Fr. Day named deputy moderator; Msgr. McClory to be pastor of Shrine

DETROIT — As the Archdiocese of Detroit prepares for the ordination of two new auxiliary bishops, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron announced several more transitions that will affect the archdiocesan Curia.



First among the announcements was the news that Fr. Jeff Day, current pastor of St. Fabian Parish in Farmington Hills, will serve as deputy moderator of the Curia, a newly created position in which Fr. Day will work alongside the archbishop’s cabinet in coordinating the work of Archdiocesan Central Services.

Fr. Day, 44, is projected to work for a year alongside Msgr. Robert McClory, the current moderator of the Curia, and eventually will succeed him in that role. Fr. Day will begin his new role July 1.

Also announced was the appointment of two new directors in Central Services: Fr. Robert Spezia as director of the Office of Clergy and Consecrated Life, and Fr. Stephen Pullis as director of the Department of Evangelization, Catechesis and Schools. Fr. Spezia will also serve as the archbishop's vicar for clergy.

During a Jan. 9 announcement at the archdiocesan Chancery, Fr. Day said he was “very honored that the archbishop would ask me to do this.”

Fr. Day, who also serves as the archbishop’s liaison for ecumenical and interfaith affairs, added he was sad to leave St. Fabian, but expressed excitement at the opportunity to work more closely with the archbishop as he leads the archdiocese in the wake of the historic Synod 16.

Fr. Day also serves the archdiocese in a number of other roles, including as a member of the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council, clergy assignment board and as chairman of the newly formed Catholic Services Appeal steering committee.

“I know most of the people on the cabinet and I’ve worked with many others here. I want to serve the Lord, and we’re going to do it with joy,” Fr. Day said.



The moderator of the Curia functions as a sort of “chief of staff” to the archbishop, providing leadership among the Central Services departments and serving as a liaison to Catholic institutions within the archdiocese.

The archbishop's Cabinet, which meets twice monthly, is headed by the moderator of the Curia and is made up of the directors of the major archdiocesan departments – Communications; Development and Stewardship; Evangelization, Catechesis and Schools; Finance and Administration; Human Resources; Parish Life and Services — as well as the chancellor, director of the Office of Clergy and Consecrated Life, technology adviser to the moderator, and the judicial vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal.

Msgr. McClory, for his part, will take over as rector and pastor of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, succeeding Auxiliary Bishop-designate Robert J. Fisher there on July 1.

Msgr. McClory said the appointment is a blessing, adding Shrine is where he celebrated his first Mass and encountered the Lord as a young man.

“Through all the years it’s had a really special place in my heart,” Msgr. McClory said.

Msgr. McClory will continue to serve as moderator of the Curia and vicar general after his transition to Shrine. He also currently serves as pastor of Presentation/Our Lady of Victory Parish in Detroit, which will be receiving a new pastor. Deacon Hubert Sanders will continue to serve as pastoral administrator at the parish.

Both Fr. Spezia and Fr. Pullis will also begin their new roles starting July 1.



Fr. Spezia, 52, currently serves as director of undergraduate spiritual formation and assistant professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He will assume leadership of the Office of Clergy and Consecrated Life from Msgr. Timothy Hogan, who is anticipating a return to parish life after serving as the office's director since 2011.

Fr. Spezia said he looks forward to working with the office, which offers spiritual and practical support for clergy and religious in ministry throughout the archdiocese.

Such work, Fr. Spezia said, is important not only in serving those ordained and consecrated, but “in that way to strengthen our parishes and our people.”

Fr. Spezia also chairs the archdiocesan prayer and intercession team, which played a significant role in spiritual preparations for Synod 16, and has ministered in a number of parishes.

Fr. Pullis, 33, who has served since 2013 as priest secretary to Archbishop Vigneron, will take over the Department of Evangelization, Catechesis and Schools from Auxiliary Bishop Arturo Cepeda, who has led the department since 2013. Bishop Cepeda, who also serves as moderator of the archdiocese’s Northwest Region, will devote more of his time to serving the region’s 55 parishes.

Fr. Pullis cited the archbishop’s focus on evangelization, manifested through events such as the synod and last spring’s Amazing Parish Conference, as reasons he’s excited and humbled by the appointment.

“It’s a great time to be Catholic, and I think the ground is very fertile to hear the good news,” said Fr. Pullis, who also serves as chaplain to Awaken Ministry, the forerunner for last year’s “Come, Encounter Christ” evangelization missions. “We have a lot of good work to do, and I’m very excited to be part of that.”

Fr. Pullis is scheduled to complete a licentiate degree in the New Evangelization from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the summer.

Succeeding Fr. Pullis as secretary to the archbishop will be Fr. James Grau, who was ordained in 2013 and currently serves as associate pastor of St. Anastasia Parish in Troy and vicar of the South Oakland Vicariate. He will begin his new role July 1 as well.

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More photos: For more photos from the announcement, visit The Michigan Catholic's photo gallery page.