After World War 2 ended in 1945, a small contingent of Catholic families living in Indian River grew tired of battling bad roads and weather to get to the nearest Catholic Church eight miles away in Afton.

Soon after, Father Charles D. Brophy voiced the possibility of building a Catholic church in Indian River. Even though there were only 12 Catholic families who lived year-round in Indian River, large numbers of Catholics vacationed in the area in the summer.

Fr. Brophy and Fr. Arthur LeRoux asked Bishop Francis Haas, of Grand Rapids, for assistance establishing a church in Indian River.

They convinced Haas a new parish would be successful. He authorized the effort.

Haas traveled north in early 1946 to help Frs. Brophy and LeRoux look for an appropriate site.

Bishop Haas and Fr. LeRoux visited retired Indian River businessman and parishioner James J. Harrington. Having lived on Burt Lake for years, he agreed to help them locate land for the new church.

Land and a church were still just a dream in 1947 when Harrington traveled to Buffalo, NY to attend a family wedding.

While he was there, he went to an outdoor mass for shut ins. The faithful could attend mass in a car near an outdoor altar.

When Harrington arrived back in Indian River, he told Fr. Brophy about his powerful experience at the outdoor church in Buffalo.

Both men dreamed of offering an indoor church for year-round worship and a unique outdoor setting for Mass for use during the summer months.

Harrington learned of undeveloped state property near the Burt Lake State Park that would be an ideal setting for a place of worship.

The extraordinarily beautiful setting in the forest near the shores of Burt Lake excited all three.

Local chambers of commerce, tourism, lodging and restaurant officials made numerous trips to Lansing seeking support.

Plans for the grounds and new church were presented by Indian River boosters. They stressed that an outdoor church and shrine would be an important religious pilgrimage destination, while drawing visitors from around the globe.

The state parks commission granted the land to the project in May 1948. The cost was $1 and a box of candy for the secretary!

Bishop Haas named Fr. Brophy pastor of the new Catholic parish.

Fr. Brophy had been inspired in his faith by Kateri Tekakwitha, a noted 17th century Native American and member of a Mohawk tribe in New York who embraced Christianity when she was young. She was memorialized in church history not only for her devout practice of her Catholic faith, but also for placing small wooden crosses in woods and forests to encourage people to pray.

Despite the lack of a formal building, parish life commenced.

Parishioners worshipped in the township hall as they raised funds to build the new shrine. The community wanted worship both inside a church and a special setting outside for worship when the weather was good.

Fr. Brophy led the effort to win support for a larger endeavor, the Cross in the Woods Catholic Shrine.

In recognition of his leadership abilities and vision, Bishop Haas appointed Fr. Brody pastor of the new proposed parish. On June 23, 1946, Fr. Brophy learned he would become administrator of the new parish, as well as the mission church of St. Monica’s in Afton.

At one time, the diocese planned to dedicate the new parish to St. Augustine, the son of St. Monica.

As Brophy drove north to his new parish, he took notice of the thick woods along the state highways. M-27 and M-68.

The beautiful forests reminded him of Kateri, who embraced Christianity. She loved to make small crosses and place them as shrines in the woods.

The Cross in the Woods was made from a single California redwood from Oregon. The cross is 55 feet tall, 22 feet wide and weighs seven tons.

Fr. Brophy wanted to dedicate the new shrine to Kateri, but he discovered he could not because she had not yet been declared a saint in 1949.

In turn, Fr. Brophy worked tirelessly to honor the role Kateri Tekakwitha played furthering her Catholic faith among Native Americans.

Finally, in 2012, Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), was canonized as the first Native American Catholic Saint in 2012.

On M-68 outside of Indian River in Cheboygan County, there is still a road to the right leading to the Cross in The Woods. The road is aptly named “Kateri Lane.”

The Cross in the Woods Shrine contains another eight shrines, including the one dedicated to Saint Kateri. There is also a statue of Kateri at the site.