New Appointment In Detroit

It's official. Pope Benedict XVI has chosen Archbishop-elect Allen Vigneron to succeed Cardinal Maida as Archbishop of Detroit. This is awesome news!!

As seen at the Archdiocese of Detroit website:

Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Allen Henry Vigneron, 60, of the Diocese of Oakland, California, as the new Archbishop of Detroit. Installation of the new archbishop has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, at Detroit's Blessed Sacrament Cathedral.

As required by Church law, Cardinal Maida submitted his resignation to the Holy Father when he turned 75, in March of 2005. Pope Benedict then invited Cardinal Maida to continue as Archbishop of Detroit. Cardinal Maida's resignation has now been accepted; he will, however, serve as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese during this month's transition.

News Conference:
Cardinal Adam Maida will introduce his successor, Archbishop-elect Allen Vigneron, at a news conference on Monday, January 5, at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, 2701 Chicago Boulevard at Linwood, Detroit.

In his remarks, Archbishop-elect Vigneron expressed his gratitude to Pope Benedict, acknowledged Cardinal Maida's welcome home, and addressed southeast Michigan's economic struggle. "I recognize that this challenge for our civic community is – as all societal problems are – a pastoral challenge as well. To that challenge," he said, "I want to bring all the riches of grace which the Holy Spirit has bestowed on the Church."

This means that for at least 15 years, Detroit will be led by a solid Archbishop. He is a native son of metro Detroit, was an auxiliary bishop here prior to his appointment in Oakland, thus he knows the archdiocese very well My condolences to the Diocese of Oakland - their loss is our gain.

This still leaves one vacancy in the Auxiliary Bishop ranks, since Bishop Quinn, recently appointed Bishop of Winona, MN, has not yet been replaced.