Detroit -- Redemptorist Fr. Joseph Tobin, who was born in Detroit and served as pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish here, will become secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the Vatican announced today. The Vatican appointment also means Fr. Tobin will become an archbishop.

Fr. Tobin, 58, grew up at Holy Redeemer in Southwest Detroit before joining the religious order. After his ordination in 1978, he served at the parish from 1979 until 1990 -- first as an associate, then as pastor. He also served as a judge in the metropolitan tribunal of Archdiocese of Detroit.

In 1991, after a brief stint as pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Chicago, he was elected to the Redemptorists' general council and transferred to Rome, according to an e-mail from the Redemptorist order.

In 1997 Fr. Tobin was elected superior general of the Redemptorist order worldwide, a post he served in until 2009.

In late May, Pope Benedict named Fr. Tobin to the nine-member team scheduled to conduct an apostolic visitation of the Catholic Church in Ireland in the wake of the clergy abuse crisis there.

Details about Fr. Tobin's upcoming ordination will be forthcoming.

-- Catholic News Service contributed to this report