How You Can Help Save Our Lithuanian Parishes
Five things you can do right now to protect Divine Providence — starting with the Archdiocese survey, open until July 31.
A parish is people.
It is hundreds of baptisms, weddings, and funerals. It is Sunday Mass, the choir's hymns, the rosary prayed aloud, the Stations of the Cross, children's laughter in the school hallways, scout meetings, folk-dance rehearsals, and the shared work that has carried on for decades.
It is generations of people who gave their time, their labor, their money, and their hearts so that this place could live.
When we say “our parish” or “our home,” we are not talking about deeds of ownership. We are talking about belonging. About community. About a place where our families’ stories became woven together with our faith. Nearly fifty years ago, Fr. Viktoras Kriščiūnevičius wrote that the essence of a parish is the life of Christ, flowing through the community. Not through buildings. Not through documents. Through people.
After all, Lithuania does not belong to us in law either. We do not hold it by right of ownership. And yet we still say “our Lithuania” — because what binds us to it is memory, responsibility, love, and inheritance.
It is the same with a parish.
Buildings can belong to institutions. But the history belongs to the people who made it. The memory belongs to the people who carried it. And the community belongs to those who lived, prayed, and raised their children within it.
If a parish were only a piece of real estate, no one would gather at the listening sessions today, no one’s heart would ache over its future, and no one would be sharing photographs like these.
But people do care. And they care because, for many of us, this is not simply a building. It is the place where, for decades, faith, language, culture, and communal life were handed down.
So yes — in law, it belongs to the Archdiocese. But in our hearts it always has been, and always will be, our parish. Our home. Not because of ownership. Because of love.
The Archdiocese of Detroit is restructuring now — and this is our moment to be heard. Here is how you can help.
1. Take the survey — by July 31
The Archdiocese of Detroit Listening Session Feedback Survey is the single most important thing you can do. It is open until July 31, 2026.
Speak from faith first — how Divine Providence has helped your family pray, worship, and raise Catholic children. Our full guide to the survey walks you through it, point by point.
2. Share the facts
The case for Divine Providence is strong — and now it is documented. Share these with fellow parishioners, family, and anyone who loves this parish:
Who Does the Parish Belong To? — why ownership decides which parishes survive.
The Numbers Behind Divine Providence — bottom on scale, top 5% on resources, already back in the black.
By the Numbers: The Archdiocese's 13 Ethnic Parishes — the communities that built the Archdiocese.
3. Speak up — with warmth
If you attend a listening session, keep it prayerful and cooperative. We are discerning our future together with our shepherds, not fighting them. Lead with faith; let culture, school, and scouts follow as its fruit. One true, personal story is worth more than ten arguments.
4. Spread the word
Send this publication to anyone connected to Divine Providence — especially those who have drifted away. Every voice counts. Visit and share SaveOurLithuanianParishes.org.
5. Stay in touch
Questions, stories, or want to help organize? Email us at info@saveourlithuanianparishes.org, and subscribe below for updates as the restructuring unfolds.
Faith first. Culture as its vessel. The mission — for the next generation.