Survey closed July 31, 2026 · Refined Maps Released!
Our church is at risk of being shut down due to the Archdiocese of Detroit's restructuring plan. It is the only Croatian Catholic church and ethnic gathering place in Michigan, protected by church law, financially stable, and with an available Croatian priest.
New Maps Released, October 2026
The Archdiocese has released its revised models for Planning Area 9. There are two of them, Model 9E and Model 9F. In both, St. Lucy is marked “no weekend Masses.”
In the spring, one of the four models, Model B, kept Mass at St. Lucy. That model is gone. Neither new model keeps it.
St. Lucy is the only Croatian Catholic parish in Michigan. Without weekend Mass, our community loses the place where it gathers every Sunday.
These are proposals, not final decisions. The Archbishop is expected to announce final decisions in 2027. Until then, the Archdiocese is gathering feedback on these models through pastors and parish leaders.
Nothing is settled, and the Archdiocese needs to hear from us.
Find St. Lucy on the 9E map and the 9F map, and read the Archdiocese’s stated reasons for the new models. Everything is on the Planning Area 9 page.
When there is a way to respond, we will tell you right away. Sign up here.
Where Things Stand
This summer, you filled out the Archdiocese survey in English and in Croatian. You helped parents, grandparents, and neighbors get their answers in, and you made the case for Model B in your own words. Thank you. Those responses are part of the official record, and no one can say this community was silent.
The Archdiocese has now answered with its second round of models, and neither one keeps weekend Mass at St. Lucy. Under the Archbishop’s plan, churches without weekend Mass are expected to be combined with other parishes. The Archdiocese has not said what that would mean for St. Lucy, the only Croatian Catholic parish in Michigan.
Here is what happens next. Pastors and parish leaders are reviewing the two models now and sending their feedback. The proposals then go to the Archdiocesan Restructuring Commission, and the Archbishop is expected to announce his final decisions in April 2027.
There is no public survey this round. That makes your letters, and a parish that speaks with one voice, matter more.
Before You Read On
What follows on this page is a long road: models and planning areas and dates that run into 2027. It may seem hard. But our Croatian ancestors and relatives and some of us have seen hard times and done hard things before.
Five centuries ago, Croats earned the papal title Antemurale Christianitatis, Bulwark of Christendom, after fighting off Ottoman invasions for generations. And thirty years ago, after Borovo Selo and Tenja and Dvor and Dalj and Vukovar and Ovčara, and far too many atrocities to name here... Croats still kept going, held on, and saw the sun rise once more on what was rightfully theirs.
So whether it takes fifteen minutes or two more years, whether you speak up by yourself or with help from a friend or family member, whether you're American-born or barely know a word of English... Make sure the AOD knows who you are and what is yours.
St. Lucy Croatian Catholic Church is your home.
Defend it!
The Situation
The Archdiocese of Detroit (AOD) is restructuring its parishes across the region, and St. Lucy Croatian Catholic Church has been placed into Planning Area 9 for review. In the first round this spring, only one of four options, Model B, kept St. Lucy open as a parish with Mass. In the second round, released in October, neither option does. Both would end weekend Mass at St. Lucy, which would mean the end of our parish as a living community of faith.
St. Lucy is not just a building. For over a hundred years, our community has gathered here in good times and hard times: baptisms, weddings, funerals, and Sunday Mass in our own language. It began as St. Jerome Parish in 1924, moved to 8 Mile Road in 1955, and has called Troy home since 1996. It is the only Croatian Catholic parish in the entire state of Michigan, and parishioners drive from across southeast Michigan, some from over an hour away, to be here.
This page was created by fellow parishioners, Andrew Mutavdžija and Marija Franetovic, to help our community understand what is happening and to make sure every parishioner has the chance to be heard. This is not an official statement from St. Lucy parish or the Archdiocese. It is us, the people in the pews, asking each other to act.
The Case for St. Lucy
These are the core arguments parishioners raised at the Listening Sessions on May 2 and May 9, 2026. You don't need to repeat all of these arguments; just pick the one or two that resonate with you the most and put them in your own words.
St. Lucy is a "personal parish" under Church Law (Canon 518), created specifically to serve the Croatian-speaking faithful. The real question isn't how our numbers compare to neighboring parishes. It's whether the Croatian Catholic community in southeast Michigan still exists and still needs this ministry. It does, and it's growing with new immigrants.
St. Lucy carries no debt, runs balanced budgets, and holds roughly $2.5 million in liquid assets, including a transformational gift from parishioner Mary Sostarich. Our building, built in 1996, is in excellent condition. We are not a burden on the Archdiocese. We are a contributor.
We identified a bilingual Croatian and English-speaking priest whose bishop was ready to release him to serve us. A formal request was submitted on February 24, 2026, and denied without explanation on March 23, 2026. The priest shortage that drives this whole process has a solution sitting right in front of it.
St. Lucy is the only Croatian Catholic parish in Michigan. If it closes, parishioners won't simply transfer to a nearby Area 9 church. Many will end up elsewhere, and some, especially elderly parishioners who have worshipped and confessed in Croatian their entire lives, may drift away from the Church entirely.
The AOD's planning packet reportedly shows zero baptisms, weddings, confirmations, and funerals for St. Lucy in recent years. Parishioners at the Listening Sessions confirmed this is not accurate. If you write to the Archbishop, it is worth noting that decisions should be based on correct numbers.
To read a full summary of parishioner comments from both listening sessions and statements prepared and made by Andrija Mutavdžija and Ivo Tešija, navigate to the Statements section.
What Happens Next
The second round of models is out, and both end weekend Mass at St. Lucy. Nothing is final yet. The Archdiocese said from the start that these drafts could change, and the Archbishop’s final decisions are not expected until April 2027.
There is no public comment period this round. Feedback travels through pastors and parish leaders, which makes staying organized, and staying reachable, the whole task between now and April.
Parishioners spoke at the St. Lucy listening sessions on May 2 and May 9.
Archdiocese chooses not to assign St. Lucy a priest.
The Planning Area 9 survey closes. Our parishioners made the case for St. Lucy in their own words.
Responses were reviewed behind closed doors by Archdiocese staff, outside consultants, and selected advisory bodies.
A hand-picked group of priests and lay leaders redrew the proposals. Parishioners were not part of this step.
Two revised models released for Planning Area 9, down from four. Both end weekend Mass at St. Lucy.
Pastors and parish leaders review the two models and send feedback. The proposals then go to the Archdiocesan Restructuring Commission.
Archbishop Weisenburger releases his final decisions.
Final plans take effect. New priest assignments begin.
For sites left without a weekend Mass, a separate discernment process about their future begins.
Take Action!
This is the most important thing you can do right now. Send a letter on paper, not an email. Tell him who you are, what St. Lucy means to you and your family, and ask him to keep weekend Mass at St. Lucy. Use whichever arguments above matter most to you, in your own words. Mail it to:
Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger
Archdiocese of Detroit
12 State Street
Detroit, MI 48226
If you are willing, email a copy to [email protected] so we can keep a record of every letter sent.
Text or email www.savestlucy.com to fellow parishioners, family, and friends, and make sure they know both new maps end weekend Mass at St. Lucy. For anyone who does not go online, print this page and hand it to them.
The AOD’s data reportedly shows zero baptisms, weddings, and funerals at St. Lucy, which parishioners confirmed is wrong. If you have photos, bulletins, or records of sacraments celebrated here, email them to [email protected] so we can compile a true record of St. Lucy’s sacramental life.
A coalition letter from organizations like the National Federation of Croatian Americans (NFCA) or the Croatian Fraternal Union is harder to ignore than individual letters. Ask them to send formal support for keeping weekend Mass at St. Lucy.
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