Archdiocese of Detroit Pastoral Planning and Restructuring Initiative

Letter from the Archbishop

- Letter from Archbishop Weisenburger

Archbishop's Video

FAQs

Archdiocesan Restructuring | Frequently Asked Questions.
Archbishop Weisenburger has invited all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Detroit to participate in a prayerful and Spirit-guided process of restructuring our parishes and ministries. This initiative is not merely an administrative adjustment, but a moment of ecclesial renewal — an opportunity to discern together how the Holy Spirit is calling us to a renewed vision for parish life and priestly ministry that will ensure a vibrant and sustainable Catholic presence across the Archdiocese for generations to come.

This process is guided by three foundational pillars:
Vibrant Parishes: Each parish is called to be a living heartbeat of faith — a place where the faithful encounter Jesus Christ, grow in discipleship, and form authentic Christian community.
Flourishing Priests: Our priests are at the heart of parish life. They must be supported, sustained, and empowered to live their vocation fully — preaching the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments, and shepherding their people with pastoral charity and joy.
Mission Ready: As a missionary Church, we are sent to proclaim the Gospel beyond our parish walls — in our homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. By wisely realigning our clergy, ministries, and resources, we will strengthen our capacity to bring Christ’s love to the world with renewed vigor and purpose.

Why is restructuring necessary?
Like many dioceses across the country, the Archdiocese of Detroit is experiencing significant demographic and cultural shifts that are reshaping parish life. Over the past several decades, changes in religious affiliation and population patterns have left us with more church buildings than our current Catholic population requires. From a historic peak of approximately 1.5 million Catholics, our local Catholic population now numbers around 900,000. During the same period, sacramental participation—including baptisms, first Communions, and marriages—has declined considerably.
At the same time, the number of priests available for parish ministry has continued to decrease. While we are blessed with seminarians in formation and the assistance of international and religious-order priests, many of our pastors remain stretched thin, often carrying heavy administrative burdens that limit the time they can devote to pastoral ministry. Most of our active priests are now over the age of 50, and projections indicate that by 2029 we will have fewer than 165 priests serving in parish ministry.
In response, this two-year process of restructuring seeks to prayerfully discern the best path forward for every parish community in light of these realities. The process will be guided by
comprehensive data—financial and sacramental records, demographic trends—and, most importantly, by the insights and feedback of the faithful across the Archdiocese. All of this will be brought to prayer and communal discernment as we strive to build a local Church of vibrant parishes and flourishing priests, fully equipped to carry out the mission Christ has entrusted to us.

What entities are involved in restructuring?
All parishes, the Archdiocesan administrative offices, and priest assignments will be reviewed during this restructuring process.
*Catholic Schools, Sacred Heart Major Seminary and affiliated organizations such as Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan are not included in the formal restructuring process. Some of these entities, such as Catholic Schools, are undergoing separate strategic planning processes.

Are all parishes involved in the restructuring process? Yes. Every parish will be evaluated using the same criteria, although the specific benchmarks will vary depending on factors such as geographic location (urban, suburban, rural).

Are parishes with schools exempt from the process? What about parishes with cemeteries?
No. All parishes will be part of this process—including those that have a school as well as those that have cemeteries.

Who is leading the restructuring process?
Archbishop Weisenburger is leading our process of restructuring with the support of priests, staff in the Archdiocesan Curia (central administrative offices), and an advisory group representing the geographic, ethnic, economic, and social diversity of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

How long is the restructuring process? What are the major milestones? The entire process is a little under two years long, concluding on June 30, 2027:
•Summer and Fall 2025: Preparatory work begins
•January 2026: Priests come together to develop draft models for each parish
•Spring 2026: Parish listening sessions held and online feedback collected
•Summer 2026: Feedback reviewed and model refinement happens
•Fall 2026: Archbishop Weisenburger’s discernment
•Winter 2027: Final plans announced
•July 1, 2027: Implementation begins

What is the expected outcome of the restructuring? This process of restructuring is an opportunity for all of us to come together to shape the future of the Archdiocese of Detroit, ensuring that there is a vibrant Catholic presence in every corner of southeast Michigan for generations to come. Our three-fold goals are to have: 1. Healthy and
flourishing priests, 2. Vibrant parish communities, and 3. Mission-ready and financially sustainable parishes to evangelize today and years into the future.

What will happen to my parish? Will it close?
We anticipate that every parish in the Archdiocese will become part of a “pastorate,” a grouping of one or more parishes led by a single pastor and leadership team. Each pastorate will have one pastor and usually one or more parochial vicars (often called associate pastors). Any decisions about parish mergers or church closures will be made after a careful review of quantitative and qualitative data about each parish (including financial and sacramental trends and projections; the vibrancy and vitality of parish life and activity; and demographic data about the geographic area of the parish and surrounding area), as well as all the feedback from priests and parishioners collected during parish listening sessions.

What will happen to my priest? Will he be reassigned? As part of the restructuring process, every priest is being asked to complete a leadership inventory that includes questions about the priest’s current assignment, his gifts and aptitudes, his preferences for future assignments, any priests with whom he’d like to serve, and the type of ministry to which he feels called. Archbishop Weisenburger and the Priest Missioning Team—priests elected to represent various age groups among the clergy—will use this feedback, along with other pieces of data, to determine the best assignment for each priest to help him flourish in his ministry. While a large-scale reassignment of priests should be expected, each priest and his assignment will be considered individually. Specific details about any new priest assignments will be announced in early 2027.

How is this different from Families of Parishes? Are those going away?
A pastorate is a grouping of one or more parishes led by a single pastor and leadership team, whereas most Families of Parishes are led by an in solidum team of pastors with multiple leadership teams. The pastorate model allows for greater unity in vision and streamlined administrative duties, giving both the pastor and any parochial vicars (associate pastors) more time for pastoral ministry.
For now, parishes will remain in family groupings (which you might know as “a family of parishes” to continue their day-to-day ministries. Each parish, however, will be considered individually as part of the restructuring process, ensuring decisions are made to best suit the unique needs of each community. Eventually, the family groupings will be retired and replaced by the results of our shared discernment process.
From the beginning, Families of Parishes was a short-term solution to immediate needs brought to the fore by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our current restructuring process is more comprehensive and will lay the foundation for a sustainable Catholic presence in every corner of the Archdiocese of Detroit for generations to come.

Are we the only arch/diocese going through this restructuring process?
Not at all. The cultural and demographic changes that have prompted this restructuring are not unique to southeast Michigan. Over thirty dioceses across the United States have or are currently undergoing similar restructuring processes.

How can I learn more about the restructuring process?
Please regularly visit restructuring.aod.org to learn more about the restructuring process. At each stage, new information will be added that will help you stay informed. Your parish will also regularly share information specific to your local community.

How can I get involved? In the spring of 2026, all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Detroit will have the opportunity to share their feedback on various drafts of restructuring plans. Each parish will host two listening sessions at which you can learn more about the plans and share your comments. In addition, there will be an online option for additional feedback and anyone unable to attend the listening sessions. Every piece of feedback will be received, discerned, and considered as a valuable contribution to this process.
Beginning now and throughout the entire process, we ask that you are open to change and trust in God’s providence; support your parish through giving of your time, talent, and treasure; encourage and support your priest(s) and parish leaders; and—most importantly—join us in prayer:
Come, Holy Spirit.
Make your presence known
as we restructure the parishes and ministries
of our Archdiocese.
Be our light on the path we walk together.
Help us hear your voice
in the quiet of our hearts,
in the wisdom of others,
and in the world around us.
We know you are with us in every step of the process.
Give us clarity, understanding, and direction
In all things, help us share the light of your love. Amen.
St. Anne, pray for us.
Blessed Solanus Casey, pray for us.
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Prayer

PRAYER FOR ARCHDIOCESAN RESTRUCTURING
Come, Holy Spirit! Make your presence known as we restructure the parishes and ministries in our archdiocese. Be our light on the path we walk together. Help us to hear your voice in the quiet of our hearts, in the wisdom of others, and in the world around us. We know that you are with us every step of the way. Give us clarity, understanding, and direction. In all things, help us to carry out the mission that has been entrusted to us. Ste. Anne, pray for us! Blessed Solanus Casey, pray for us! Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!

Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Archbishop
The bishop who oversees the ministerial and administrative life of an Archdiocese. In the Archdiocese of Detroit, this is Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger.
Canon Law
The body of law that governs the internal life and operations of the Catholic Church.
Core Planning Team
A group of advisers and curia staff facilitating the day-to-day process and work of the restructuring effort.
Curia
The administrative “headquarters” of the Archdiocese of Detroit, which consists of departments, ministry leaders and officials who assist the Archbishop in his ministry as the chief shepherd and pastor of the local Church.
Church (Building)
A sacred building for divine worship. A single parish might have multiple church buildings. (see parish)
Department of Parish Renewal
A new department of the archdiocesan curia was set up for the purpose of facilitating, administering and overseeing the archdiocesan restructuring process, as well as advising Archbishop Weisenburger. Fr. Mario Amore is the executive director of the Department of Parish Renewal.
Families of Parishes
Model of group of parishes and multiple priests collaborating to better serve the faithful (announced in December 2020).
Key Parish Leaders (KPLs)
Individual members of each parish designated by their priest to serve as collaborators in the restructuring effort. Key Parish Leaders must be registered parishioners and may serve as members of the parish/finance council, key ministry leaders, or representatives of a key parish demographic group. Key Parish Leaders will help share, inform, participate and lead the discernment process at their parish.
Listening sessions
Each parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit will hold two listening sessions open to the public in the spring of 2026. These listening sessions are intended to gather feedback and input from parishioners about potential pastorate models involving their parish. Feedback during these listening sessions will be shared with the Core Planning Team and with Archbishop Weisenburger for his discernment.
Merge
The canonical process of combining two distinct parishes into a single parish. Merged parishes may continue to worship at a single church building or multiple church buildings
Parish
A canonically established community of the Christian faithful stably established within a diocese, whose pastoral care is entrusted to a pastor.
Parish Workbook
Documents intended to provide historical information, demographics, data and trends about each parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit for the purpose of providing transparency and informing the archdiocesan restructuring process. Parish workbooks for each of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s 200+ parishes will be compiled and published on restructuring.aod.org.
Pastor
A priest entrusted with the pastoral care and leadership of a parish or group of parishes (pastorate) under the authority of the diocesan bishop.
Pastoral Planning Commission
A consultative body made up of priests, deacons and members of the lay faithful set up to advise during the archdiocesan restructuring process.
Pastorate
A grouping of one or more parishes entrusted to the pastoral care of a single pastor and often sharing resources, ministries, and staff. A pastorate may include one pastor overseeing a single parish, or one pastor overseeing multiple parishes.
Planning Area
A temporary grouping of parishes within a geographic area for the purposes of examining options for future pastorates as part of the two-year restructuring process.
Primary Point of Contact (PPOC)
Staff member navigating and communicating with the larger parish community. Three responsibilities: receive, share, and submit.
Sacraments
The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are baptism, reconciliation (confession), confirmation, Eucharist, matrimony (marriage), anointing of the sick and holy orders.

Helpful Links

Links
- Archdiocese Restructuring Website
- Detroit Catholic Subscription

St. John Catholic Church

511 S. Monroe St.
Monroe, MI 48161
734.241.8910

Archdiocese of Detroit Pastoral Planning and Restructuring Initiative

Resources

Glossary of Terms

Links