Archbishop Weisenburger celebrated the 4 p.m. Christmas vigil Mass at St. James Parish in Novi at the invitation of Fr. Ed Zaorski, who is “a wonderful pastor and a gracious host,” the archbishop said. “The Church was packed, and it was a joyful Mass.”

On Christmas morning, Dec. 25, Archbishop Weisenburger celebrated Christmas morning Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, his first Christmas with Detroit’s faithful. “Nothing can replace the intimacy of being truly present,” the archbishop said in his homily, reflecting upon the profound mystery of Christ’s incarnation. “And in Jesus, our God is truly present to us. We no longer count on prophecies, prophets, hopes, Scriptures and dreams. No, he’s here. And he’s as close to us as every tabernacle and every neighbor.”

On Sunday, Dec. 21, Archbishop Weisenburger visited the convent of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in Monroe, celebrating Mass and enjoying "a delightful lunch" with the religious community. Founded in 1845, the IHM Sisters have served over the years in a variety of ministries, including education, hospital work, social and climate justice, retreats and ministry to the poor and marginalized.

On Sunday, Dec. 21, Archbishop Weisenburger continued a longstanding tradition by hosting a fraternal pre-Christmas dinner for the bishops of southeast Michigan. Front row seated, left to right, are Bishop John M. Quinn, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, Bishop Walter A. Hurley. Back row standing, left to right, are Bishop Robert J. Fisher, Bishop Francis Y. Kalabat of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger, Bishop Yousif Behnam Habash of the Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance, and Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton.

On Friday, Dec. 19, Archbishop Weisenburger stopped to celebrate an early Christmas with students and teachers at St. Edith Catholic School in Livonia. As the K-8 school community prepares for Christmas break, students and teachers enjoyed a pajama party and "Polar Express" themed morning.

On Monday, Dec. 15, Archbishop Weisenburger received a delicious annual gift from the Trappist nuns of Santa Rita Abbey in Arizona: a tin of lovingly made Christmas cookies. "Those ladies are the best!" the archbishop said, savoring the first bite in his Chancery office.

Archbishop Weisenburger and a delegation from the Archdiocese of Detroit welcomed Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to Detroit for a four-day pastoral visit Dec. 4-7. Cardinal Pizzaballa's visit to southeast Michigan, which included several events and liturgies, strengthened the spiritual and cultural bonds between Catholics and offered solidarity and support to Christian families in the Holy Land.

Cardinal Pizzaballa celebrated Mass on Thursday, Dec. 4, at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in West Bloomfield, followed by a dinner in support of Christians in the Holy Land at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield.

On Friday, Dec. 5, the patriarch was the featured guest at the "United in Faith: Bridging Hearts from the Motor City to the Holy Land" dinner at St. John's Resort in Plymouth, where the cardinal shared firsthand insights regarding the dire situation and enduring hopes of the Church in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

On Sunday, Dec. 7, Cardinal Pizzaballa celebrated Mass along with Archbishop Weisenburger at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak.

On Wednesday, Dec. 3, Archbishop Weisenburger spent the morning at Sacred Heart Major Seminary meeting and consulting with the major superiors of various religious orders and institutes present in the Archdiocese of Detroit. The meeting is a regular opportunity for fellowship, collaboration and faith-filled dialogue about the many ways religious life is expressed and lived in southeast Michigan.

Archbishop Weisenburger presented Thomas Van Dusen with a medal and formal proclamation of a papal award honoring him as a Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester in recognition of his years of faithful service to the Church in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Van Dusen is one of eight local individuals who were given papal honors by the late Pope Francis after being recommended by Archbishop-emeritus Allen H. Vigneron prior to the archbishop's retirement in March. The individuals were honored during a ceremony with Archbishop Weisenburger and Archbishop-emeritus Vigneron at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in September.

Last Sunday, Archbishop Weisenburger presided over confirmations with young people at St. Joseph Parish in South Lyon, conferring the sacrament and reminding students of God's great gift of holiness and grace. Come, Holy Spirit!

Archbishop Weisenburger was in Rome the week of Nov. 1-6 for a very quick trip to meet with various departments in the Vatican. He was accompanied by Fr. Mario Amore, and reported that meetings went great. While in Rome, Archbishop Weisenburger and Fr. Amore met with Detroit priests currently living or studying in the Eternal City, including Fr. David Pellican and Msgr. Robert Sable.