Most of us are aware that the Archdiocese of Detroit is undergoing a restructuring process. These very words can cause worry in our hearts, as attention is drawn to the fate of our beloved church buildings. Though the restructuring will result in many changes to our local Church, we must remember that our faith is not in the buildings where we pray, but in God, and our hearts should long for sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
When we started praying about hosting the Rising From the Ashes Revival — which will take place July 22, 2026, at Huntington Place in Detroit — it was long before Families of Parishes were announced and before we began talking about restructuring. God clearly knew that we all needed to refocus our understanding of what it means to be Catholic and what was at the center of our worship of God.
Everyone is invited to take part in this revival, which takes us back to the place where the first missionaries landed on the banks of the Detroit River. Being by the water also reminds us of baptism and our initiation into the Church, which opened us up to a life of grace. This revival seeks to root us in the Eucharist and our mission to bring the Good News to this portion of the world. Like those first missionaries, we are called to build a future Church not primarily in buildings, but in disciples.
I firmly believe this is an opportunity to be filled with hope the same way that Fr. Gabriel Richard was after the great fire in Detroit in 1805. His words — which later become the city of Detroit's motto — offer inspiration to us still: “We hope for better things, we shall rise from the ashes.”
Reflecting on the life of Fr. Richard, we saw a man who was involved in the total life of this region. He served in Congress; he pastored the city's oldest parish, Ste. Anne de Detroit; he started schools and reached out to people of all denominations. His story is one of true inspiration.
The Rising from the Ashes Revival offers every person who attends an opportunity to be filled with hope, even in our own present uncertainty. We will gather to pray together, learn together, praise God together and profess our devotion to the Eucharist together. With people from throughout the region, we will be united in our desire not to allow the Church to diminish, but to begin a new phase of life, to flourish.
As we prayed over how to organize the revival, it was clear to us that this needed to be a total faith experience, to learn, to pray, to praise and to serve. That is why we made the bold decision in faith to trust God that we would raise the money we needed to pay for the expenses for the revival through the generosity of sponsors and allow the ticket proceeds to be used to benefit others. It was another step in faith, trusting that God is in control over what would happen during this revival.
That's why, when a participant purchases a ticket to the event, they are asked to choose one of five charities to receive the proceeds from their ticket. The five charities are Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, Mary’s Mantle, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, the Pope Francis Center and Better Way Detroit.
Tickets can be purchased directly at risingrevival.org, where you will also find a description of all five charities. Group tickets are also available. If you or someone you know is interested in being a sponsor, those opportunities can also be found via the website, and you can learn more through our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Part of our revival will be a ministry fair that will feature schools, ministries, religious orders and other ways that the Catholic Church is alive and active in our archdiocese. Too often, we think that what is or is not happening in our parish is true of the Church everywhere. The truth is that the Catholic Church is very vibrant and alive! People of all ages are benefitting from the ministries of the Church and are active in the full life of the Catholic faith.
I encourage everyone to look with eyes of faith and not hearts of cynicism at the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Detroit. I invite you to join us on July 22, 2026, at Huntington Place and to accept the invitation to be part of the future and not be mired in the past. God is calling all of us to be renewed, to be strengthened for the work ahead. God is calling us to hope for better things. I look forward to seeing all of you at Rising from the Ashes Revival.
Fr. Joe Mallia is a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit serving at St. Kieran Parish in Shelby Township and as moderator of the North Macomb 1 Family of Parishes. Along with a dedicated team of clergy and lay leaders, Fr. Mallia is leading the organization efforts for the Rising from the Ashes Revival, which will take place July 22, 2026.
