DETROIT (Michigan News Source) — Facing fewer priests, smaller congregations, and more buildings than it can reasonably sustain, the Archdiocese of Detroit is preparing to redraw parish lines over the next two years—and every parish will be part of the process.

A declining Catholic population.

Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger announced the plan during weekend Masses on Nov. 15–16, saying the archdiocese can’t keep maintaining a network of more than 200 parishes built for a Catholic population that once topped 1.5 million. 

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Today, that number is closer to 900,000, with fewer than half regularly attending Mass. At the same time, many churches are aging, expensive to maintain, and staffed by a priest corps that’s steadily thinning.

“We have been struggling to maintain buildings, ministries, and structures that were designed for a much larger Church,” Weisenburger said, adding that the current model leaves clergy “stretched too thinly to serve as well as we want.”

Springtime open gatherings.

In the spring of 2026, every parish will hold two open gatherings, giving the public a chance to offer their thoughts on the planned “pastorates”—newly formed clusters of parishes that would be served by one pastor and a unified leadership team. Those groupings are expected to be finalized in early 2027, replacing the “short-term” Families of Parishes structure created during the COVID-19 years.

Not all parishes will emerge unchanged. Archdiocesan officials have acknowledged that some buildings will close and some communities will merge, though specifics won’t be decided until after the listening sessions and subsequent review.

The restructuring is being coordinated by the Department of Parish Renewal and guided in part by the Catholic Leadership Institute, which has assisted other dioceses facing similar demographic shifts. 

Weisenburger, now in his first year leading the archdiocese, urged Catholics to view the moment with clarity but also hope.

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“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,” Weisenburger said. “Rather, I believe the situation we are facing is one that holds real and blessed opportunities.”

A new website, restructuring.aod.org, will track parish data and outline options as the process moves forward. The final pastorate map is expected to take effect in July 2027.