Archdiocese of Detroit Restructuring Survey Due July 31
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.
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. Of the four restructuring options the AOD has put forward, only one, Option B, keeps St. Lucy open as a parish with Mass. The other three would end Sunday Mass at St. Lucy entirely, 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 before the survey deadline. 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 the survey response form gives you the option, 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.
The Archdiocese is collecting feedback from parishioners on the four restructuring options. Your response is part of the official record. The deadline is Friday, July 31, 2026.
Prior to filling out the survey, please note these important tips:
Compose your survey answers in Word or Google Docs first, so you don't lose them if the survey times out.
There are two churches named "St. Lucy" in the system. Choose the one with "Croatian" in the name.
Next it asks which date you attended a listening session. You do not need to have attended one to take the survey. If you did not attend, just choose "I did not attend a parish listening session" and keep going.
You will be asked open-ended questions about Options A–D. Because Option B is the only one in which St. Lucy remains a church, make sure to fill out the Option B feedback. Type N/A in any remaining required boxes you are not filling out.
If you received a survey email addressed to a family member or friend, they likely didn't have their own on file — or were using yours. If you can, help them fill it out too. The survey is anonymous — no email or contact info is required.
All fields on the survey are required, so type N/A for any question you don't want to answer.
Although we have provided you resources to help you form your statements, you should do your best to use your own words. The AOD is reading for whether a real community exists, and identical answers do not demonstrate that. That said, if you need some inspiration about what to say, our resources for you are on our website in the The Arguments section and in the Statements & Voices section.
One question asks you to rank the models. You drag and drop the four models into your order of preference, with the best model at the top and the worst at the bottom. Drag Model B to the topmost position, since it is the only model that keeps St. Lucy open. On your phone, you will press Model B and hold, then drag Model B up above Model A. On a computer with a mouse, it is similar: hover the mouse over Model B, click-but-don't-release, slide the mouse up until Model A slides down, and then release so Model B is at the top. To see a video demonstration of the survey, click HERE!
On the page that opens, click the black box labeled "Spring 2026 Listening Session Survey" to begin.
Go to the Survey ↗What Happens Next
This is the window for your voice to count. The Planning Area 9 survey is open.
Archdiocese chooses not to assign St. Lucy a priest.
Refined models reviewed. Up to 40% could still change — why participation now matters.
Final pastorate models & priest assignments published by the AOD.
Parishioners are prepared to use every Canon Law appeal avenue available.
A Word Before You Go
Filling out a survey may take a little time. 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 you 15 minutes or an hour, whether you do it 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!
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