A new Archbishop for Detroit

 

Pope Francis appoints Tucson Bishop Weisenburger as new archbishop of Detroit

Pope Francis on Feb. 11, 2025, named Bishop Edward Weisenburger of Tucson, Arizona, as the new archbishop of Detroit. | Credit: Archdiocese of Detroit

By Daniel Payne

CNA Staff, Feb 11, 2025

Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed Tucson Bishop Edward Weisenburger as the new archbishop of Detroit, accepting the resignation of current Archbishop Allen Vigneron. 

Vigneron, who has led the Michigan archdiocese since 2009, had submitted his resignation in October 2023 upon turning 75 as required by canon law. In a Tuesday statement he “extend[ed] to Archbishop-elect Weisenburger a heartfelt welcome to his new home.” 

“I offer the assurance of our prayerful support as he comes here to take up the mission being given to him by our Holy Father Pope Francis,” Vigneron said. 

Weisenburger, meanwhile, said he was “humbled to be called to serve such a noble Church,” describing the Detroit Archdiocese as “steeped in rich history, vibrant ministries, and known for a committed clergy with a great passion for evangelization.”

“Despite the challenge of leaving my happy home in the Diocese of Tucson, I promise the good people of the Archdiocese of Detroit my all,” the archbishop-elect said. 

Weisenburger was born in Illinois on Dec. 23, 1960. He attended Conception Seminary College in Missouri and graduated in 1983, after which he studied at the American College Seminary at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, earning degrees in theology, religious studies, and moral and religious sciences. 

After being ordained to the priesthood in 1987 in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Weisenburger attended the University of St. Paul in Ottawa, Canada, graduating with a pontifical licentiate in canon law in 1992. 

He served a variety of roles in the Oklahoma City Archdiocese, including as vice chancellor and on the diocesan tribunal; he also did prison ministry for several years. He also notably served as an on-site chaplain at the site of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. 

He was appointed bishop of Salina, Kansas, by Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 6, 2012, and ordained on May 1 of that year. Pope Francis subsequently appointed him bishop of Tucson on Oct. 3, 2017, where he was installed on Nov. 29 of the same year. 

In addition to his ministries and bishoprics, the archbishop-elect has served at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on the migration committee as well as the subcommittee on the Catholic Communication Campaign.

Great idea; how one Catholic High School has helped 50 students become Catholic: OCIT (Order of Christian Initiation for Teens)

 

At Catholic Central, a trend emerges: More students are choosing to become Catholic

Students enrolled in this year's OCIT program pose for a photo during a class session Nov. 12.

Since 2018, Basilian-run school's Order of Christian Initiation of Teens program has welcomed about 50 students into the faith

NOVI — In the six years that Catholic Central High School has offered a program to guide students who are interested in becoming Catholic, the program has not only gained momentum, but it might be garnering some national attention.

To date, about 50 Catholic Central students have been initiated into the Catholic Church, while another 18 are enrolled to be fully welcomed this spring.

“We are hoping to take this on the road,” Catholic Central principal Fr. Patrick Fulton, CSB, told Detroit Catholic. He said the program’s popularity among students and its success has caught the attention of many, including the National Catholic Educational Association, where Catholic Central theology teachers and administrators are hoping to present at the annual spring conference.

“I think there is an impression that the Church is not speaking to young people — that faith is withering on the vine, but this is not the case at all,” Fr. Fulton said. “We’re able to meet young people where they are in their faith journey.”

The Basilian-sponsored school first requested permission from the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2018 to begin an adapted sacramental prep program for students using the Rite of Christian Initiation of Teens (now the Order of Christian Initiation of Teens, or OCIT), which parallels the formation program for adult converts, known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).

When Fr. Fulton became principal in 2019, he sought permission from his superiors to expand and formalize the program during the 2021-22 academic year.

Participation began to boom.

In 2022, four students completed their sacraments. In 2023, that number was 11. This past spring, 22 Catholic Central students entered into full communion with the Church.

It's a trend Fr. Fulton said fills him with "a sense of awe" at the work the Holy Spirit is doing.

"These young people sow the seeds for their families and for their peers," Fr. Fulton said. "It’s a beautiful thing to see and brings tears to my eyes.”

In addition to learning about the faith during theology classes, students interested in the OCIT program attend biweekly meetings during lunch and homeroom hours to learn about the rites, traditions and teachings of the Catholic Church. It is also a forum for the students to ask questions.

Senior Nick Leiter grew up Protestant, but didn’t attend church often. Interested in Catholic Central’s academics and hockey program, he decided to enroll at the Novi school. He admitted he “felt a little out of place, and I didn’t know any of the prayers.” During his first few years, he was skeptical of the Catholic viewpoint.

He did, however, enjoy theology class.

“It was the first time I really learned the story of Jesus and God, and then I started to read some Scripture,” Leiter said.

By his junior year, he had started to build a belief system. And, starting senior year, he felt different.

“I started to realize my doubts were not grounded,” Leiter said. “My questions were answered through faith. I could find God through faith and reason. I could find him intellectually and through religion.”

That’s when he heard about the OCIT program in class one day and decided to join.

The idea for the OCIT program began in 2018, when a student approached theology teacher Colin Whitehead interested in receiving the sacraments he missed growing up. Moved by the opportunity to assist other students in the same position, Catholic Central's administration decided to cast a school-wide net to see if other students were interested.

After Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron approved the school's request to move forward, Whitehead spearheaded the program and developed the curriculum for students, regardless of their grade. Whitehead added Archbishop Vigneron's 2017 pastoral letter, “Unleash the Gospel,” which calls for new and creative methods of evangelization, was the catalyst for the OCIT program.

In the years since, interest has grown as Catholic Central's students have begun evangelizing one another, Whitehead said.

“Unless there is a personal connection, kids won’t follow through,” Whitehead said. “We found this is an authentic way for us to meet our students where they are.”

Students in the OCIT program still attend theology class five days a week, but also meet separately during lunches and outside of class to dive deeper, an opportunity Whitehead said "fills in the gaps and holes for the students."

During the Easter season, a bishop visits the school to celebrate a school-wide Mass of initiation, where OCIT students complete their sacraments surrounded by the entire school body. Sometimes, students choose other students or teachers to be their sponsors or godparents, Whitehead said.

Rebecca Joseph, co-leader of the OCIT program and a theology teacher at the school, said the program helps students from “falling through the cracks” when a student expresses a desire to become Catholic or fully initiated into the Church.

“For a young person to make a call or contact a parish, they may not want to do it alone,” Joseph said. “This is their faith community, and they want to be baptized with their Shamrock brothers here. The kids are actually becoming evangelists to each other; they are becoming witnesses to other kids and their families.”

Whitehead said Catholic Central's OCIT program does not seek to usurp the role of the parish, "but rather works to to introduce the student into the life of their local parish."

For sophomore football player Jalen Montlouis, the witness of his fellow Shamrock teammates helped him decide to move forward in starting OCIT this fall. Montlouis said he enjoys attending Mass on Sunday with his teammates before practice.

“Faith is incorporated into everything we do here,” Montlouis said. “It felt really good to me being close to my brothers. I just wanted to know more and be included. They helped me get into this program, and I appreciate it.”

Montlouis said he didn’t follow any religion before attending Catholic Central. “Right when I got to this school, I felt a bond and a connection,” he said.

Another student currently enrolled in OCIT, junior Levi Fleer, was a non-denominational Christian before attending Catholic Central, though his mother's family was Catholic.

“Attending Masses that first year, I didn’t know much, but what struck me was at the end of my freshman year, when a bunch of kids were baptized, and one was my friend,” Fleer said. “It started to grow on me that this is me, and these are my people.”

Fleer was initiated into the Church this past spring. Since becoming Catholic, he's already seen the fruits of the Holy Spirit active not only in his own life, but in his family's.

“One thing I noticed when I finished the program is that my brothers and my mom have seen changes in me that have sparked them,” Fleer said. “Jesus has changed my life for others, not just for me.”

In Detroit, finding a way to reach out to the peripheries

 

New van will help Order of Malta reach Detroit's peripheries with food, kindness

Newly blessed vehicle will deliver clothing, sandwiches to the homeless, transport guests to Malta Dental and Medical Clinic

BIRMINGHAM — Three days a week, men, women and children who can’t get enough to eat make their way to the All Saints Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry on Detroit’s west side, which serves hot meals and offers groceries to those who otherwise can’t afford them.

Some of those families can’t afford medical or dental insurance, either, and many are in dire need of care — often having put off treatment for far too long.

The Malta Dental and Medical and Clinic, a free clinic that’s served low-income Detroiters’ needs since 2004, seeks to address this need, offering vital services free of charge to those without insurance.

The only problem? The soup kitchen is six miles away from the clinic, which operates out of Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan’s Center for the Works of Mercy in Detroit’s Midtown. And if you can't afford food, you likely can't afford a car, either.

To bridge that gap, the local Order of Malta is enlisting the help of a new cargo van, courtesy of Malta Mobile Ministries, which will help transport guests to and from the clinic, as well as serve a host of other needs as the order steps up its efforts to aid Detroiters.

Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron blessed the new van Aug. 14, the vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, during a “Lourdes Experience” gathering of the Order of Malta at Holy Name Parish in Birmingham.

“Like Our Lady, we too have the vocation to carry Christ to other people,” Archbishop Vigneron, a member of the Order of Malta, said during a homily prior to the blessing. “(The analogy) is a little far-fetched, but the van is a little like an Ark of the Covenant. It is a way to carry the compassion of Christ to other people. And the foundation of this is faith.”

Attending the Mass and blessing were Peter Kelly, president of the Order of Malta’s American Association, and Deacon Jeffrey Trexler, the American Association’s executive director.

Malta Mobile Ministries is a separate nonprofit that collaborates with the Order of Malta’s three U.S. associations, said Deacon Trexler, speaking to Detroit Catholic after the blessing. The order’s Western Association began the program several years ago with a fleet of vehicles serving parishes, food pantries and bringing medical and first-aid services to disaster victims, including serving those displaced by the California wildfires.

Three years ago, the Order of Malta’s American Association, which includes Michigan, joined the program with its first van operating in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. A second van was soon added in New Jersey.

“This is our third van,” Deacon Trexler told Detroit Catholic. “Hopefully by next year, we’ll have maybe three more vans on board for different areas of the United States. We have 30 chapters (in the American Association), and they all seem to be interested in this. Hopefully in the next five years, we’ll have a fleet of 30.”

Tom Larabell, president of the Malta Dental and Medical Clinic, said the van will serve a great need in the city of Detroit, transporting low-income residents to and from the clinic, as well as serving other local ministries.

The van will also be used to deliver sandwiches, clothing and boots to the homeless living on Detroit’s streets through the Order of Malta’s “Into the Fire” ministry, which began about 10 years ago through St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen, Larabell said.

"We've got a very active chapter, so our American Association asked us if we would do this," Larabell said. "Our first thought was to pick people up who can't come to the clinic, and we have another ministry, 'Into the Fire,' where we make sandwiches and deliver them on the street, along with clothing in the wintertime."

The van has been retrofitted with shelving, clothing racks and supplies to help the ministry serve in a variety of circumstances. Larabell added the van won’t just serve those living on the streets, but anyone living in the city of Detroit who needs help.

“Recently, we went to visit the Missionaries of Charity sisters on Detroit’s southwest side, and I told the nuns we were looking for places where people hang out,” Larabell said. “We told them we have the medical and dental clinic, and that we only treat people who have no insurance and no money. One of the nuns answered and said, ‘Well, we don’t have insurance. We don’t have money.’ So we’ve even transported the nuns to their appointments.”

Larabell said the Malta Dental and Medical Clinic is working on a service schedule for the van, which has already begun to serve Detroit residents.

In addition to serving those in need, the van — emblazoned with the Order of Malta’s red shield — will help Detroiters more readily recognize the order, which serves many different ministries in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Deacon Trexler said.

“The order isn’t as familiar to people in the United States as it is in Europe,” said Deacon Trexler, who serves in the Diocese of Allentown, Pa. “In Europe, we have hospitals and multiple clinics, orphanages, nursing homes and ambulance services in communities that have nothing. So this is good PR for the order.”

Locally, in addition to the Malta Dental and Medical Clinic and the “Into the Fire” ministry, the order also operates or serves at St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen in Detroit; Angels’ Place, a home for developmentally disabled individuals in Southfield; Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, a local pro-life apostolate; Mary’s Children Family Center in Clawson, which serves those with brain injuries; and the Rose Hill Center in Holly, a comprehensive psychiatric treatment program for adults with serious mental illnesses.

The order each year also sponsors a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, bringing Detroit-area malades — the French word for sick person — to the healing shrines of Our Lady of Lourdes.

“So this van is letting people know that the order exists and we’re here to serve,” Deacon Trexler said. “It’s the charism of our order: to defend the faith and to care for those in need.”

Detroit Archbishop calls for pray, fasting and more as state passes extreme abortion proposal

 

Detroit Archbishop: Catholics must fast, give alms and do penance after Proposal 3 passage

Niraj Warikoo

Detroit Free Press

Catholic leaders in Michigan are calling upon the faithful to fast, pray, give alms and do penance starting later this month following the passage of Proposal 3, the statewide ballot proposal that will enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.

"We awake today to the news that Proposal 3 has passed, altering our state constitution to allow for unregulated and unsafe abortion on-demand in Michigan," Archbishop of Detroit Allen Vigneron said Wednesday in an email to local Catholics. "We are deeply saddened by this grave assault on the dignity and sanctity of unborn, innocent human life. We grieve for the many women who will continue to be harmed by abortion in our state. ... We grieve for the lives who will be lost because of this unjust and perverse law."

Vigneron called upon Catholics "to make reparations for the great sin of abortion in our midst."

Bishop Earl Boyea of the Lansing Diocese said in a text message: "We can rightly permit ourselves to shed a tear this morning but not lose hope."

With more than 99% of the vote counted, results show 56.7% of voters approved Proposal 3, while 43.3% opposed it.

The despondent mood among some Catholics was a marked change from June when they celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

In recent months, Catholics leaders in Michigan led a range of efforts to defeat Proposal 3, from text messages to services and prayers to door-to-door canvassing. Catholics are the largest religious group in Michigan, but many don't necessarily follow Catholic teachings and support abortion rights. Other Christian denominations and faith groups in Michigan such as Baptists, evangelicals and some Muslims also led efforts to oppose it. On Oct. 30, Protestant churches rallied against the proposal at Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church in Bloomfield Township. There were also some liberal faith leaders who came out in support of the proposal. Jewish leaders were largely supportive of it, holding a rally in June at the biggest synagogue in Michigan in support of abortion rights.

Some faith leaders framed it as a battle for the soul of the state.

More:Catholics in Michigan 'fight like heaven' against abortion ballot proposal

"Abortion is now legal in Michigan at an unprecedented level, and millions of lives are at stake," Vigneron said. "We must pray and ask God for his mercy upon us for allowing this evil to happen in our state. For this reason, I want to invite all the faithful to join me in the first two weeks of Advent, from November 27 to December 9, in doing penance, giving alms, praying, and fasting. We must use these spiritual practices to make reparations for the great sin of abortion in our midst."

Monica Migliorino Miller, a longtime anti-abortion activist in metro Detroit who is director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, said adding to her concerns is that Democrats now are in control of the state House, state Senate and governor's office for the first time in about 40 years.

"Pro-lifers may have been consoled that the Michigan state legislature would achieve a Republican majority, however slim, to blunt the attempts to broaden the killing of the unborn in our state," Miller said in a statement. "Sadly, however, those who champion the legalized killing of the innocent unborn are in power with a Democratic majority and with the re-election of Governor Whitmer."

Miller said one of the reasons her side failed is because it was outspent. More than $42 million was spent overall on both sides as of Oct. 23, with more expected to be spent afterward. Abortion-rights advocates appeared to spend more money, campaign finance records show.

"The advocates of legal abortion certainly outspent the pro-life movement in Michigan — with the majority of their money coming in from out of state to fund the barrage — the seemingly never-ending television ads, YouTube ads and ads on social media," Miller said.

Anti-abortion advocates worry that Michigan will become a magnet for women seeking abortions. Miller said she fears that "new abortion clinics will be set up all long our Ohio, Indiana border."

The passage of Proposal 3 also disappointed some in the Muslim community in Michigan. There are a range of views on abortion among Muslims, as with other religious groups.

Hassan Aoun, of Dearborn, said he was upset with Islamic clerics in metro Detroit for not speaking out against Proposal 3 and for some of them posing for photos with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the annual Arab American Political Action Committee banquet in Dearborn several days before the election. Aoun has been among protest leaders in recent weeks opposing some books in Dearborn Public Schools they believe are too explicit for children.

Arabic-language flyers circulated online in recent weeks targeting Arab American voters with information that Democrats said was inaccurate and inflammatory. Proposal 3 was approved by voters in Dearborn 59.3% to 40.7%, which was a wider margin than statewide, where 56.7% of voters approved it.

"It's very sad," Aoun said Wednesday. "I reached out to religious leaders, but did not get a response. ... Not one religious leader came out and said, 'Hey man, we shouldn't vote for this.'"

The Michigan Muslim Community Council released a statement in August saying abortion is generally forbidden in Islam, but allowed in certain cases.

Aoun and other conservatives tried to link Proposal 3 to the issue of gender identity, saying it would lead to gender reassignment surgery in children without parental approval, though others said that was misleading. The amendment contains no explicit reference to gender-affirming care or parental consent.

More:Faith and politics intermingle on the campaign trail in Michigan

Moving forward, Vigneron said Catholic leaders will continue their efforts to help women who are pregnant with resources to help them have children.

He said the Archdiocese of Detroit will continue working with Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, its charitable arm; the archdiocese’s Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship Department,; Project Rachel; and Walking with Moms in Need, a ministry that helps provide assistance to pregnant and parenting moms.

Pregnancy centers supported by Catholics and others have drawn criticism from liberals. In September, Whitmer vetoed some budget items that included $1.5 million for pregnancy resource centers supported by conservatives who promote alternatives to abortion. 

Disruption at Mass by the pro-death crowd

 

Nearly naked activist shouting pro-abortion chants disrupts Mass in Michigan

By Joe Bukuras

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 13, 2022 / 15:32 pm

A nearly naked woman disrupted Mass at a Catholic church in Michigan by standing on pew and shouting pro-abortion chants, an online video shows.

“Overturn Roe? Hell, no!” the woman shouted, interrupting the priest's homily. “Abortion without apology!” Two other women visible in the video joined her in the chants and held green cloth bandanna-like banners which often are used by activists with the pro-abortion group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights.

Ushers escorted the three women out of the church. As they were led out, a man inside the church chanted, “Abortion kills babies! Abortion kills babies!”

The episode took place at St. Veronica Parish in Eastpointe, Michigan, located about a 20-minute drive north of Detroit. The video originally was posted on TikTok and then re-posted on Twitter. A caption on the video says the disruption happened Sunday.

In a statement to CNA, the Archdiocese of Detroit said for the past five weeks it has been alerting pastors and parishes to be aware of security transgressions in other dioceses.

"We are sad to see protestors disrupt a liturgical celebration and disrespect those who were gathered in prayer," archdiocesan spokesman Ned McGrath said. "All religious communities should be free to worship without fear. In the Archdiocese of Detroit, we are committed to accompanying women and families facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies and advocating for laws that protect the lives of unborn babies and mothers." McGrath told CNA that the local police were notified about the disturbance.

The incident is the latest in a growing list of provocations by pro-abortion activists targeting Catholic churches because of the Church’s clear teaching that abortion is a grave evil.

Incidents of vandalism and arson also have taken place at a number of pro-life pregnancy centers across the U.S. since a leaked draft opinion in a Mississpi abortion case suggested a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court is prepared to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

On Monday, two leading U.S. bishops issued a statement calling for government action to stem the violence.

“Since the leak of the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, charities that support pregnant mothers in need have been firebombed, and pro-life organizations have been attacked almost daily and terrorized, and even the lives of Supreme Court justices have been directly threatened,” read the statement by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore.

“In light of this, we urge our elected officials to take a strong stand against this violence, and our law enforcement authorities to increase their vigilance in protecting those who are in increased danger. We thank those who have already done so, and we encourage them to continue,” the statement continued.

“Above all, each of us must choose the path of peace and open our hearts to the love that God has for his children. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, touch our hearts and make them like your own.”

Dolan chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Religious Liberty. Lori is chairman of the Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

New Bishop in Detroit

 

Pope Francis Names Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit

WASHINGTON - Pope Francis has appointed the Most Reverend Paul F. Russell as auxiliary bishop of Detroit. He is the titular archbishop of Novi. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. on May 23, 2022, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The Archdiocese of Detroit is comprised of 3,901 square miles in the State of Michigan and has a total population of 4,278,248, of which 1,131,660 are Catholic.

From Deacon's Bench: Archdiocese of Detroit says time to end the dispensation and come home to Mass

 

DETROIT ARCHBISHOP ANNOUNCES END OF DISPENSATION, URGES FLOCK TO ‘COME HOME TO HOPE’ IN MARCH

Citing the “essential and central nature of the Eucharistic Sacrifice” in the life of the Church, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron on Feb. 9 announced the general dispensation from Sunday Mass for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Detroit will expire on March 13.

However, while the general dispensation — which relieves all Catholics in the archdiocese from their moral obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days — is expiring, the archbishop said he will continue to grant “particular dispensations” to those in need, including those who are at high risk of COVID-19.

Others who may continue to be excused from their Sunday obligation include:

• Those who are ill or whose health would be significantly compromised were they to contract a communicable illness;
• Those who care for the sick, homebound or infirmed or someone in a high-risk category;
• Pregnant women;
• Those age 65 or older;
• Those who cannot attend Mass for other reasons (such as a lack of transportation or being turned away because of capacity limits); and
• Those who have “significant fear or anxiety of becoming ill by being at Mass.”

Anyone who exhibits flu-like symptoms or believes they might be asymptomatically carrying COVID-19 or another communicable illness also are asked not to attend Mass “as an act of justice and charity” toward others, Archbishop Vigneron said in a letter to the faithful.

“In allowing the general dispensation to expire, we welcome back to Mass all Catholics who have already been engaged in other activities that would present a similar or greater risk of exposure, such as eating out at restaurants, traveling, partaking in non-essential shopping, and widening one’s circle of contacts,” the archbishop wrote. “These individuals should also prepare to return to Mass in recognition of its preeminence in our lives as Catholics.”

You can read the full text of the archbishop’s letter here. 

He notes at the conclusion:

The health and safety of our communities is and always will be paramount as we continue to closely monitor local conditions. For that reason, I am continuing the liturgical directive that all the faithful present at Mass, with the exception of small children, wear a mask or face-covering. If this proves impossible for you or a family member, please speak with your priest. Additionally, our churches will remain limited to no more than 50 percent of available capacity for the near future, and many other existing protocols will remain in place. The Archdiocese is committed to assisting pastors to adjust Mass schedules or offer additional public Masses, insofar as possible, to make it easier for as many of the faithful as possible to attend Mass while still practicing social distancing during the approaching Lent and Easter seasons.

At the beginning of this pandemic, I entrusted the Archdiocese of Detroit to Our Lady of Lourdes, patroness for those who suffer illness, asking that, through her intercession, God would grant healing and protection to the people of southeast Michigan and beyond. I ask you, brothers and sisters, to join me in offering prayers of thanksgiving to Our Blessed Mother for her intercession so far and to pray for her continued accompaniment. With her help, let us persevere in hope to face the challenges of this virus and continue to give witness to our confidence in the good news of the Lord’s victory over suffering and death.

Is Detroit poised for another Saint?

Catholic church starts process to name Father Gabriel Richard a saint

Ariana Taylor

The Detroit News

The Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit has started the process toward sainthood for Father Gabriel Richard, a 19th century priest who wrote Detroit's official city motto. 

The Catholic church on St. Anne Street was granted permission from Archbishop of Detroit Allen Vigneron to establish a guild that will study the life and materials of Richard. 

The study will be used to find sufficient evidence for Vigneron to open an official cause for Richard to be named a saint. 

"Fr. Richard was a zealous pastor whose missionary heart guided all that he did," Vigneron said. "At a time when we in the Archdiocese are coming to a renewed awareness of our missionary vocation, I am grateful that we are able to raise up Fr. Richard as a model and inspiration for our mission today."

The announcement of the study was made after Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit had a Mass of Thanksgiving to celebrate Pope Francis granting the church the title of minor  basilica, which means the church will be distinguished from other churches for ceremonial purposes. 

"It is particularly poignant now, amid the difficulties of the pandemic, to be starting on this journey studying the life of a beloved pastor who died while caring for the sick," said Monsignor Charles Kosanke, current rector of the Basilica of Ste. Anne. "Father Gabriel Richard left an indelible mark on all of Michigan, from the life-saving ministries of his parish to the immeasurable contributions of those who have attended and taught at the University of Michigan."

Richard, born in 1767, was a French priest who presided over Southeast Michigan from 1798 until his death in 1832. Fr. Richard died while ministering to the sick during a cholera epidemic

Richard is attributed to creating Detroit's motto “We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes” following Detroit's Great Fire of 1805. The motto is still used on the city's seal. 

In 1809, Richard printed Michigan's first newspaper, The Michigan Essay or Impartial Observer, after bringing a printing press to the area, according to the Detroit Historical Society. 

Richard, along with Reverend John Monteith and others, founded the University of Michigan, which was known as Catholepistemiad at that time on August 26, 1817. 

A bold move in Detroit; reclaiming Sunday for the Lord

Sundays are changing for the better

Teresa Tomeo May 30, 2019

CNS

In my most recent book, “Beyond Sunday: Becoming a 24/7 Catholic” (OSV, $14.95), I take a look at the need for Catholics to embrace what they hear and whom they actually receive at Mass every week so that we can apply it to our everyday lives. What does our faith really mean to us if we merely are checking off a box, then going back to work or school without any noticeable change or impact?

In order to go beyond Sunday, we first have to reclaim the Lord’s Day and understand why God instructs us to take it so seriously. To discover this further, I was encouraged to see my archbishop, Allen Vigneron of the Archdiocese of Detroit, build on his powerful pastoral letter, “Unleash the Gospel.” This letter encourages Catholics to put their faith into strong practice, with a new understanding of Sunday leading the way.

In the Archdiocese of Detroit, this starts with the big leap — no pun intended — of Catholic schools and parishes eliminating Sunday sporting events. This major shift is outlined in his latest reflection of “Unleash the Gospel” that emphasizes the importance of the Third Commandment. The archbishop talks about a culture of busyness noticed not only by clergy, but by parents, who express how challenging it is to have their Sundays filled with running children from one activity to the next instead of with prayer and family time.

Prior to the release of “Unleash the Gospel” in 2017, the archdiocese held a major synod to reflect on input from local parishioners, pastors, various Church leaders and school administrators. “After prayerful consultation with the presbyterate of Detroit and responding to what I believe is the call of the Holy Spirit through Synod 16, we in the Archdiocese of Detroit will cease sporting events on Sunday. This means that competitive athletic programs in the grade school and high school levels are called to no longer play games or conduct practices on the Lord’s Day. In the months ahead, we will offer a number of resources to assist families in their own practice of keeping holy the Lord’s Day,” the archbishop stated.

In addition to sharing ideas on how families can reclaim Sundays, the archdiocese has been working with principals, coaches and school administrators to put the new, no-sports Sunday into practice starting this August. Sunday sports have become ingrained in parish life, but athletic directors and a diversified task force — including the Catholic Youth Organization and the Catholic High School League — were notified of the pending policy change in June 2017.

Hopefully this change will be good not only for athletic families at the local parish level, but for all Catholics. We may start thinking twice before spending our Sundays swallowed up in the culture of busyness at the mall, on our phones or in front of the TV. This message is not only about putting sports aside; it is about uncovering the true meaning of the Lord’s Day. As a result, as Archbishop Vigneron stresses, our Sundays will never be the same.

Sunday is a fitting day to grow in our faith. Catechesis for young people and adults is not out of place on this day. It also is a day to witness to our faith. That first Pentecost saw the apostles boldly proclaiming Jesus as Lord. As we seek to live a new Pentecost, we should be witnesses to God’s mercy, particularly on the Lord’s Day. This means we should look for opportunities to share our faith with others on this day. We do this in our words of kindness, by sharing our faith with others and through works of charity, especially to the less fortunate.