Archbishop Weisenburger celebrated the 4 p.m. Christmas vigil Mass at St. James Parish in Novi at the invitation of Fr. Ed Zaorski, who is “a wonderful pastor and a gracious host,” the archbishop said. “The Church was packed, and it was a joyful Mass.”

On Christmas morning, Dec. 25, Archbishop Weisenburger celebrated Christmas morning Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, his first Christmas with Detroit’s faithful. “Nothing can replace the intimacy of being truly present,” the archbishop said in his homily, reflecting upon the profound mystery of Christ’s incarnation. “And in Jesus, our God is truly present to us. We no longer count on prophecies, prophets, hopes, Scriptures and dreams. No, he’s here. And he’s as close to us as every tabernacle and every neighbor.”

On Sunday, Dec. 21, Archbishop Weisenburger visited the convent of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in Monroe, celebrating Mass and enjoying "a delightful lunch" with the religious community. Founded in 1845, the IHM Sisters have served over the years in a variety of ministries, including education, hospital work, social and climate justice, retreats and ministry to the poor and marginalized.

On Sunday, Dec. 21, Archbishop Weisenburger continued a longstanding tradition by hosting a fraternal pre-Christmas dinner for the bishops of southeast Michigan. Front row seated, left to right, are Bishop John M. Quinn, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, Bishop Walter A. Hurley. Back row standing, left to right, are Bishop Robert J. Fisher, Bishop Francis Y. Kalabat of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger, Bishop Yousif Behnam Habash of the Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance, and Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton.

Archbishop Weisenburger received a unique Christmas gift from an Arizona friend: A Saguaro Cactus Christmas tree! The saguro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert, where Archbishop Weisenburger lived for eight years as bishop of Tucson, Arizona.