recalled hearing it from his father, John Hanses, about the founding of the parish. The picture depicts the founders of the parish, Fr. Anton Kopp, Anton Cordes, Joseph Platte, John Hanses, William Tillmann, and John Salter with the first log church and the later brick church as visions.
  
  Information taken from "Of Pilgrimage, Prayer, and Promise," produced by the Westphalia Historical Society, and from Fr. Jim Novak and Fr. Bill Ashbaugh.