By Oralandar Brand-Williams
Detroit News
December 1, 2011
http://detnews.com/article/20111201/LIFESTYLE04/112010443/Vigneron--Consolidation-plan-will-%E2%80%98address-the-decrease-in-parishioners%E2%80%99
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| At a news conference Thursday to discuss the plan, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron said “the plan would address the decrease in parishioners” at area churches. (David Coates / The Detroit News) |
Detroit— St. Leo's Catholic Church in Detroit and St. Donald Catholic Church in Roseville could be among the casualties in a proposed reorganization plan for the Archdiocese of Detroit's 270 parishes in southeastern Michigan as church officials continued Thursday discussing the church's future.
The church announced Wednesday recommendations by a 25-member mostly layperson Archdiocesan Pastoral Council (APC) to close and merge struggling parishes in the Metro area.
Under the proposed plan, 60 parishes would merge down to 21, resulting in 39 fewer parishes. Seven church buildings would also close. The Archdiocese of Detroit said Thursday that officials are still gathering the names of the parishes that may close. Parishioners can go to the church's website to view documents pertaining to the future of their individual parish (http://www.aodonline.org).
The parishes recommended to close:
--St. Donald Parish, Roseville: The parish planning group proposed, and the APC concurred, that St. Donald Parish would close upon the retirement of its pastor in 2012.
--St. Maurice Parish, Livonia: Already clustered with St. Genevieve (the two parishes share a pastor), the parish planning group has proposed, and the APC has concurred, that St. Maurice should merge with St. Genevieve by June, 2012, and the St. Maurice site would close.
--St. Elizabeth Parish, Wyandotte: The parish planning group has proposed that St. Elizabeth should merge with St. Joseph Parish in Wyandotte in 2012 and close the St. Elizabeth worship site. The newly merged parish would further consider merging with St. Patrick to create a new parish. This two-step process has been accepted by the APC, pending some further considerations.
--St. Anthony (Lithuanian) Parish, Detroit: The parish planning group has proposed that St. Anthony Lithuanian Parish merge with Divine Providence (Lithuanian) Parish in Southfield in 2013. The APC has asked for further analysis on the possibility of the St. Anthony church building being used by Holy Redeemer Parish.
--Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Harper Woods: The parish planning group proposed, and the APC concurred, that the church property should be placed on sale in 2012 and the parish would close upon the sale of the property.
--Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in River Rouge or St. Francis Xavier Parish in Ecorse: The parish planning group has proposed, and the APC has concurred, that the two parishes should merge and close one of the worship sites by June 2012.
--Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish or St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Wyandotte: The parish planning group has proposed, and the APC has concurred, that the two parishes should merge and close one of the worship sites within three to five years.
--St. Luke Parish in Detroit: The APC has recommended that St. Luke Parish should plan to close and the community would merge with St. Mary of Redford Parish in Detroit.
--St. Leo Parish in Detroit: The APC has recommended that St. Leo Parish should plan to close and merge with St. Cecilia Parish in Detroit.
At a news conference Thursday to discuss the plan, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron said "the plan would address the decrease in parishioners" at area churches.
He said the proposed closings and mergers of local Catholic churches would allow the archdiocese to redirect its efforts to growing the church's youth ministry while at the same keeping its commitment to church outreach programs in hardest hit areas, such as the city of Detroit.
"I know the focus is on reorganizing parishes, but this is a pastoral plan" said Vigneron during a news conference Thursday at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary on Detroit's west side.
Vigneron, who was joined at the news conference by APC chairman Edward "Chip" Miller, said the financial condition of area parishes is a mixed bag.
"We have some parishes in very great financial condition, and we have some that can't pay their bills," said Vigneron.
The archbishop will study the recommendations and make his decisions on the plan by February.
Over the past year, a separate volunteer group of 1,500 Catholics has been meeting to discuss possible parish closures, mergers and other issues as the archdiocese deals with declining revenue, southeastern Michigan's declining population and a growing priest shortage.
Its recommendations were forwarded to the APC, which also met on the proposal. On Wednesday, the APC handed over its recommendations to Vigneron.
Miller said Thursday that a lot of parishes are spending a lot of money on buildings and maintenance.
"We didn't enter this with the idea of closings," said Miller about the APC's recommendations.
Miller said the new recommended plans "will focus on how we will, as one Church, manage our resources to fulfill our seven mission priorities: Evangelization and catechesis; Christian service outreach; youth and young adults; lay leadership; stewardship and administration; Catholic school education; and vocations."
Contact: bwilliams@detnews.com
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