News Release: Detroit Archbishop-elect Weisenburger Welcomed as Incoming Chair of MCC Board

(Lansing, Mich.)—Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) is welcoming Most Rev. Edward J. Weisenburger as incoming chairman of the organization’s Board of Directors following news from Rome this morning that Pope Francis has named him to succeed Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron as archbishop of Detroit.

Archbishop-elect Weisenburger currently serves as Bishop of the Diocese of Tucson; his installation as Archbishop of Detroit will take place at 2:00 p.m. on March 18th at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

The archbishop of Detroit serves as chair of the MCC Board of Directors, which governs the operations and activities of the organization. The board is comprised of the seven Catholic diocesan bishops in Michigan, plus five lay persons, one priest, and one religious sister.

“We congratulate Archbishop-elect Weisenburger on his appointment to lead the Detroit Archdiocese, and we look forward to welcoming and supporting him in his role as chair of the MCC Board of Directors,” said Paul A. Long, president and CEO of MCC.

Upon his installation as archbishop, Archbishop-elect Weisenburger will become the fifth chairman of the MCC board, succeeding Archbishop Vigneron, who has served in the role since 2009. Archbishop Vigneron submitted his retirement to Pope Francis in October 2023 at the age of 75 as required by church law. He was appointed the fifth archbishop of Detroit in 2009 by the late Pope Benedict XVI.

Founded in 1963, MCC serves as the official voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan on matters of public policy. MCC also develops, coordinates, and manages programs that provide retirement benefits and insurance coverage for Catholic lay employees and clergy, as well as property and casualty coverage for the church throughout Michigan.

In recognition of Archbishop Vigneron’s leadership of Michigan Catholic Conference for the past 16 years, president and CEO Paul A. Long offered the following comments:

“On behalf of the MCC Board and staff, I would like to express my profound gratitude to Archbishop Vigneron for his 16 years of faithful and thoughtful leadership as chair of the MCC Board of Directors. In addition to his pastoral care of the archdiocese and his visionary efforts to Unleash the Gospel in southeast Michigan, Archbishop Vigneron built upon the six decades of work by his predecessors to shepherd MCC as a ministry of the bishops in Michigan.

“Archbishop Vigneron is a kind and pastoral man who leads with his faith at the center of all he does. We are thankful for his wisdom on matters related to MCC’s public policy advocacy, and for providing necessary support for efforts to serve church employees throughout the state of Michigan.

“Guiding deliberations on substantive questions with respect and consideration for varying perspectives, Archbishop Vigneron’s contemplative and dignified approach to numerous matters ensured stability with a focus on mission and collegiality. We wish Archbishop Vigneron a happy and restful retirement, and a fruitful continuance of his priestly ministry.”

To learn more about Archbishop-elect Edward J. Weisenburger and for additional information on the life and ministry of Archbishop Vigneron, visit the website of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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