Catholic parishes in Farmington and Farmington Hills are included in revised Archdiocese of Detroit restructuring proposals released Monday, Oct. 19.

The archdiocese’s Planning Area 8 page links to two revised options, 8D and 8E. The area includes Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Gerald in Farmington and St. Fabian in Farmington Hills.

The proposals remain drafts. Inclusion in the planning area does not establish whether an individual church would lose weekend Mass.

Across the archdiocese, some revised models propose ending weekend Masses at certain churches, according to Detroit Catholic, the archdiocese’s news outlet.

Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger said locations designated for no weekend Mass would be combined with other parishes in their proposed grouping to form one parish community.

Local participation and priest availability

Planning Area 8’s published overview lists 18 assigned priests and estimates that 13 may be available for ministry long term.

It also reports a 12% decline in registered Catholic households over the past decade, along with fewer baptisms and funerals. The overview describes little change in Mass attendance during that period.

The archdiocese attributes its broader restructuring to population changes and fewer available priests. It projects fewer than 165 priests in parish ministry by 2029, WXYZ reported.

“We need to do something to be able to continue to serve and be a strong Catholic presence throughout the six counties of southeast Michigan,” the Rev. Mario Amore, executive director of parish renewal, told the station.

Amore said ending weekend Mass would not automatically close a church. Further discussions would address how affected sites could continue serving their communities.

What happens next

The revised proposals follow 412 listening sessions attended by more than 40,000 parishioners and an online survey completed by 17,000 people, according to Detroit Catholic.

Priests and parish leaders will review the drafts before further consideration by the 25-member Archdiocesan Restructuring Commission and other advisory groups.

Although the archdiocese’s broad listening-session and survey phase has ended, parishioners can continue offering feedback through parish leaders. St. Fabian’s restructuring page also links to a second-round parish survey.

Weisenburger is expected to announce final decisions in April 2027. The new parish groupings and reassignments affecting nearly all parish priests are scheduled to begin July 1, 2027.

Residents can review the revised options and parish information on the Planning Area 8 page.