Parishioner comments on Archdiocese of Detroit’s restructuring process
Fred Kuplicki, a St. Margaret of Scotland parishioner, comments on proposals under which his parish would not hold a weekend Mass.
DETROIT — Norma Danzie is open to her church welcoming more parishioners.
Danzie is a member of Nativity of Our Lord Church in east Detroit, which held its final service Sunday, Nov. 1, before taking in parishioners from St. Elizabeth Parish. St. Elizabeth no longer will be a church as of Nov. 2, according to the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Nativity of Our Lord is Danzie’s third church home, the past two she attended shut their doors, like St. Elizabeth will do.
“I’m used to merging with other churches, so I don’t have a problem with people coming in,” said Danzie, 72, a Detroit native.
Danzie attended church Sunday morning with dozens of other Nativity of Our Lord parishioners, who welcomed the newcomers. The church also will hold a forum Nov. 6 to discuss what services will look like going forward.
The merging of St. Elizabeth into Nativity of Our Lord comes as other Catholic Churches in Metro Detroit could close. Up to 106 churches could shut in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Monroe, Lapeer and St. Clair counties, the archdiocese said Oct. 19 about a potential restructuring plan. The restructuring was prompted by changing church populations and a declining number of Catholic priests.
Holly Fournier, archdiocese associate director of public relations, said the St. Elizabeth merger “was not a restructuring-related decision” and happened because St. Elizabeth “faces significant financial challenges, with declining cash reserves and substantial liabilities.”
The parish is unable to meet its financial obligations beyond December, Fournier said in an email to The Detroit News.
Fournier said all of St. Elizabeth’s administration and activities currently are held at Nativity of Our Lord.
“The merger with Nativity of Our Lord Parish and relegation of St. Elizabeth Church will allow resources to be focused on ministry rather than the maintenance of unsafe and unsustainable facilities,” Fournier said.
At Nativity of Our Lord, Mass was held Sunday with its regular parishioners. Clergy members recognized All Saints Day, which fell on Sunday.
At the end of Mass, Father David Preuss charged his parishioners to be welcoming to the newcomers.
“Your job is to continue to receive people well, and to realize that it’s hard to lose your home. So show compassion, work with each other, that it might be blessed,” said Preuss.
After service, Preuss said the merger is “taking two families and moving them into one house.”
“There’s going to be a transition period, because people who come in have their own way, and we have our way, so we’ve got to try to blend the two,” said Danzie, the parishioner.
While Fournier said the merging at Nativity of Our Lord is not related to the archdiocese’s restructuring plan, Preuss said during Mass that there is “going to be a very small number of churches” in Detroit once the restructuring plan is complete.
“It becomes essential that these be strong and vibrant places,” said Preuss.
mbryan@detroitnews.com