{"id":6051,"date":"2012-02-20T23:53:49","date_gmt":"2012-02-21T04:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kathyschiffer.com\/?p=6051"},"modified":"2016-09-30T16:00:12","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T21:00:12","slug":"hard-day-for-the-archdiocese-of-detroit-closures-mergers-announced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/kathyschiffer\/2012\/02\/hard-day-for-the-archdiocese-of-detroit-closures-mergers-announced\/","title":{"rendered":"Hard Day for the Archdiocese of Detroit: Closures, Mergers Announced"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"The life of the Church here in the Archdiocese of Detroit cannot simply continue without significant changes.\u00a0 Faith and prudence demand that we act now to ensure that we will be able to do God\u2019s work effectively in the years to come. Charity demands that we pass on to our children both the gift of faith, which is the \u201cpearl of great price,\u201d and Church institutions equipped for the mission God will, in turn, entrust to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, such changes are always difficult, but even these difficulties become redemptive when viewed with eyes of faith. God is drawing us more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ. The changes we need to make will surely involve moments of personal loss as some parishes are reconfigured into new worship communities, but we move forward always with the hope that God will raise us up and raise up for us new resources to do his work. We need only to trust in the Lord and follow where he leads us. I believe that with the benefit of Together in Faith, Phase Two<\/em>, and particularly those elements I will offer in the sections that follow, we have a much clearer sense about where the Lord is leading us than we did before we began this process.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron,<\/span>
\n writing in his pastoral letter of February 20, 2012<\/span>
\n to the people of the Archdiocese of Detroit<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We knew it was coming, but it\u2019s still a hard thing to face:<\/strong>\u00a0 This afternoon, Archbishop Allen Vigneron announced the results of the lengthy two-phase planning process called \u201cTogether in Faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

This pastoral planning process involved every parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit. \u00a0In 2011, approximately 1,500 lay volunteers, nominated by their pastors as parish planning group representatives, evaluated parish situations in an open and collaborative process to propose what should be done to be better stewards of parish resources to fulfill the archdiocesan mission: Sharing Christ in and through the Church.<\/p>\n

Archbishop Vigneron\u2019s decisions on parish alignments were informed by recommendations from lay leaders, the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, and consultations with others including pastors and the auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese.<\/p>\n

The parish plans which were developed in this process focused on how to best fulfill the seven mission priorities of the Archdiocese:\u00a0 (1) evangelization and catechesis; (2) Christian service and outreach; (3) youth and young adults; (4) lay leadership; (5) stewardship and administration; (6) Catholic schools; and (7) vocations.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s announcement, while not unexpected, brings sad news for many Catholics whose parishes will be closed or clustered.\u00a0 Yet change is necessitated by a declining number of priests and lay leaders, an aging demographic in parish life, and declining enrollment in parishes, especially those in older urban neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

In summary, the 267 parishes presently in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese will be affected as follows:<\/p>\n