The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit is preparing for major changes — including potentially ending weekend Masses at some parishes — as part of a two-year effort to “right-size” the archdiocese.
Why it matters: The restructuring comes as Mass attendance has fallen 40% since 2011, the archdiocese faces $94 million in unfunded building repairs, and the number of priests is projected to shrink sharply over the next decade.
Zoom in: Draft restructuring models released so far show at least 22 parishes across southeast Michigan potentially losing weekend Masses, though archdiocesan leaders say the proposals could still change significantly before final decisions are made next year.
- “It would mean, at some of our sites, the elimination of Sunday mass,” Rev. Mario Amore, the archdiocese’s director of parish renewal, told Axios.
By the numbers: The archdiocese has 209 parishes across Detroit and six surrounding counties. Of those, 138 have fewer than 600 regular Mass attendees, according to archdiocese data.
- Mass attendance dropped from 231,076 in 2011 to 139,088 in 2024.
What they’re saying: “We know that we cannot maintain the same number of parish buildings that we have today,” Archbishop Edward Weisenburger wrote in an open letter explaining the restructuring…