Detroit Archdiocese announces 2-year restructuring process to involve every parish

DETROIT (OSV News) -- The Archdiocese of Detroit is embarking upon a two-year process of restructuring that will involve every Catholic parish in southeast Michigan, with the goal of thoughtfully aligning parishes, clergy and communities to flourish for generations to come, Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger said.

He announced the process in a message read to the faithful during Masses the weekend of Nov. 15-16.

Like many dioceses around the country, the Archdiocese of Detroit has seen declines in the number of Mass-attending Catholics, ordained priests and participation in the sacraments in recent decades.

Many of the Archdiocese of Detroit's more than 200 parishes were established "during a time of tremendous growth," the archbishop said, but today, "we have been struggling to maintain buildings, ministries, and structures that were designed for a much larger Church."

Once home to 1.5 million Catholics, the archdiocese today has closer to 900,000, with fewer than half of baptized Catholics attending Mass on a regular basis, the archbishop said. At the same time, the archdiocese has a surplus of aging church buildings requiring significant resources and upkeep, and a priest shortage that is projected to steepen by as much as 40% in the coming years.

Today, most active priests in the archdiocese are age 50 and older, with many caring for two, three or more parish communities.

"The situation that unfolded in the last 50 years has left us stretched -- sometimes stretched too thinly to serve as well as we want," Archbishop Weisenburger said. "Moreover, as we struggle to care for buildings and parish structures where there are very few people, we are also seeking to ensure the presence of the Church as we follow the Catholic population in those areas where the Church is growing."

While the church remains alive and hopeful, these trends create challenges that must be addressed in a forthright, honest and prayerful way, Archbishop Weisenburger said.

"I believe with all my heart that God is inviting us to reimagine parish life, priestly ministry, and our mission with new creativity and deep faith, to build something that will last -- something vibrant, sustainable, and full of hope," Archbishop Weisenburger said in a news release. "This is why I'm inviting every Catholic in our archdiocese to join me in a two-year process of renewal. In the effort before us, every voice matters, just as every prayer matters."

To address these challenges, the local church will undertake a proactive, two-year restructuring effort that will involve prayer, shared discernment and open dialogue about the future of every parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit, the archbishop said.

By July 2027, each parish in the archdiocese will become part of a "pastorate," a grouping of one or more parishes led by a single pastor and his team.

These groupings will differ from the Archdiocese of Detroit's current model, known as Families of Parishes, which often operate under an "in solidum" model, with many priests sharing responsibility for each parish in the family.

At the conclusion of the restructuring process, Families of Parishes will be "retired and replaced by the results of our shared discernment," according to a frequently asked questions document released by the archdiocese. During the restructuring process, each parish will be considered separately and individually in order to best address the unique needs of each community, the archdiocese said.

"From the beginning, Families of Parishes was a short-term solution to immediate needs brought to the fore by the COVID-19 pandemic," the archdiocese said in the FAQ document. "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."

The restructuring process will be transparent, inclusive and open to all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Detroit, who will have several opportunities to give input, Archbishop Weisenburger said.

In the spring of 2026, each parish will host two listening sessions -- open to all parishioners -- during which feedback on pastorate models proposed for consideration will be collected and shared with archdiocesan leaders, Archbishop Weisenburger said.

"It will be a journey of discernment that I believe we can accomplish only together -- a time for us to chart the best path forward for each of our communities and regions," Archbishop Weisenburger said. "The end result will affect each parish and community of our archdiocese, so each of you has a part to play in shaping the future of our church."

The Department of Parish Renewal, a new department of the archdiocesan curia led by Father Mario Amore, will facilitate the restructuring process and organize the spring listening sessions, which will be announced in early 2026. The Archdiocese of Detroit is also working with the Catholic Leadership Institute, which has helped dozens of dioceses in similar restructuring efforts.

The curia itself -- which also will be restructured as part of the process to better serve the needs of parishes -- will hold its own listening session.

In the summer of 2026, feedback and input from the listening sessions will be used to refine the proposed pastorate models, and recommendations will then be presented to Archbishop Weisenburger for his discernment. The archbishop's decisions regarding each parish community and pastorate will be announced in early 2027, with implementation beginning in July 2027.

Assignments for each of the archdiocese's active priests will also be considered as part of the process.

While the restructuring process will lead to the closure of some church buildings, and some parishes may see "changes in how or where they gather," Archbishop Weisenburger said the goal is ultimately to shape a local church in which every parish, priest and community is a strong, flourishing and vibrant for generations to come.

"While I believe that our commitment to Christ and his Church means that we must face these challenges, I do not believe that this moment in time need be marked primarily by anxiety or despair," the archbishop said. "Rather, I believe the situation we are facing is one that holds real and blessed opportunities."

The archdiocese announced the creation of a new website, restructuring.aod.org, which will include details and resources to guide the restructuring efforts. As the pastorate models are developed, the website will be updated with demographics and data about each parish community -- include sacramental and financial trends -- as well as other information to help the faithful understand and participate in the process.

The Archdiocese of Detroit is not the only diocese to undergo a restructuring process; more than 30 U.S. dioceses have undertaken similar efforts in recent years, including the Diocese of Grand Rapids, which announced its own restructuring in July.

As the church in southeast Michigan considers its future with faith and trust in the Holy Spirit, Archbishop Weisenburger urged Catholics to remain rooted in the hope of the Gospel as a new local church takes shape.

"Just as there will be mourning over losses or changes in parish life, there likewise will be new blessings with enhanced locations, renewed communities, and the ability to redirect our efforts toward sharing the Gospel and making disciples," Archbishop Weisenburger said. "I believe that as we work to right-size the archdiocese and reallocate our personnel and financial resources, the footprint of the Church's presence -- her mission, her faith, and her people -- will remain.

"Together, and with God's grace," he added, "we will fashion a Church in this archdiocese that is vibrant, flourishing, and fully alive in the mission of the Gospel."