53 S.E. Mich. parishes to be restructured

DETROIT -- Fifty-three Roman Catholic parishes in southeastern Michigan will undergo mergers, reorganizations, or closings over the next five years in the face of population shifts, changes in the worship habits of Catholics, and a shortage of priests, Archbishop Allen Vigneron said Monday.

Archbishop Vigneron described the restructuring of the Archdiocese of Detroit at an afternoon news conference releasing results of the latest phase of an intense, months-long study called "Together in Faith."

It involved 1,500 lay people as well as clergy.

"The life of the church here in the Archdiocese of Detroit cannot simply continue without significant changes," the archbishop said in an open letter to Detroit-area Catholics. "Faith and prudence demand that we act now to ensure that we will be able to do God's work effectively in the years to come."

The archdiocese now has 267 parishes.

Archbishop Vigneron said two parishes will close as early as this year, and 51 others will merge, reorganize, or go through financial reviews to determine their future.

The other 214 parishes are to develop a plan for potential collaboration or merger with other parishes.

"This does not indicate that the parish will cluster or merge in the near term," the archdiocese said in explaining the plan.

The plan released Monday follows the announcement Dec. 1 of a proposal to close nine parishes and merge 60 others into 21.

Archbishop Vigneron has been reviewing the plan.

Some parishes affected by that plan were spared immediate action under Monday's revision.

"The church, here in southeast Michigan and throughout the Western world, is facing an unprecedented set of challenges," the archbishop said.

They include "the abandonment of Sunday Mass and confession to a great many Catholics, a sharp decline in the number of our priests … the secularization of our culture, and dramatic economic and demographic changes," he said.

Slated for closing as parishes and elimination as Catholic worship sites are St. Donald Parish in Roseville and Our Lady Queen of Peace in Harper Woods, both in Detroit's northeastern suburbs.

Six parishes are under orders to submit and win approval of debt repayment plans by June 30, Archbishop Vigneron said. Otherwise, he said they may have to close or merge with a neighboring parish.

They are Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Detroit, SS Simon and Jude in Westland, St. Alexander in Farmington Hills, St. Clare of Assisi in Farmington Hills, St. Florian in Hamtramck, and St. Mel in Dearborn Heights.

A number of parishes have more than one church building now, and in cases where parishes merge, their buildings may continue in use for worship, the archdiocese said.

By the end of 2013, 23 parishes will merge into 11, but some or all of the church buildings could remain open, the archdiocese said.