Sacred Heart of Mary Parish in Silver Creek Township (Dowagiac) is celebrating its 175th anniversary with several activities planned July 6-14.

Sacred Heart of Mary Church is located at 51841 Leach Road, Dowagiac.

Leopold Pokagon founded the parish in 1838, deeding 40 acres of land around what is now Priest Lake to the Diocese of Detroit.

Irish Catholic immigrants arrived in the area within the next decade and the parish grew under the leadership of Fr. Louis Baroux.

Events planned include:

• July 6-14: History Exhibit in the parish hall.

• July 6-7: Annual Altar Guild bake sale after Saturday evening and Sunday Masses.

• July 10: Book/Movie Discussion, “175 Years of Church History in Two Hours,” 6:30 p.m. in the parish hall.

July 13: Cemetery tour. Hear from Fr. Baroux, Pokagon’s wife, early Irish pioneers, Civil War veterans, a resorter, a civic leader, a railroad man and his wife, the parish’s first deacon and other “residents” of Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Tickets cost $10 each or three for $25 (includes history booklet and cemetery map for self-guided tours).

July 14: Outdoor Mass at 8 and 11 a.m. Bishop Paul Bradley will celebrate the 11 a.m. Mass.

July 14 has been designated as the feast day of St. Kateri Teckakwitha, the first Native American declared a saint.

She was beatified by Pope John Paul II and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 21, 2012.

For more information regarding events, hours or to purchase tickets, call the parish office at (269) 782-8048.