Nearly all Catholic parish priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit will receive new assignments in July 2027 under a restructuring plan affecting southeast Michigan, including Grosse Pointe.

Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger laid out the timeline in a letter and video message shared with parishioners the weekend of Oct. 17-18, as Detroit Catholic first reported. The archdiocese released its second round of draft pastorate models Monday, Oct. 19.

The updated proposals narrow the options to two models per planning area, down from three or four in the initial round released in the spring. The archdiocese collected feedback from more than 40,000 parishioners at 412 listening sessions and received 17,000 online survey responses before refining the plans.

Under the updated models, some churches could lose weekend Masses. Weisenburger clarified that parishes designated for no weekend Masses would be combined with neighboring parishes to form a single community. The proposed changes do not automatically mean every affected church building will close.

The reassignment covers nearly every parish priest, with exceptions for four newly ordained priests and five pastors who moved in 2026, according to the archbishop's announcement. Priests in administrative roles, seminary faculty and some religious-order members with longstanding parish ties may also be exempt.

Grosse Pointe parishes included in restructuring

St. Ambrose Parish in Grosse Pointe Park is among the churches included in the restructuring process, according to the archdiocese's Planning Area 11 webpage.

The planning area also includes St. Clare of Montefalco in Grosse Pointe Park, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Grosse Pointe Woods and St. Paul on the Lake in Grosse Pointe Farms.

The archdiocese has presented two revised pastorate options for Planning Area 11, identified as Models 11D and 11E. The proposals remain under review, and the final arrangements have not been determined.

The planning area currently has 16 assigned priests, while the archdiocese projects that only nine may be available for ministry there in the longer term.

The archdiocese's broader restructuring reflects declining participation and a smaller Catholic population. In his message to the faithful, Weisenburger said the region's Catholic population had fallen from more than 1.5 million at its peak to approximately 900,000.

St. Ambrose lists the Rev. Timothy R. Pelc as its priest in solidum, a priest who shares responsibility for a parish.

What comes next

Priests and key parish leaders will review the second-round models and offer feedback over the coming weeks. The proposals then go to the Archdiocesan Restructuring Commission, a 25-member body of clergy and laypeople, before reaching the archbishop for a final decision.

Weisenburger is expected to announce the final restructuring plan during the weekend of April 17-18, 2027, according to the archdiocese's restructuring frequently asked questions. New pastorates would take effect July 1, 2027.

The broader public feedback phase has ended, but parishioners can still provide input through their parish leaders. The second-round models and additional information are available at the archdiocese's restructuring website.