Over 16 years as archbishop of Detroit, Archbishop Vigneron has left a significant impact on the Church in southeast Michigan
DETROIT — A son of the Archdiocese of Detroit, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron’s story in the Motor City didn’t begin with his elevation to be Detroit’s chief shepherd in 2009.
Born in Mount Clemens, the future archbishop grew up attending Immaculate Conception Parish in Anchorville and spent his boyhood days on the family farm in Michigan’s Blue Water area. He entered Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit in September 1962, attending both high school and college before continuing his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1975, served many years on the faculty of Sacred Heart Seminary — including later as the second rector-president of the re-founded Sacred Heart Major Seminary — and in 1996, he was ordained an auxiliary bishop for the Church in Detroit.
After being called to serve as bishop of Oakland, California, from 2003 to 2009, he returned to Detroit as its chief shepherd, succeeding Cardinal Adam J. Maida as Detroit's fifth archbishop on Jan. 28, 2009.
In the 16 years since then, Archbishop Vigneron has made an immeasurable impact on the Church in southeast Michigan. Here is a timeline of the highlights of his ministry:
2009
Jan. 5: Pope Benedict XVI names Bishop Allen H. Vigneron, then bishop of Oakland, California, as the fifth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, succeeding Cardinal Adam J. Maida. Archbishop Vigneron is installed on Jan. 28, 2009.
February: Returning to Detroit as archbishop, Archbishop Vigneron encourages more than 1,300 teenagers in their faith during a Catholic Youth Organization conference at Detroit’s Renaissance Center.
February: A near-tragic fire in the roof of the main chapel at Sacred Heart Major Seminary leads to the repair and restoration of stained-glass windows, oak Stations of the Cross, stone window surrounds and pews. New lighting, roof panels and gutters are installed.
May: Archbishop Vigneron ordains his first class of priests as archbishop of Detroit, raising five men to the presbyterate for the Archdiocese of Detroit at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
June: Pope Benedict bestows the pallium, a woolen band signifying the authority of a shepherd, upon Archbishop Vigneron's shoulders during a solemn Mass on the Solemnity of SS. Peter and Paul at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
September: Archbishop Vigneron announces a major financial restructuring of the Archdiocese of Detroit, which had been losing up to $42,000 per day, launching a plan to stabilize budgets and reprioritize resources after a prayerful process of discernment.
October: Archbishop Vigneron blesses a shrine dedicated to St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners, in the Detroit Salt Mine deep beneath the city.
November: Archbishop Vigneron blesses the site of a new all-girls Catholic high school in Wixom, helping break ground on the future St. Catherine of Siena Academy.
2010
February: Archbishop Vigneron calls on Catholics in the Archdiocese of Detroit to renew devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the first Friday of each month, placing a particular emphasis upon praying for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
March: Archbishop Vigneron welcomes Cardinal Francis Arinze, the former prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, to Detroit for the annual Lenten Symposium hosted by Holy Trinity Apostolate.
September: Leading a prayer vigil with hundreds of Catholics in front of an abortion clinic in Westland, Archbishop Vigneron urges Catholics to foster a robust witness for the protection of all human life, saying such witness “is part of a broader, deeper, more cosmic struggle — a struggle for God on our behalf.” He also blesses a new monument marking the graves of 23 abortion victims at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield.
October: As an international conference on embryonic stem cell research takes place in Detroit, Archbishop Vigneron pens an op/ed for the Detroit Free Press defending the dignity of unborn life and explaining Catholic teaching on stem cell research and bioethics.
October: Archbishop Vigneron travels to Rome as one of three archbishops from North America to take part in the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, a gathering of 185 bishops from around the globe to discuss the plight of Christians and interfaith relations in the Middle East and the Holy Land.
November: Archbishop Vigneron receives a relic of St. Toribio Romo, a priest martyred in Mexico’s 1926-29 Cristero War, to be placed in a permanent shrine at Holy Redeemer Church in southwest Detroit.
2011
January: The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council endorses the second phase of Together in Faith, a pastoral planning process calling on parishes to examine their sacramental activity, finances, and demographic projections and to identify a path forward.
February: Archbishop Vigneron dedicates the Stella Maris Chapel, the first-ever Catholic church to be built on the Caribbean island of Cayman Brac, during a pastoral visit to the Cayman Islands, which are under the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
April: Five county-based Catholic social service agencies in southeast Michigan combine into a single entity, Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan. Archbishop Vigneron explains the move would increase the efficiency of the regional Catholic social services network and lead to a greater ability for the Church to connect those in need with services.
May: Archbishop Vigneron ordains three new auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Detroit after Pope Benedict XVI appoints Bishops Michael J. Byrnes, Donald F. Hanchon and Arturo Cepeda to assist him in ministry to the faithful of southeast Michigan.
May: Pope Benedict XVI announces that St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus and patroness of the city of Detroit’s oldest church, would be formally recognized as the patroness of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Archbishop Vigneron announces the declaration during the ordination Mass for three new auxiliary bishops.
September: To help shore up the local Church’s finances, the Archdiocese of Detroit launches Changing Lives Together, a lay-led, $135 million capital campaign to raise money in support of parish initiatives, Catholic education, lay formation programs, and Catholic parishes and programs in the city of Detroit.
November: The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council — a body of mostly lay advisers — presents Archbishop Vigneron with recommendations from a yearlong pastoral planning process called Together in Faith, which involved input from about 1,500 volunteers about the future of parishes, schools and institutions within the Archdiocese of Detroit.
2012
February: Archbishop Vigneron and Detroit’s auxiliary bishops travel to Rome to meet with Pope Benedict XVI, report on the state of the Archdiocese of Detroit and pray at the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul during their “ad limina” visits.
February: Archbishop Vigneron releases the roadmap for the second phase of Together in Faith along with his pastoral letter, “Forward in Hope to Share Christ,” in which the archbishop laid out his vision for an evangelizing Church. Addressing painful but necessary parish mergers and closures, the archbishop encouraged the local Church to move forward with a renewed focus on collaboration, remaining fixed on the mission of Christ.
March: At Archbishop Vigneron’s direction, parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit begin to adopt new standards for parish finance councils, promoting greater financial transparency and accountability while satisfying the requirements of canon law.
April: In response to the U.S. government’s mandate requiring employers to cover contraception and abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans, hundreds of Catholics rally in protest outside the Federal Building in downtown Detroit. Archbishop Vigneron and Michigan’s Catholic bishops oppose the mandate and urge Catholics to contact their representatives. The Michigan Catholic Conference files a lawsuit against the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
September: As the Church celebrates the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, Archbishop Vigneron presides during a conference at Sacred Heart Major Seminary devoted to unpacking the meaning and impact of the council on the modern Church.
December: Archbishop Vigneron answers questions from senior class members at University of Detroit Jesuit High School as part of a pastoral visit to the northwest Detroit school.
2013
January: Archbishop Vigneron presides during the funeral of Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Moses B. Anderson, SSE, Detroit's first African-American bishop and a powerful voice for civil rights in the United States.
February: Archbishop Vigneron releases a new pastoral letter, “In Union with Christ’s Dying and Rising,” which urges a deeper understanding of the Church’s funeral and burial rites, and offers practical steps to help families and parishes incorporate the themes they teach.
March: The Archdiocese of Detroit announces that, after years of operating at a deficit, it had balanced its budget for the past two fiscal years and realized a budget surplus.
March: Archbishop Vigneron designates eight local churches as pilgrimage sites during the extraordinary Year of Faith, which had been proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI before the pope's historic resignation in February 2013.
March: Archbishop Vigneron hosts a joyful press conference at Sacred Heart Major Seminary to welcome the election of Pope Francis, saying the new pontiff is “a man of God, a man who will lead us, and a man who will walk with us on our way to God.”
May: The Archdiocese of Detroit announces it will consolidate most of its central administration offices in a newly renovated Chancery building in downtown Detroit’s Capitol Park. It also announces the sale of its two main administrative buildings, the former Chancery building and the Gabriel Richard Building in downtown Detroit, as well as a third, unoccupied building adjacent to the Chancery and the archdiocesan print shop building in Corktown.
October: Archbishop Vigneron hands out rosaries and shares the Gospel with curious passersby alongside members of St. Paul Street Evangelization in downtown Royal Oak.
November: Archbishop Vigneron hosts a special holy hour at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament with members of the Chaldean, Melkite, Maronite, Armenian and Syriac Catholic churches to pray for peace amidst war and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
2014
March: After years of strengthening the archdiocese’s finances and setting the local Church on a path toward parish and organizational health, Archbishop Vigneron announces a Year of Prayer for a New Pentecost to pray for the will of the Holy Spirit in the Archdiocese of Detroit “in order to engage more effectively the first of our mission priorities, namely, evangelization,” he said.
June: Archbishop Vigneron greets the newly elected Pope Francis for the first time during an audience at the Vatican.
August: The Archdiocese of Detroit partners with local Catholic colleges, including the University of Detroit Mercy and Madonna University, to offer grants and scholarships worth up to $20,000 to students attending 12 years of Catholic school in southeast Michigan.
September: Archbishop Vigneron presides during the solemn funeral of Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, laying to rest his predecessor as archbishop of Detroit from 1981 to 1990. In his homily, Archbishop Vigneron said Cardinal Szoka “was a man of his convictions” who “wanted people to get closer to Christ.”
October: Archbishop Vigneron presides during a historic “Mass mob” at St. Francis D’Assisi Church in Detroit, part of a grassroots movement of local Catholics to support historic inner-city churches by attending Mass “en masse” on a particular Sunday.
November: Archbishop Vigneron dedicates a new quarter-mile running track at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, named for the late Bishop Walter J. Schoenherr, a Sacred Heart alumnus and accomplished athlete.
2015
January: Pope Francis issues a decree elevating the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak to the status of a minor basilica, the first in the history of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The designation comes after years of preparation by Shrine pastors Msgr. William Easton, who died Dec. 29, 2013, and then-Fr. (now Bishop) Robert Fisher, who expressed gratitude for Archbishop Vigneron’s leadership and support.
February: Archbishop Vigneron cuts the ceremonial ribbon on the Archdiocese of Detroit’s new downtown headquarters at 12 State Street in Capitol Park, leading approximately 200 Central Services employees from the former Chancery building on Washington Boulevard to their new workplace home.
February: As Lent begins, Archbishop Vigneron serves meals to the homeless and hungry alongside members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at the Matchan Nutrition Center and soup kitchen in Pontiac.
April: In a powerful homily during the annual Chrism Mass, Archbishop Vigneron issues an impassioned plea for the Archdiocese of Detroit to fight against the temptation of apathy and "boredom" toward Jesus, resisting what he called the "noonday devil" and the "great wound of our culture."
May: Archbishop Vigneron leads a Eucharistic procession through the “domain” in the city of Lourdes, France, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. The archbishop, a chaplain of the Order of Malta, took part in its annual pilgrimage, which brings thousands of sick people — known as malades — from across the world to the shrine to experience physical or spiritual healing. The archbishop would return to Lourdes several times.
May: At the conclusion of the Year of Prayer for a New Pentecost, Archbishop Vigneron announces his intentions to convoke a historic synod of the Archdiocese of Detroit in the fall of 2016 in order to re-focus on the critical mission of evangelization and the need to “encounter Christ anew” as a missionary Church.
July: Archbishop Vigneron releases a pastoral letter, “The Preacher — Servant of the Word of God,” to encourage priests and deacons to facilitate an “encounter with God” during their homilies.
September: The Archdiocese of Detroit plans a series of Eucharistic-themed events featuring lively music, dynamic preaching and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to stir up faith in the hearts of Detroiters. “Come, Encounter Christ!” events begin to take place in each of the archdiocese’s 16 vicariates in the buildup to the synod.
September: Archbishop Vigneron travels to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to greet Pope Francis during the pontiff’s first visit to the United States. After a Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, Archbishop Vigneron speaks with the pope, telling him he would “do the very best I could to continue the new evangelization in the Archdiocese of Detroit," he said. The pope "was very encouraging and very conscientious about the needs for many dioceses in the country to evangelize.”
December: The Archdiocese of Detroit unveils the name of its new evangelization initiative under Archbishop Vigneron’s leadership: “Unleash the Gospel.” The initiative, which included the Year of Prayer for a New Pentecost and preparations for a historic archdiocesan synod, would go on to become the defining effort of the archbishop’s ministry in the decade to come.
December: Archbishop Vigneron inaugurates the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in the Archdiocese of Detroit with the opening of a Holy Door at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The jubilee year, proclaimed by Pope Francis, emphasized the radical love of Jesus and a welcoming of fallen-away and lapsed Catholics back to the Church.
2016
February: Archbishop Vigneron celebrates Mass for inmates at the Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer, bringing the Blessed Sacrament to those behind bars to offer hope and mercy during the jubilee year. The archbishop said his visit to the prison was in the model of Pope Francis, who instructed bishops around the world to be “ambassadors of mercy” during the jubilee year.
April: The Archdiocese of Detroit hosts parish dialogue gatherings across southeast Michigan in preparation for Synod 16. The discussions, which involved tens of thousands of Catholics in Metro Detroit, are broken down into three categories, “Encounter,” “Grow,” and “Witness,” each symbolizing an important part of the evangelization process.
April: The archdiocese hosts the “Amazing Parish Conference,” a dynamic, three-day gathering of parish leaders at Detroit’s Renaissance Center to pray and listen to the Holy Spirit while discerning how to reshape southeast Michigan’s parishes for mission.
May: During a dynamic homily on the Solemnity of Pentecost, Archbishop Vigneron fervently prays for the Holy Spirit to “breathe new life” into the Church in the Archdiocese of Detroit as it prepares for the synod.
August: Archbishop Vigneron presides over a joint wedding celebration for 17 couples at St. Damien of Molokai Parish in Pontiac. The wedding was the result of an effort by the urban parish to encourage couples who were married outside the Church or cohabiting outside of marriage to finally “tie the knot” through holy matrimony.
September: Sacred Heart Major Seminary's Institute for Ministry is renamed the "Institute for Lay Ministry," in order to better reflect the core work of the institute to form effective lay ministers for the work of the Gospel.
October: Archbishop Vigneron and Detroit’s four auxiliary bishops lead a solemn “Mass for Pardon” at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament to beg God’s mercy for the institutional and personal sins of the Church, including the sins of racism, scandal and abuse. Archbishop Vigneron said the Mass was an important step in the Archdiocese of Detroit’s preparation for Synod 16, inviting all of God’s people in southeast Michigan to “repent and believe in the Gospel” — which he said is inseparable from the mission of evangelization.
October: Archbishop Vigneron blesses a new shrine dedicated to St. John Paul II at the Shrine Chapel of Our Lady of Orchard Lake, where the Polish pope visited twice as a cardinal.
November: A historic, prayerful, spirit-filled gathering of more than 400 priests, religious, laity and bishops from across the Archdiocese of Detroit, Synod 16 takes place from Nov. 18-20 at St. Aloysius Church and the Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit. The first archdiocesan synod in almost 50 years, Synod 16 becomes a watershed moment for the Church in southeast Michigan. Emotionally addressing synod members with an image of the risen Christ behind him, Archbishop Vigneron urges the local Church to allow the Holy Spirit to transform it “into a joyful band of missionary disciples,” ready to proclaim the Gospel to all who will hear.
2017
January: Archbishop Vigneron ordains two new auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Detroit, Bishops Gerard W. Battersby and Robert J. Fisher, after Pope Francis appointed the two Detroit priests to the episcopacy three days after the close of Synod 16. On Jan. 25, 2017, Archbishop Vigneron consecrates Bishop Fisher and Bishop Battersby at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
March: Archbishop Vigneron addresses synod members for the first time since Synod 16, updating them on his discernment and the progress of his expected post-synodal pastoral letter.
April: The Office of Catholic Schools unveils a new religion curriculum for schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit, incorporating guiding principles based on evangelization, Catholic identity and faith formation.
May: Pope Francis recognizes a miracle attributed to the intercession of Fr. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap., paving the way for the beatification of Detroit’s beloved “Porter of St. Bonaventure.” Archbishop Vigneron hosts a joyous press conference at St. Bonaventure Monastery with Detroit’s Capuchin friars. “The beatification of Fr. Solanus Casey is an incomparable grace for the Church in the Archdiocese of Detroit and for the whole community of southeast Michigan,” the archbishop said.
June: Archbishop Vigneron presides over the consecration of three women as "consecrated virgins living in the world," the first time such a consecration had taken place in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
June: Archbishop Vigneron releases his post-synodal pastoral letter, “Unleash the Gospel,” on the Solemnity of Pentecost, a landmark blueprint for evangelization and a roadmap for the missionary transformation of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The wide-ranging letter, which Archbishop Vigneron described as a “repository of the graces of Synod 16,” calls on every Catholic in southeast Michigan to move from “maintenance to mission” and for the fundamental renewal of parishes, schools, families and structures in the Archdiocese of Detroit in a spirit of confidence, focus and resolve to share Christ.
July: Archbishop Vigneron raises the status of Ste. Anne Parish in southwest Detroit to that of an archdiocesan shrine.
September: In a “once-in-a-lifetime” concert, the Sistine Chapel Choir — the personal choir of the pope in Rome — performs at Ste. Anne Parish in southwest Detroit at the invitation of Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron as part of a historic, three-city tour.
September: Archbishop Vigneron welcomes the creation of a new lay-led philanthropic effort, the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, as a “conduit of giving,” connecting donors throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit with parishes, schools and ministries as a way to provide “perpetual support in line with our Catholic principles.”
November: Archbishop Vigneron is elected to a three-year term as secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
November: Exactly one year after the opening Mass of Synod 16, Fr. Solanus Casey is beatified during a historic Mass celebrated at Detroit’s Ford Field with a staggering 65,000 faithful, including bishops, priests, religious and lay Catholics, in attendance. At Archbishop Vigneron's request, Cardinal Angelo Amato, then-prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints, reads the papal decree declaring Fr. Solanus “blessed.” “For decades, countless faithful have awaited this moment, which has been the object of so many requests,” Archbishop Vigneron said. Blessed Solanus Casey’s feast day is announced as July 30.
2018
January: A planning process begins to develop a comprehensive pastoral strategy for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit based on “Unleash the Gospel.” The plan aims to re-envision, strengthen and refocus Catholic education in southeast Michigan according to the principles of Catholic identity, accessibility, academics and sustainability.
January: Archbishop Vigneron presides over a “Gospel Mass for Peace” at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, celebrating the heritage of Gospel music in Detroit. The Mass setting was a gift to Archbishop Vigneron from Kier Ward, music minister at Sacred Heart Parish in Detroit, on behalf of the Black Catholic community. During the Mass, Archbishop Vigneron apologizes to the African-American community for past sins of institutional racism.
May: Archbishop Vigneron and Detroit’s auxiliary bishops preach a series of homilies reaffirming the Church’s teachings on human sexuality and the dignity of human life surrounding the 50th anniversary of Pope St. Paul VI’s groundbreaking encyclical Humanae Vitae.
June: Archbishop Vigneron issues the first in a series of pastoral notes addressing teaching topics based on “Unleash the Gospel.” The first note, “Agents for the New Creation,” addresses the sin of racism, calling on Catholics in Metro Detroit to serve as catalysts for racial healing by confronting past hurts and bringing Christ “into the deepest recesses of lingering division.”
July: Archbishop Vigneron celebrates Blessed Solanus Casey’s first feast day with hundreds of Catholics and Capuchin friars at St. Bonaventure Monastery in Detroit.
August: In a spirit of innovation, Archbishop Vigneron announces the closure of The Michigan Catholic, the 147-year-old print newspaper of the Archdiocese of Detroit, and the launch of an all-new daily digital news publication, Detroit Catholic, to continue to provide award-winning news, inspiration and engaging content to southeast Michigan’s faithful.
August: On the heels of a Pennsylvania grand jury report and revelations of abuse at the hands of high-ranking U.S. Church officials, Archbishop Vigneron issues a letter expressing sorrow for the sins of sexual abuse in the Church, prayers for survivors and their families, and a firm resolve to prevent abuse, cooperate with civil authorities, protect vulnerable children and adults, and help heal wounds caused by clerical abuse.
October: Archbishop Vigneron releases a new pastoral note, “An Act of Mercy and Faith,” highlighting the significance of Christian burial rites. He also announces a new initiative, “Gather Them Home,” whereby families may bring the cremated remains of loved ones to a Catholic cemetery to be laid to rest free of charge.
November: The Archdiocese of Detroit engages 276,718 people during “Unleash the Gospel Weekend,” in which hundreds of missionaries visited parishes across the archdiocese to share how the local Church is changing its culture. More than 47,000 people took the “UTG Challenge,” signing up for text and video updates and taking part in the local Church's missionary movement.
December: The archdiocese launches its “Unleash the Gospel” multimedia content platform, including digital storytelling, faith formation content, videos and podcasts, as well as a new magazine mailed to hundreds of thousands of households in southeast Michigan.
2019
March: Parishes across the Archdiocese of Detroit host a tour of a first-class relic of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests. The heart of the “Cure of Ars” inspires thousands who venerate the relic and pray for priests.
April: Archdiocesan workers participate in a multi-day workshop sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops focused on building “intercultural competency,” one of the pillars of "Unleash the Gospel."
April: Archbishop Vigneron announces the “next phase” of Unleash the Gospel, a missionary strategic planning process called “Sent on Mission,” which would involve the “renewal of the Archdiocese of Detroit parish by parish,” prioritizing the work of evangelization and culture change.
May: In its 100th year, Sacred Heart Major Seminary experiences the largest graduating class of priests, laypeople and deacons since the seminary’s re-founding in the 1980s.
May: Archbishop Vigneron releases a pastoral note calling on parishes and Catholic schools to reclaim Sundays as a day of prayer, rest and devotion to God. In “The Day of the Lord,” the archbishop directs parishes, schools and CYO teams to cease scheduling athletic games and practices on Sundays.
August: Archbishop Vigneron releases a pastoral note emphasizing the beauty of the Church’s teaching on chastity and human sexuality. In “Imitating Christ’s Charity and Chastity,” the archbishop encourages those with same-sex attraction to find their identity rooted in God’s design for human flourishing, and directing the local Church to enhance its ministry via apostolates such as Courage and EnCourage.
September: Archbishop Vigneron launches a monthly podcast, “Eyes on Jesus,” hosting conversations about life, faith and evangelization.
October: The Archdiocese of Detroit Endowment Foundation celebrates 25 years and more than $78.3 million in tuition assistance provided for Catholic school families, as well as support for seminarians, lay ministers, retired priests and other Catholic causes.
November: The archdioceses launches “52 Sundays,” a weekly family faith reflection guide to help parents and children observe the Lord’s Day by studying the saints, praying, and sharing meals and activities together.
November: Archbishop Vigneron is elected to a three-year term as vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops after completing a three-year term as the conference’s secretary.
December: Archbishop Vigneron and other bishops from Michigan and Ohio travel to Rome to meet Pope Francis, report on the state of their dioceses, and pray at the tombs of the apostles during their “ad limina” visits.
2020
February: Archbishop Vigneron grants permission for Detroit priest Fr. John Riccardo to begin a new apostolate, Acts XXIX, caring for and evangelizing priests, parish staffs and lay ministers and helping to unleash the Gospel throughout southeast Michigan and beyond.
March: Pope Francis elevates Detroit’s historic Ste. Anne Parish to the status of a minor basilica, the second in the Archdiocese of Detroit. The parish was designated following a 223-page application submitted to Rome explaining the parish’s historical, architectural and pastoral significance to the life of faith in southeast Michigan.
March: The Archdiocese of Detroit launches Detroit Catholic en Espanol, an all-new local news source for Spanish-speaking Catholics.
March: Archbishop Vigneron elevates St. Joseph Oratory in Detroit to the status of an archdiocesan shrine. The shrine, revitalized by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, had been experiencing a robust life of faith.
March: As COVID-19 spreads, the Archdiocese of Detroit takes the extraordinary step of suspending public Masses and temporarily closing Catholic schools to prevent transmission of the deadly virus. In an emotional livestreamed Mass from an empty Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Archbishop Vigneron leads the archdiocese in a prayer for spiritual communion and entrusts the local Church, including the sick and suffering, to the protection of Our Lady of Lourdes.
April: During an emotional Holy Week, Archbishop Vigneron presides over the solemn liturgies commemorating Christ’s passion, death and resurrection from an empty cathedral. On Easter Sunday, he offers an extraordinary blessing to the Archdiocese of Detroit from the steps of the cathedral, holding the Eucharistic Lord in a monstrance while making the sign of the cross over the entire city.
April: Archdiocese of Detroit launches its new “Encounter Grow Witness” platform to keep parish leaders, priests and staff connected to one another, sharing best practices and communion during the pandemic.
May: Archbishop Vigneron reconsecrates the Archdiocese of Detroit to Mary, Mother of the Church, in the midst of the pandemic, while broadcasting a livestreamed rosary from the cathedral.
May: Public Masses resume in the Archdiocese of Detroit, with parishes taking careful precautions to avoid spreading illness.
May: Faced with the realities of a declining number of priests, increased parish financial challenges and lower Mass attendance and sacramental practice — all trends exacerbated by the pandemic — Archbishop Vigneron announces the Archdiocese of Detroit will transition to a new model of parish governance, called “Families of Parishes.” The new groupings will encourage parishes and priests to collaborate more closely with one another, sharing resources and best practices in order to keep the focus on “mission” over maintenance.
June: Archbishop Vigneron leads an outdoor rosary for peace and justice following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which sparked nationwide protests and racial unrest. In the succeeding weeks, the Archdiocese of Detroit would host several other events, prayer vigils and Masses devoted to racial healing and justice.
July: Work begins on the transformation of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament into an “apostolic center for the arts and culture,” a master plan and beautification project that would include new art and relic installations, social service projects, outreach to the community and a new affordable housing complex. Archbishop Vigneron taps Fr. J.J. Mech, the cathedral’s rector, to lead the effort.
August: Archbishop Vigneron presides over the funeral Mass for Fr. Stephen Rooney, an Irish-born priest and Downriver pastor who, along with parishioner Robert Chiles, died in a tragic boating accident in the Detroit River.
September: A new guild is formed to examine a possible sainthood cause for pioneering 19th century missionary priest Fr. Gabriel Richard, whose contributions included the cofounding of the University of Michigan, the pastoring of Ste. Anne Parish, and coining the motto of the city of Detroit after the Great Fire of 1805: Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus (“We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes”).
October: Archbishop Vigneron designates the Our Lady of Fatima Chapel in Riverview as an archdiocesan shrine.
November: Archbishop Vigneron unveils the plan for the archdiocese’s transition to “Families of Parishes,” explaining the convictions and principles that would guide the new roadmap in a new pastoral note, “Led by the Spirit on Mission.” Parish family groupings are announced for the first time.
December: The Archdiocese of Detroit’s Office of Priestly Vocations launches a new content brand, “Men of the Hearts,” to communicate with and encourage men discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
December: The archdiocese’s Department of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship unveils the “Detroit Model of Evangelization,” a step-by-step paradigm for forming missionary disciples in the spirit of "Unleash the Gospel."
2021
January: Archbishop Vigneron releases a new pastoral note, “The Power of the Word of God,” encouraging Catholics to dive deeper into Scripture to study and pray with the life of Christ.
March: Archbishop Vigneron designates the Divine Mercy Center in Clinton Township as the archdiocesan “Shrine of Jesus the Divine Mercy.”
May: Along with Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, the Department of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship spearheads the launch of the U.S. bishops’ "Walking with Moms in Need" initiative in the Archdiocese of Detroit, helping parishes to assess, expand and communicate resources to help expectant and new mothers carry and care for their babies.
June: In a new pastoral note on social communications, Archbishop Vigneron encourages Catholic to rise about the temptation to attack and demonize others online, instead using social media, online news and technology to build up the body of Christ. The archbishop’s note, “The Beauty of Truth,” receives nationwide commendation and praise.
July: Archbishop Vigneron blesses Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan’s new “Center for the Works of Mercy” on Woodward Avenue in Detroit’s Midtown, a one-stop services center for Detroit’s poor and homeless to receive help and support.
July: The first groupings of Families of Parishes begin working together, with priests, lay leaders and parish staff members collaborating on mission.
August: The Archdiocese of Detroit completes a sale of the Inn at St. John’s, the former St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, to an estate owned by the family of the late Catholic philanthropist and homebuilder William Pulte.
October: Archbishop Vigneron dedicates a permanent installation at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Book of the Innocents, in which parents grieving the loss of a child can inscribe their child’s name to forever be remembered and prayed for.
2022
January: The archdiocesan Office of Catholic Schools reports an 11% increase in Catholic grade school enrollment in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and a 7% increase since the start of the pandemic.
March: Archbishop Vigneron joins local priests in consecrating Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, following the lead of Pope Francis after the Russian army invaded its European neighbor in February. The archbishop expressed his care and concern for Ukrainian Catholics, especially those living in southeast Michigan or with family impacted by the war.
April: In response to a looming priest shortage, Archbishop Vigneron calls for a Year of Prayer for Priestly Vocations in the Archdiocese of Detroit. “We cannot be blind to this challenge,” Archbishop Vigneron said, noting that for the first time in generations, no men were ordained for the Church in Detroit in 2022.
June: Along with the bishops of Michigan’s six other dioceses, Archbishop Vigneron celebrates the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court in its landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which returned the issue of abortion to the state level, saying the decision is a “cause for joy.”
June: Archbishop Vigneron leads the launch of the U.S. bishops’ three-year National Eucharistic Revival in the Archdiocese of Detroit with a two-mile Eucharistic procession from the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament to Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. The archdiocese also launches its “I AM HERE” campaign, which seeks to share stories of Eucharistic devotion from everyday Catholics.
July: The second wave of Families of Parishes begin working together in the Archdiocese of Detroit. After a year of collaboration, many families in the first wave begin to report positive fruits, including joint programs, better cooperation and a greater focus on mission.
August: The Archdiocese of Detroit hosts an “All Are Welcome” conference to focus on building an inclusive community for those with disabilities.
September: Joining the bishops of Michigan, Archbishop Vigneron strongly urges Catholics to vote “no” on Michigan’s Proposal 3, which would overturn virtually all pro-life laws in the state and enshrine abortion as a constitutional right, calling it the “most extreme proposal ever” in the United States related to abortion law. The ballot proposal, however, would ultimately pass.
October: Archbishop Vigneron establishes the Confraternity for Holy Souls, an apostolate dedicated to praying for the souls of those in purgatory, asking Catholics across the archdiocese to remember the dead in their prayers.
2023
January: Archbishop Vigneron celebrates Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died on New Year’s Eve, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. “At the heart of Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, was a discipleship of hope,” Archbishop Vigneron said.
January: Archbishop Vigneron joins interfaith leaders through the Religious Leaders Forum of Metropolitan Detroit in condemning antisemitism and ongoing threats of violence against Jewish individuals and synagogues.
April: Archbishop Vigneron shares his Eucharistic testimonial as part of the archdiocese’s ongoing “I AM HERE” campaign, part of the local Church’s response to the National Eucharistic Revival.
June: Ground is broken on the new Cathedral Arts Apartments, an affordable housing initiative undertaken as part of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament’s transformation into an “apostolic center for the arts and culture.” Archbishop Vigneron joins cathedral rector Fr. J.J. Mech, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and other civic and religious dignitaries in commencing construction. Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg sends a video congratulating the local Church on the effort.
July: The Archdiocese of Detroit launches “Compass for Parents,” a one-stop guide to help parents have challenging conversations about the Catholic faith with their children.
July: A new apostolate to help Catholic working professionals live their faith in the workplace, UTG at Work (short for “Unleash the Gospel” at Work) is spearheaded by Deacon Mike Houghton and Mary Martin, hosting seminars, gatherings and media projects to help guide working Catholics in their vocation. The effort is supported by the Archdiocese of Detroit.
July: The archdiocesan Department of Communications is asked to help produce Pope Francis’ monthly prayer intention video for July 2023, a sign of the local Church's media expertise.
August: Archbishop Vigneron invites Pro Ecclesia Sancta, a Peru-based missionary religious community, to send missionaries to the Archdiocese of Detroit. One of the community’s charisms is encouraging Catholics to promote holiness and promote vocational discernment.
August: Archbishop Vigneron leads a World Youth Day at Home event at Our Lady of the Fields Camp in Brighton, helping young people of the Archdiocese of Detroit to participate spiritually with their peers in Lisbon, Portugal.
October: In response to the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas, Archbishop Vigneron hosts a Mass for peace in the Holy Land, saying prayers are “real acts of power” in contrast to weapons of violence.
October: Upon reaching the age of 75, Archbishop Vigneron offers his resignation letter to the pope on Oct. 21, 2023, as required of all diocesan bishops under canon law. He participates in a wide-ranging interview with Detroit Catholic, reflecting upon the joys and blessings of his life in ministry.
November: The Archdiocese of Detroit welcomes back a native bishop, Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton, as the newest auxiliary bishop of Detroit. Archbishop Vigneron presides at a Mass of welcome for Bishop Monforton at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
2024
January: Archbishop Vigneron blesses the new Heart of Christ Clinic, a full-service, pro-life medical clinic for women, children and families in the former convent of the Basilica of Ste. Anne in Detroit.
February: Archbishop Vigneron dedicates the historic “Journey with the Saints” pilgrimage experience at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, an installation of 14 larger-than-life statues of Christ’s apostles and two angels, along with first-class relics of the apostles. The installation is among the only permanent displays of the relics of Christ's 12 apostles available in North America for public veneration by the faithful.
February: In his first major pastoral letter since “Unleash the Gospel,” Archbishop Vigneron addresses the sensitive topic of gender confusion, calling on parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit to help individuals embrace the “gift of one’s identity” as a son or daughter created in the image of God. In “The Good News About God’s Plan,” Archbishop Vigneron spoke to the “challenges of our time” presented by a “divided and separated” vision of the human person, while offering the Church’s wisdom in clarity and charity on the topic of gender and sexuality.
April: Archbishop Vigneron presides during a funeral Mass for retired Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as a separate service at Sacred Heart Church in Detroit.
May: On Mother's Day, Archbishop Vigneron blesses a new grotto at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, fulfilling a pledge he made during the COVID-19 pandemic to build the monument as a “lasting sign” of Our Lady’s loving protection of the local Church.
June: In preparation for the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Archbishop Vigneron and Detroit’s auxiliary bishops preside over four regional Eucharistic congresses in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
July: Archbishop Vigneron leads a contingent of hundreds of Catholics from the Archdiocese of Detroit to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress, celebrating Mass with pilgrims and exhorting them to keep close to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
September: Archbishop Vigneron blesses the new propaedeutic wing of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, which will host first-year seminarians completing a year of personal and spiritual formation before beginning their formal studies.
December: Inaugurating the Jubilee Year of Hope in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Archbishop Vigneron designates 12 sacred places in the archdiocese as pilgrimage sites, where special graces, including a plenary indulgence, would be available to the faithful throughout the jubilee year.
2025
January: Through the Michigan Catholic Conference, Michigan's bishops issue a statement urging “pastoral and prayerful support” for migrants, encouraging polices that keep families safe and intact, while calling for secure borders and fair immigration laws that keep human dignity top of mind.
February: In a new pastoral note, Archbishop Vigneron announces the Archdiocese of Detroit would undergo a multi-year process of parish renewal in order to “adapt creatively” to a future with fewer priests and material resources. In “No Second Tunic,” the archbishop outlines a plan for “mission-ready Families of Parishes” in the local Church, prepared to meet the challenges of a new apostolic age.
February: On Feb. 11, 2025, Pope Francis announces the appointment of Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger of Tucson, Arizona, as the sixth archbishop of Detroit. Archbishop Vigneron introduces his successor during a joyful news conference with members of the media, priests, bishops, seminarians and lay faithful at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Archbishop-designate Weisenburger, who will be installed on March 18, praises Archbishop Vigneron as a “faithful shepherd” who has “poured himself out so generously” for the people of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
March: Archbishop Vigneron celebrates a farewell Mass on March 9, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.
