BIO

Father John Dumas began pastoral ministry at Our Lady on the River parish in July of 2022. He was born in Pontiac, where he and his siblings and parents attended St. Vincent de Paul parish. When he was about nine years old, his parents moved the family to Oxford, where they then attended St. Joseph the Worker parish in Lake Orion. After completing high school, he attended the University of Detroit, majoring in economics. Shortly before completing that degree, he began a career in banking with the intent of ultimately working for the Federal Reserve. During his time in the financial services industry, he lived in Warren and  worked in Detroit and pursued several advanced degrees until such time as he acted upon the Lord’s calling to change career paths an become a priest in His Church. 

After five years of studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, he was ordained by Archbishop Vigneron on May 22, 2010 – the memorial of St. Rita of Cascia – the patron saint of hopeless causes! He was assigned to St. Anastasia parish in Troy as a Transitional Deacon. After ordination to the Holy Priesthood, he was initially assigned to St. Isidore parish in Macomb Township. He spent two years there before being assigned as Administrator of two parishes in Monroe County; St. Patrick in Carleton and St. Joseph in Maybee. He was asked to merge these two parishes into one, which then became known as Divine Grace Parish. 

He was then moved to St. Aloysius Gonzaga parish in Romulus, where he had been for the six years immediately prior to being asked to become pastor at Our Lady on the River parish in Marine City. Since ordination, he has longed to be the pastor of a parish dedicated to our Blessed Mother, so he is thrilled to be here at Our Lady on the River parish and is very anxious to help all of you to grow closer to our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ! Vivat Christus Rex!