Celebrating an early Christmas with St. Edith School in Livonia
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.
A gift from the Trappist nuns: Christmas cookies have arrived!
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.
Welcoming Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, for pastoral visit to Detroit
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.
Meeting with major superiors of Detroit-area religious orders
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.
Presenting papal honors on behalf of the Church
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.
Celebrating confirmations at St. Joseph Parish in South Lyon
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!
In Rome to attend meetings, visit with Detroit priests
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.
While in Rome, Archbishop Weisenburger and Fr. Amore met with Msgr. Sable, a retired member of the Roman Rota and priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit. "We had a wonderful visit and lunch together," Archbishop Weisenburger said.
Fr. David Pellican, doing doctoral studies in Rome, interrupted his pasta to extend greetings to family and friends back in Detroit.
Archbishop Weisenburger and Fr. Amore were joined by Bishop Francis Y. Kalabat of the Southfield-based Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle for dinner as well. Bishop Kalabat, after meetings in Rome, was just about to head off to Iraq.
Neighborhood Halloween candy giveaway at Sacred Heart Major Seminary
On Friday, Oct. 31, Archbishop Weisenburger helped seminarians at Sacred Heart Major Seminary distribute Halloween candy to hundreds of joy-filled families and kids in the neighborhood. Seminarians collected 229 tubs filled with 50 pounds of candy each — largely donated by Catholic parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit. “This is one of the greatest things the seminary does for the neighborhood every year,” the archbishop said. “Children line up an hour before we open and are lined up around the block.”
Blessing and rededicating the Cabrini Clinic on its 75th anniversary
Archbishop Weisenburger extends his hands in blessing over the staff and grounds of the Cabrini Clinic in Detroit as Fr. Adam Nowak assists. Next to the archbishop is the clinic's executive director, Elisa Martinez-Alvarez.
On Monday, Oct. 27, Archbishop Weisenburger blessed the newly rededicated Cabrini Clinic on the campus of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Corktown. The Cabrini Clinic was founded 75 years ago by Most Holy Trinity pastor Msgr. Clement Kern to provide free medical care to the poor and vulnerable in time before Medicare or Medicaid was established. Today, with administrative assistance from Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, and under the leadership of its new director, Elisa Alvarez, the Cabrini Clinic provides free medical and mental care to the area’s uninsured and underinsured, as well as the homeless and immigrant communities.
Archbishop Weisenburger is pictured with Cabrini Clinic executive director Elisa Alvarez, left, and Dr. Karl Kolbe, the clinic's volunteer medical director.
