Will I still be able to celebrate a wedding, funeral, baptism, etc. at my home parish?
Yes. Nothing has changed in regard to your ability to celebrate these significant celebrations in the parish which you are a registered member. This is also true for First Holy Communion Masses as well.
What will happen to Mass intentions that were scheduled for Masses that are now canceled or changed?
For a daily mass intention originally scheduled for a Mass day that has been canceled, it will be transferred to the corresponding Mass day at St. Frances Cabrini. For a weekend Mass intention, if on a Saturday Vigil Mass, it will be transferred to the lone Saturday Mass at St. Frances Cabrini. For a Sunday Mass intention, it will ‘stay’ with the Mass it was originally scheduled for, but at the new time. For example, if you scheduled a Mass intention for the 10:00am Mass at St. Constance, it will be celebrated at the new Sunday Mass time of 11:00am.
Can I use my parish envelope at other churches?
Yes. All parish envelopes can be used at any of our six locations. They will always be sent to the correct Church to be counted with their weekend offering, although it will more than likely be included in the collection total for the next week. Please remember, the only way for a parish to have an official record of your membership is if you use your envelopes or on-line giving. Placing cash in the offertory is not able to be attributed to a specific giver.
What does it mean to be an active and registered parishioner?
To be registered and active is two-fold. First, the registration means you have filled out the appropriate registration form, submitted it to the parish office, and received a parish number/envelopes. A simple way to know you are registered is if you have received mailings from the parish. To be active means that you are using your envelopes or on-line giving, volunteering in the many service opportunities provided, or most importantly, attending weekend Mass on a regular basis. It is very important to use your envelopes or on-line giving each week, as this is the only way it can be verified that you are attending Mass.
Why are we doing all these changes now?
From the data shared at each of the twenty-two Listening Session Presentations that were offered at all of our parishes on multiple occasions and given the fact that the entire Archdiocese is now undergoing a wholesale reorganization plan as announced in the No Second Tunic Pastoral Note from the Archbishop, our number of priests and active parishioners is rapidly declining. This has been a decades long trend, but we can no longer ignore this reality nor continue to do ‘business as usual’ when it comes to the ‘practice of the faith.’ The good news is that we still have a very vibrant Church, access to all the sacraments, the continual presence of the many ministries, groups, and organizations from each of our parishes. While it will look and feel different, it will still be present. The Listening Session presentation and No Second Tunic Letter can both be found on your parish website.
When will these changes take place?
The changes detailed in the Shepherd’s Synodal Report (office hours/mass schedule/pastoral staff) sent to all registered parishioners, will begin on Palm Sunday weekend (April 12-13) and every weekend thereafter, including Easter. If you have received the original mailing, Easter Sunday mass times are incorrect on that mailing. The correct times are found with this mailing. The Shepherd’s Report can be found on your parish website.
Which parish do we call if we need a priest?
If this occurs during normal business hours, you can call any parish, and it will be routed to the Mission Center Office. If this occurs after business hours, every parish has an emergency line that rings at the priest residence. If no priest is available to answer at the time of the call, a message can be left and will be answered in a timely fashion.
Are these changes only occurring at the Quo Vadis Domine Family?
No. The Archdiocese of Detroit has established the Office of Parish Renewal tasked with leading the entire Archdiocese of Detroit through a reorganization plan regarding parishes. This was outlined in the final Pastoral Note from Archbishop Vigneron entitled: No Second Tunic: A Plan for Mission-Ready Families of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit. You can read this short Pastoral Note on your parish website.
What is a “Mission-Ready Parish”?
Mission-Ready Parishes have an abundance of financial and human resources to carry out their God-given mission of saving souls. They are led by teams of priests who are healthy and thriving—spiritually, emotionally, and physically—and ready to carry out the mission for which they were ordained. These parish communities are fully alive and growing, with a clear sense of mission to form joyful disciples. They prioritize a culture that is vibrant and attracts the disaffiliated, youth, young adults and marginalized, while continuing to equip current parishioners with the joy of the Gospel. They are focused on the Apostolic work of the Church—in Word, Sacrament, and Service—over efforts to sustain aging church buildings.
What does Quo Vadis Domine mean and why are we called that now?
Quo Vadis Domine is a Latin phrase and translates to: ‘Lord, where are you going”? This question is attributed to St. Peter when he encounters the Risen Christ as he fled Rome in fear. The Lord responded to St. Peter’s question by saying He was heading back to Rome to be crucified again. This inspired St. Peter to change course and return to the city that would be the location of his persecution and eventual martyrdom. The story finds its origin from the apocryphal (not in the New Testament) ‘Acts of St. Peter’. It is often used to initiate discussion about the proper direction of ministry, mission, or purpose.
To address the data informed realization of far less priests and people in our parishes…or more directly to ask the question of ‘’Quo Vadis Domine?’… in 2020 Archbishop Vigneron began a process of reorganization of our parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit into ‘Families of Parishes’. After many meetings with priests, lay people, pastoral staff, committees, and Archdiocesan personnel, our Family of Parishes (FOP) was formed and given the name Quo Vadis Domine.
What is our new Weekday Mass schedule?
Starting on Monday, April 14, weekday Masses will only be celebrated at:
St. Frances Cabrini: Monday – Friday at 8:30am
During the liturgical seasons of Advent & Lent, the additional weekday schedule will also occur:
St. Mary Magdalen: Monday & Tuesday at 9:00am
St. Alfred: Wednesday & Friday at 9:00am
What are the projections for the number of priests for the future?
We presently have 213 parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Our active priest numbers are/will be:
Year Amount of Priests
2024: 224
2029: 163
2034: 134
What are the ages of the priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit?
30.8% under the age of 49
51.3% between the ages of 50 -69
17.9% over the age of 70
79.2% active priests between the ages of 50 – 70+
(26 priests – serving in parishes beyond the retirement age of 70)
Has the Archdiocese of Detroit considered inviting more priests from religious orders and other dioceses to stem the shortage of priests locally?
Since the founding of the Diocese of Detroit in 1833, priests from religious orders and other dioceses have made significant contributions to the life of our local Church, and we have every reason to expect that they will continue to do so long into the future. Currently, 25 percent of all the priests serving in the Archdiocese of Detroit are from religious orders and other dioceses worldwide.
While we are blessed to have many priests from around the world serving in southeast Michigan, it is important to note that the number of religious order priests are shrinking at a faster rate than are our Archdiocesan priests. Their home communities have their own missions, and we must be respectful of their needs—particularly in those areas of the world where the number of Catholics per priest is much higher than it is here in the Archdiocese of Detroit. In our Quo Vadis Domine Family of six parishes, three of our six priests are from other countries.
It is also important to note that the shortage of priests is just one of several motivating factors for this renewal, in addition to declining Mass attendance and a surplus of aging church buildings that require increasing financial resources to care for them, neither of which is addressed by inviting more priests into the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Can the Archdiocese of Detroit raise money to better support our parishes and schools?
Just as our current reality cannot fully be addressed by inviting additional priests, it also cannot be solved through solely financial solutions. Having sufficient monetary resources is important—the Church has real-world expenses just like any other organization, family, or individual—but we also have human resources that require our care.
We must ensure our priests are healthy and flourishing, our lay staff and volunteers are well-equipped for their roles, our parishes are vibrant, alive, and welcoming to newcomers, we are attentive to the shifting population and demographic needs of our communities, and we are properly focused on our mission—not on maintenance. A holistic means of addressing our changing realities is one focused on each of these aspects, not just one or two.
Have other dioceses engaged in a process like this?
Yes. Just as our initial transition to Families of Parishes was informed by lessons learned in dioceses undergoing similar processes, our current process is being informed by similar experiences in arch/dioceses such as Baltimore, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Trenton, and Seattle.
Resource Documents:
No Second Tunic. A Pastoral Plan to make our parishes mission-ready.
– Final Pastoral Note authored by Archbishop Vigneron and endorsed by Archbishop Weisenburger
– Read the Pastoral Note at: aod.org or parish websites
Shepherd’s Report.
A power point presentation that was organized by the Family priests and presented at every parish in the Family, on twenty-two separate occasions.
This report offers the projections for the future and the data that informed the changes to our FOP.
– Read the Report on the parish websites
Shepherd’s Synodal Pastoral Letter.
A document that reports the changes that will be occurring in our FOP, starting Palm Sunday Weekend (April 12-13)
– Read the Synodal Pastoral Letter on the parish websites
Instruction: The Pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelizing mission of the Church.
A bulletin from the Congregation for the Clergy with the approval of Pope Francis.
– Read the Instructions at: press.vatican.va
Parish/Archdiocesan Websites:
- Cabriniparish.org
- Marymagdalen.org
- Stalfredtaylor.org
- Stconstance.com
- AOD.org (Archdiocese of Detroit)