DETROIT (MI)
The Detroit News
By Oralandar Brand-Williams
The Detroit News
Detroit — Archbishop Allen Vigneron said Monday he hopes a sweeping restructure of local Catholic parishes will result in stable churches that are able to evangelize and get more people back into the pews.
Under the changes to the Archdiocese of Detroit’s 267 parishes, two churches will close by year-end and 31 will merge by 2013.
Additionally, seven parishes will merge within the next four years as a result of the reorganization given final approval by Vigneron.
Six other parishes will have to submit “acceptable” debt repayment plans by June or be forced to close or merge with another nearby parish. Seven others have cluster arrangements that are still being worked out. In all, 53 parishes are affected.
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