Why is restructuring necessary?
Like many dioceses across the country, the Archdiocese of Detroit is experiencing significant 
demographic and cultural shifts that are reshaping parish life. Over the past several decades, 
changes in religious affiliation and population patterns have left us with more church buildings 
than our current Catholic population requires. From a historic peak of approximately 1.5 
million Catholics, our local Catholic population now numbers around 900,000. During the 
same period, sacramental participation—including baptisms, first Communions, and 
marriages—has declined considerably.
At the same time, the number of priests available for parish ministry has continued to 
decrease. While we are blessed with seminarians in formation and the assistance of 
international and religious-order priests, many of our pastors remain stretched thin, often 
carrying heavy administrative burdens that limit the time they can devote to pastoral ministry. 
Most of our active priests are now over the age of 50, and projections indicate that by 2029 we 
will have fewer than 165 priests serving in parish ministry.
In response, this two-year process of restructuring seeks to prayerfully discern the best path 
forward for every parish community in light of these realities. The process will be guided by 
comprehensive data—financial and sacramental records, demographic trends—and, most 
importantly, by the insights and feedback of the faithful across the Archdiocese. All of this will 
be brought to prayer and communal discernment as we strive to build a local Church of vibrant 
parishes and flourishing priests, fully equipped to carry out the mission Christ has entrusted to 
us.

What entities are involved in restructuring?
All parishes, the Archdiocesan administrative offices, and priest assignments will be reviewed 
during this restructuring process. 
*Catholic Schools, Sacred Heart Major Seminary and affiliated organizations such as Catholic 
Charities of Southeast Michigan are not included in the formal restructuring process. Some of 
these entities, such as Catholic Schools, are undergoing separate strategic planning 
processes. 

Are all parishes involved in the restructuring process? 
Yes. Every parish will be evaluated using the same criteria, although the specific benchmarks 
will vary depending on factors such as geographic location (urban, suburban, rural). 
Are parishes with schools exempt from the process? What about parishes with 
cemeteries? 
No. All parishes will be part of this process—including those that have a school as well as 
those that have cemeteries.

Who is leading the restructuring process?
Archbishop Weisenburger is leading our process of restructuring with the support of priests, 
staff in the Archdiocesan Curia (central administrative offices), and an advisory group 
representing the geographic, ethnic, economic, and social diversity of the Archdiocese of 
Detroit.

How long is the restructuring process? What are the major milestones?
The entire process is a little under two years long, concluding on June 30, 2027: 
• Summer and Fall 2025: Preparatory work begins
• January 2026: Priests come together to develop draft models for each parish
• Spring 2026: Parish listening sessions held and online feedback collected
• Summer 2026: Feedback reviewed and model refinement happens
• Fall 2026: Archbishop Weisenburger’s discernment
• Winter 2027: Final plans announced
• July 1, 2027: Implementation begins

What is the expected outcome of the restructuring?
This process of restructuring is an opportunity for all of us to come together to shape the future 
of the Archdiocese of Detroit, ensuring that there is a vibrant Catholic presence in every corner 
of southeast Michigan for generations to come. Our three-fold goals are to have: 1. Healthy and 
flourishing priests, 2. Vibrant parish communities, and 3. Mission-ready and financially 
sustainable parishes to evangelize today and years into the future. 

What will happen to my parish? Will it close?
We anticipate that every parish in the Archdiocese will become part of a “pastorate,” a grouping 
of one or more parishes led by a single pastor and leadership team. Each pastorate will have 
one pastor and usually one or more parochial vicars (often called associate pastors). Any 
decisions about parish mergers or church closures will be made after a careful review of 
quantitative and qualitative data about each parish (including financial and sacramental trends 
and projections; the vibrancy and vitality of parish life and activity; and demographic data 
about the geographic area of the parish and surrounding area), as well as all the feedback from 
priests and parishioners collected during parish listening sessions.

What will happen to my priest? Will he be reassigned?
As part of the restructuring process, every priest is being asked to complete a leadership 
inventory that includes questions about the priest’s current assignment, his gifts and 
aptitudes, his preferences for future assignments, any priests with whom he’d like to serve, and 
the type of ministry to which he feels called. Archbishop Weisenburger and the Priest 
Missioning Team—priests elected to represent various age groups among the clergy—will use 
this feedback, along with other pieces of data, to determine the best assignment for each 
priest to help him flourish in his ministry. While a large-scale reassignment of priests should be 
expected, each priest and his assignment will be considered individually. Specific details about 
any new priest assignments will be announced in early 2027. 

How is this different from Families of Parishes? Are those going away?
A pastorate is a grouping of one or more parishes led by a single pastor and leadership team, 
whereas most Families of Parishes are led by an in solidum team of pastors with multiple 
leadership teams. The pastorate model allows for greater unity in vision and streamlined 
administrative duties, giving both the pastor and any parochial vicars (associate pastors) more 
time for pastoral ministry.
For now, parishes will remain in family groupings (which you might know as “a family of 
parishes” to continue their day-to-day ministries. Each parish, however, will be considered 
individually as part of the restructuring process, ensuring decisions are made to best suit the 
unique needs of each community. Eventually, the family groupings will be retired and replaced 
by the results of our shared discernment process.
From the beginning, Families of Parishes was a short-term solution to immediate needs 
brought to the fore by the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.