DETROIT — It was 1981, a time of adjustment for the Church of Detroit.
There was a new pope.
The Archdiocese of Detroit was showing signs of financial struggles.
And, after 22 years of leading the Archdiocese of Detroit, Cardinal John Dearden—the man who so well helped the archdiocese, and the nation, adapt to the new era of Vatican II—had announced his retirement the previous July.
So when in March 1981, Pope John Paul II announced that 53-year-old Bishop Edmund Szoka of the Diocese of Gaylord would take the helm of the Archdiocese of Detroit, the appointment was a vital one, both spiritually and financially.
“He was clearly the pope’s choice,” said Msgr. John Zenz, former moderator of the curia, had said in 2004. “Inspired by the charismatic leadership and vision of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Szoka tried to implement here in Detroit the energy and message of the pope – affirming the dignity of human life from the first moment of conception, strengthening Eucharistic devotion, renewing priestly formation, focusing resources on evangelization and working for social justice and an end to racism.”
Cardinal Szoka’s time as Archbishop of Detroit lasted until 1990. Like the pope, the cardinal became known as both personable and spiritual to those he ministered to and with in the archdiocese. As shepherd of the Church of Detroit, his mission – as is his motto, “To Live in Faith” – was to strengthen the faith of Catholics in the archdiocese.
“It is the perennial challenge the Church always faces,” Cardinal Szoka said in an interview in 2004, “strengthening the faith of the people and helping them to live that faith fully and actively.”
Certainly his tenure brought with it some challenges. As the population of the Detroit area’s Catholics shifted, and as the archdiocese started to show since of financial turmoil, it was necessary to close some parishes, and to open others. During his time as archbishop, Cardinal Szoka presided over 33 parish closings and the establishment of seven new parishes.
“Of course, it was challenging to make difficult decisions,” the cardinal said. “But once the situation has been studied carefully, prayed over fervently and then the course of action is clear, a bishop must have the courage and trust in God to go ahead with difficult decisions, knowing that the Lord will sustain him even in the face of strong and prolonged criticism and opposition.”
Even as some in the news media were harsh in their criticism of Cardinal Szoka’s difficult decisions to ensure the Church’s financial stability, his brothers in the Church saw that he took each decision before the Lord.
“He had great insight into problems that the Church faced,” Bishop Walter Hurley had said. Bishop Hurley, who was moderator of the curia during Cardinal Szoka’s tenure and later an auxiliary bishop in Detroit, currently is bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. “He was very courageous in addressing these problems as he saw them. He never backed away from a difficult situation, and always tried to face it with care and concern for the people.”
And of course, the growth of various pockets of the Church under Cardinal Szoka still has an impact on the archdiocese’s life today – especially its multiculturalism. Among the parishes he established were St. Paul (Albanian) Parish in Rochester Hills and St. Andrew Kim (Korean) in Detroit (which since has moved to Northville).
“To see the growth of the Church in a particular area is always encouraging,” Cardinal Szoka said. “I dedicated many new churches during my time as archbishop and each one was a very special occasion for the people of the parish and for me.”
Amid a great amount of change in the local church, Cardinal Szoka’s legacy of fiscal responsibility grew – a legacy which many assume led to his appointment at the Vatican. After starting a diocese from scratch in Gaylord (see story, page 8B), Cardinal Szoka faced a Detroit church with declining funds. To this day, the fruits of his financial leadership remain. He established the Catholic Services Appeal, which still helps the Church of Detroit raise more than $20 million for vital ministries each year.
The cardinal also was highly motivated when it came to media—encouraging pastors to use their local television stations as outlets for ministry. He even spearheaded the creation of the Catholic Television Network, CTND, which helped the archdiocese minister through cable television to thousands.
“When Cardinal Szoka came to Detroit, he came already realizing the power and value of television in relaying the Gospel and the message,” Msgr. Robert Humitz had said in 2004. Cardinal Szoka had put Msgr. Humitz in charge of CTND.
In the early 1980s, local cable stations were easier, and less expensive, to establish than they are today. And it didn’t take long for the Catholic station to be included in basic cable packages. By 1991, about 750,000 viewers received CTND as part of their local cable television package. Now, CTND has about 900,000 subscribers.
“Cardinal Szoka was very supportive of that because he could see that it was a powerful means of reaching people,” Msgr. Humitz had said. “He came at the right time and he had that vision – and thank God he did.”
In a recent interview, Cardinal Szoka said he sees his most significant accomplishment while archbishop of Detroit as being the establishment of Sacred Heart Seminary as a major seminary (see story on page 11B for details). The seminary—which today trains and forms priests from Detroit as well as those from several surrounding diocese—was transformed in 1988 when a graduate school of theological studies was put in place. That made it possible for a seminarian to receive all the training and formation required for ordination at the seminary
