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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The Archdiocese of Detroit is in the midst of a “missionary conversion, a change in our culture, such that every person at every level of the Church, through personal encounter with Jesus Christ, embraces his or her identity as a son or daughter of God and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, is formed and sent forth as a joyful missionary disciple.”1 This conversion requires a re-examining of the way we live collectively as a community of faith. The Church in Southeast Michigan is responding to graces of Synod 16 and actively seeking to Unleash the Gospel in our personal lives, our families and through our institutions. One of the clearest calls from Synod 16 was for our Church to reclaim Sunday as a day set apart for the Lord, for family and for works of mercy. There are many necessary and worthwhile pursuits which occupy our time and energy all throughout the week but from the earliest days of the Church, Sunday was unique for Catholics. In our time, Sunday has slowly lost its pride of place. In the Archdiocese of Detroit, we are committed to setting aside this day as much as possible for God-centered pursuits. First and foremost, Sunday is the day of the Resurrection of Jesus to new life. It is the day that definitively marked Jesus’ victory over sin and death, and it is the day that represents that in Jesus we too share in this same victory through our baptism. Therefore, Sunday is not an ordinary day, not just another day of the week. Every Sunday is a mini-Easter Sunday! It is right then to say that Sunday is truly the Lord’s Day. The first way we keep Sunday holy is through our worship of the Triune God. This is done most perfectly in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where we offer back to the Father the very life of the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, the disciples of Jesus made it a hallmark to gather as a community of believers on this day. The Code of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church state that “on Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.”2 This obligation to attend Sunday Mass-either on the day or on the vigil in the evening—is the most essential way we individually and collectively worship the Lord who gave himself for us. Our communal worship flows out from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass into many other areas: “Sharing in the Eucharist is the heart of Sunday, but the duty to keep Sunday holy cannot be reduced to this.”3 Eucharistic adoration, personal prayer, reciting the Rosary, time for catechesis and Bible studies, faith sharing groups and the like all are ways families and individuals honor the Lord’s Day beyond Sunday Mass. We are called to live this whole day in recognition that we are God’s people, intimately united to him through the blood of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our rest on this day also imitates the first “rest” of God after the work of creation: “he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.”4 God teaches us the value of work — through creation, in the very life of Jesus and in the lives of the saints — but he also teaches us the value of rest. Too often in our world we are valued by how busy we are. This “cult of busyness” is not of the Lord. Taking the Lord’s Day not to be busy with the affairs of the world but rather to rest in more important pursuits honors God and helps us to show him more perfectly to our world. Southeast Michigan needs men and women who can manifest the presence of God through their work and through their rest. When work becomes the most important thing in our lives, we value ourselves and others by what they can contribute rather than by who they are. This leads to devaluing of human life which Pope St. John Paul II called the “culture of death,” and which Pope Francis calls the “throwaway culture.”5 We are not valued by what we can contribute to society. Instead our worth comes from what God has done for us: We are made in his image and likeness, and Christ has died for us. When we choose to make Sunday a day of rest, we choose to renounce these false cultures and live as part of Christ’s band of disciples. Keeping holy Sunday also reminds us of our eternal destiny; it allows us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We put aside the worldly pursuits which are necessary for this life but too often become a distraction from what is ultimately important: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”6 Sunday is a day to rest from work so that we have the time and leisure to pursue things that do not have worldly utility. Unless we take this regular time away from these matters, we will easily and quickly lose sight of our ultimate destiny. Our attention needs to be intentionally interrupted from our earthly work to call to mind the reality that we are joint heirs with Christ of the things of heaven. For our local Church to be faithful to the graces of Synod 16, we also must commit to seeing Sunday as a day when families can be together. The vision for families laid out in Unleash the Gospel requires time set aside from many other good activities so that families can be together, free from other distractions. Some of the particular aspects of Sunday family time include family Scripture time, the family Rosary, making use of parish activities together as a family and “reclaiming Sunday” through Mass and a shared meal. For some families, this time together has been marked by “technology-free family time” on Sunday, when parents and children set aside their phones and other devices and commit to spending uninterrupted family time together. Finally, Sunday is the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out in power upon the disciples of Jesus. In fact, John Paul II called Sunday a “weekly Pentecost.”7 Therefore, Sunday is a fitting day to grow in our faith. Catechesis for young people and for adults is not out of place on this day. It also is a day to witness to our faith. That first Pentecost saw the apostles boldly proclaiming Jesus as Lord. As we seek to live a new Pentecost, we should be witnesses to God’s mercy, particularly on the Lord’s Day. This means we should look for opportunities to share our faith with others on this day. We do this in our words of kindness, by sharing our faith with others and through works of charity, especially to the less fortunate. In the Foundational Conviction section of Unleash the Gospel, I wrote that “this missionary conversion” calls for a “strikingly countercultural way of living.” Living Sunday more radically and intentionally as God’s people will help us do this. It will help us to root our lives in prayer and the sacraments. It will create the space for us to demonstrate unusually gracious hospitality and to include those on the margins. And it will remind us of God’s presence even in difficult and stressful times, so that we can be Jesus’ band of joyful missionary disciples in Southeast Michigan. What follows here are details about one particular way we are committed to this “strikingly countercultural way of living.” After prayerful consultation with the presbyterate of Detroit and responding to what I believe is the call of the Holy Spirit through Synod 16, we in the Archdiocese of Detroit will cease sporting events on Sunday. This means that competitive athletic programs in the grade school and high school levels are called to no longer play games or conduct practices on the Lord’s Day. In the months ahead, we will offer a number of resources to assist families in their own practice of keeping holy the Lord’s Day. In shifting away from the hustle of required sporting activities on Sunday, we will reclaim this holy day and create more time for families to choose activities that prioritize time spent with each other and our Lord. As the Catholic Church, our primary role is to form disciples. Informed by Synod 16 and inspired by the Holy Spirit, we look forward to abundant blessings as we seek to abide by our God’s teaching to keep holy the Lord’s Day. Sincerely yours in Christ, ARCHBISHOP ALLEN H. VIGNERON

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February 21, 2019 The Department of Communications shares with you the Archdiocese of Detroit's statement regarding the Michigan Attorney General's update on the investigation into Michigan's Catholic dioceses: The Archdiocese of Detroit appreciates the Attorney General’s Office for providing an update today regarding its investigation. We also would like to add a few points of clarification. • Since 2002, the Archdiocese of Detroit has not entered into any non-disclosure agreements, unless specifically requested by a survivor of abuse, as required by the Catholic Church in the United States. In addition, the archdiocese does not enforce any non-disclosure agreements signed prior to 2002. We encourage all abuse survivors to share their stories. • The Archdiocese of Detroit does not self-police. We encourage all victims to report abuse directly to law enforcement. When we learn of an allegation of sexual abuse of minors, we immediately notify law enforcement authorities, in accordance with the agreements we have had in place with them since 2002, when we shared past case files involving clergy misconduct and committed to turning over all new allegations regardless of when the alleged abuse occurred. We then follow law enforcement’s lead to step aside and assist, when requested, during any criminal investigation. • The Archdiocese of Detroit has not been asked by the Attorney General’s Office to stop its internal review process. These internal investigations are required under Church law, and their purpose is to restrict or remove from ministry anyone who has committed sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult. The Archdiocese of Detroit places no deadlines or time limits on those who wish to report the sexual abuse of minors by priests, deacons and other personnel. Be it five, 15, or 50 years later, our diocese accepts and responds to all reports – and immediately shares them with law enforcement. • Clergy with credible accusations against them do not belong in ministry. Since the Attorney General’s investigation began, the Archdiocese of Detroit has not received notification from that office regarding credible accusations against any of our priests. Should we become aware of such a complaint, we will act immediately. • The State of Michigan’s mandated reporting laws have been in place for decades. Through the years, we have strongly supported expansions to the list, including the addition of clergy. The Archdiocese of Detroit regularly educates all mandated reporters of their duties to report sexual abuse or neglect of minors. • When the Archdiocese of Detroit became aware of the Attorney General’s request for parishes to publicize the state’s tip-line, we immediately offered to help our parishes facilitate the publication of that material. • The Archdiocese of Detroit looks forward to working with the Attorney General’s Office to clarify some of the broad generalizations made during today’s press conference. The Archdiocese of Detroit offers continued prayers and sorrow for all victim-survivors and their families. One sinful, criminal act, especially against God’s most vulnerable and trusting children, is unacceptable and one suffering soul too many. We remain committed to preventing sexual abuse against anyone - especially children and vulnerable adults. Editor’s Note: For additional information about how the Archdiocese of Detroit works to prevent and respond to sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable adults, please visit protect.aod.org.

OUR DEVOTION TO SEAS: January 4th is St. Elizabeth Ann Seton's Feast Day. Since it is so close to the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations we always move our celebration of our patron to a later date. This year we will honor our patron on Sunday, January 13th at 5:00 p.m. with the usual informal Pot Luck Dinner. The parish will supply the main course, a famous lasagna pasta from an Italian restaurant known for its lasagna and delicious fried chicken. We invite our parish family to supply the complements to our main course. This celebration is like a family get-together, we enjoy each other’s company, share stories about our parish past and build relationships for our ministerial future. Please sign-up on line (Sign-Up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4faca629aafd0-stliz) or on the sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall and join us honoring the legacy that St. Elizabeth Ann Seton left to the Catholic Church in the United States.

An invitation for you to join us! You are Part of the Family!

Archbishop Vigneron has released a letter to the faithful, which will be read at weekend Masses September 22-23, affirming his support of the Attorney General’s investigation and sharing prayers for the healing of victim-survivors. Read Archbishop Vigneron's letter to the faithful (English) Read Archbishop Vigneron's letter to the faithful (Spanish) The Archdiocese of Detroit welcomes the Attorney General's investigation into the handling of clergy sexual abuse allegations in the seven Michigan Catholic dioceses. Read the full statement Response to USCCB statement on actions addressing clergy sexual abuse,

August 20, 2018 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Pope Francis on Monday, August 20 issued a frank, forceful and forward-looking letter confronting the crimes and sins of the sexual abuse of minors in the Church. It should be read by everyone–survivors, church leaders, and the faithful here in the Archdiocese of Detroit and beyond. As the Successor of St. Peter, our Holy Father provides us with a clearly stated, vocative “call to action.” “Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient. Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated.” Pope Francis’ letter renews our pledge to confront this evil, and to do so with all the resources at our disposal–especially the grace of God and the light of the Gospel. Archbishop Vigneron Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to the People of God “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Cor 12:26). These words of Saint Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons. Crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike. Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient. Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated. The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults.

Regarding the report made public in Pennsylvania this week, there are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow. The Holy See treats with great seriousness the work of the Investigating Grand Jury of Pennsylvania and the lengthy Interim Report it has produced. The Holy See condemns unequivocally the sexual abuse of minors. The abuses described in the report are criminal and morally reprehensible. Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith. The Church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur. Most of the discussion in the report concerns abuses before the early 2000s. By finding almost no cases after 2002, the Grand Jury’s conclusions are consistent with previous studies showing that Catholic Church reforms in the United States drastically reduced the incidence of clergy child abuse. The Holy See encourages continued reform and vigilance at all levels of the Catholic Church, to help ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults from harm. The Holy See also wants to underscore the need to comply with the civil law, including mandatory child abuse reporting requirements. The Holy Father understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the Church and in all of society. Victims should know that the Pope is on their side. Those who have suffered are his priority, and the Church wants to listen to them to root out this tragic horror that destroys the lives of the innocent. Vatican City, 20 August 2018 http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2018/documents/papa-francesco_20180820_lettera-popolo-didio.html Vatican City, 20 August 2018

Condolences and prayers for the family of James Frenchi who passed away on September 12th. A Memorial Mass will held on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 10 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 280 E. Square Lake Rd in Troy, with visitation from 9 a.m. Click on title, "In Loving Memory", for further details.

Condolences and prayers for the family of James Kurz who passed away on August 4th. A Memorial Mass will held on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 10 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 280 E. Square Lake Rd in Troy, with visitation from 9 a.m. Click on title, "In Loving Memory", for further details.

Be inspired by a new Catholic television program for every day living that will motivate you to achieve your hopes and dreams as you live a life of power, impact, freedom and purpose. It provides practical ways of living life to the fullest and helping you make faith a part of your daily life. DirectTv Ch 371, Dish Ch 258, AT&T Ch 565, Verizon Fios Ch 288: Every day 8:30 am (EST) | 7:30 am (CST) | 5:30 am (PST) For more information, go to BruceDownesTheCatholicGuy.com where you can watch the program daily or on click on the link above to view episodes on YouTube.

CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players is a multi-part film series through ‘Word on Fire’ Ministry that delves into the lives of figures who shaped the Church and changed the world. Courtesy of a partnership between eCatholic (our web provider) and Bishop Robert Barron's ‘Word on Fire’ ministry, we are able to view the free hour-long film on St. Francis of Assisi at our website, saintliz.org. The Pivotal Players module is available June 1 through August 31, 2017.

On June 3, 2017 at the Pentecost Vigil, Archbishop Vigneron released his fourth pastoral letter, Unleash the Gospel, as the Archbishop of Detroit. This letter is the result of Synod 16 and discusses the future of the Archdiocese of Detroit and how we can become joyful missionary disciples with evangelization as our focus.

Condolences and prayers for the family of Paula Kellett who passed away on July 15. Condolences and prayers for the family of Dolores Sitko who passed away on July 15. Condolences and prayers for the family of Eugene Zembrzuski who passed away on June 6th. Condolences and prayers for the family of Esther Pelliccia (mother of Rob Pelliccia), who passed away on May 18th. Condolences and prayers for the family of George Shay who passed away on May 9th.