Wave 1 Family Moderators Announced

We are excited to share the announcement of Wave 1 Family moderators. After much discernment, the Assignment Board has made strategic and prayerful assignments for pastors and moderators of Wave 1 Families of Parishes. Please join us in praying for our new families of parishes leaders!

Learn more about the Family of Parishes leadership model on the Frequently Ask Questions page.

Reverend Mario Amore, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Renaissance Vicariate Family 1 (Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit; Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Detroit; St. Aloysius Parish, Detroit; St. Mary (Greektown) Parish, Detroit), effective July 1, 2021. Father Amore is currently serving as Pastor of St. Aloysius Parish, Detroit and Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Detroit.

Reverend Brian Cokonougher, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Central Macomb Vicariate Family 5 (St. Malachy Parish, Sterling Heights; St. Paul of Tarsus Parish, Clinton Township; St. Ronald Parish, Clinton Township; St. Thecla Parish, Clinton Township), effective July 1, 2021. Father Cokonougher is currently serving as Pastor of St. Thecla Parish, Clinton Township.

Reverend Joseph Esper, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Blue Water Vicariate Family 2 (Immaculate Conception Parish, Ira Township; Our Lady on the River Parish, Marine City; St. Mary Parish, St. Clair; St. Mary Queen of Creation Parish, New Baltimore), effective July 1, 2021. Father Esper is currently serving as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Ira Township.

Monsignor Charles Kosanke, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Southwest Vicariate Family 1 (Holy Cross (Hungarian) Parish, Detroit; Most Holy Redeemer Parish, Detroit; Most Holy Trinity Parish, Detroit; Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Detroit; The Basilica of Ste. Anne Parish, Detroit; St. Francis d’Assisi-St. Hedwig Parish, Detroit; St. Gabriel Parish, Detroit), effective July 1, 2021. Monsignor Kosanke is currently serving as Pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish, Detroit and The Basilica of Ste. Anne Parish, Detroit.

Reverend Joseph Mallia, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed North Macomb Vicariate Family 1 (St. Kieran Parish, Shelby Township; St. Lawrence Parish, Utica; St. Matthias Parish, Sterling Heights), effective July 1, 2021. Father Mallia is currently serving as Pastor of St. Kieran Parish, Shelby Township.

Reverend Michael Nkachukwu will continue to lead the parishes which comprise the Genesis Vicariate Family 2 (Our Lady Queen of Heaven-Good Shepherd Parish, Detroit; St. Jude Parish, Detroit; St. Raymond-Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Detroit), effective July 1, 2021. Father Nkachukwu currently serves as Pastor of each of these parishes.

Monsignor Daniel Trapp, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Renaissance Vicariate Family 2 (Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Detroit; Sacred Heart Parish, Detroit; St. Augustine and St. Monica Parish, Detroit; St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Detroit; St. Elizabeth Parish, Detroit), effective July 1, 2021. Monsignor Trapp is currently serving as Pastor of St. Augustine and St. Monica Parish, Detroit.

Reverend Richard Treml will continue to lead the communities which comprise the Thumb Vicariate Family 3 (Sacred Heart Mission, Brown City; SS. Peter and Paul Parish, North Branch; St. Mary Burnside Parish, North Branch; St. Patrick Chapel, Clifford), effective July 1, 2021. Father Treml currently serves as the Pastor of Sacred Heart Mission, SS. Peter and Paul Parish, and St. Mary Burnside Parish.

Reverend Zbigniew Zomerfeld, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Blue Water Vicariate Family 3 (Holy Trinity Parish, Port Huron; St. Christopher Parish, Marysville; St. Edward on the Lake Parish, Lakeport; St. Mary Parish, Port Huron), effective July 1, 2021. Father Zomerfeld is currently serving as Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Port Huron.

Reverend Philip Ching, appointed Pastor of St. Mary Mystical Rose Parish, Armada, effective July 1, 2021. This appointment is in addition to his current assignments as Pastor of Holy Family Parish, Memphis and St. Augustine Parish, Richmond, thus making him the Pastor of all three parishes in the newly formed Blue Water Vicariate Family 1

Reverend Jaime Hinojos, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Trinity Vicariate Family 1 (Corpus Christi Parish, Detroit; Presentation-Our Lady of Victory Parish, Detroit; SS. Peter and Paul (Westside) Parish, Detroit; St. Juan Diego Parish, Detroit; St. Mary of Redford Parish, Detroit; St. Scholastica Parish, Detroit), effective July 1, 2021. Father Hinojos currently serves as Pastor of St. Juan Diego Parish, Detroit. 

Monsignor John Kasza, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed North Macomb Vicariate Family 2 (St. Francis of Assisi-St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Ray Township; St. Isidore Parish, Macomb; St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Shelby Township), effective July 1, 2021. Monsignor Kasza currently serves as Pastor St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Shelby Township. 

Reverend Anthony Richter, appointed Administrator of St. Lucy (Croatian) Parish, Troy, effective July 1, 2021, in addition to his current responsibilities as Pastor of Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson. Father Richter is also appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed South Oakland Vicariate Family 1 (Christ Our Light Parish, Troy; Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson; St. Anastasia Parish, Troy; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Troy; St. Lucy (Croatian) Parish, Troy), effective July 1, 2021. 

Reverend Paul Snyder, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed South Oakland Vicariate Family 4 (National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica Parish, Royal Oak; St. Justin-St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Hazel Park; St. Mary Parish, Royal Oak; St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, Madison Heights), effective July 1, 2021. Father Snyder currently serves as Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Royal Oak. 

Reverend Scott Thibodeau, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Lakes Vicariate Family 1 (Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Waterford; St. Anne Parish, Ortonville; St. Daniel Parish, Clarkston; St. Rita Parish, Holly), effective July 1, 2021. Father Thibodeau currently serves as Pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Waterford.

Reverend Timothy Birney, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Downriver Vicariate Family 1 (Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Taylor; SS. Andrew and Benedict Parish, Detroit; St. Alfred Parish, Taylor; St. Andre Bessette Parish, Ecorse; St. Constance Parish, Taylor; St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Allen Park; St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Melvindale), effective July 1, 2021. Father Birney currently serves as Pastor of St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Allen Park. 

Reverend David Burgard, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Monroe Vicariate Family 2 (St. Anne Parish, Monroe; St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Newport; St. John the Baptist Parish, Monroe; St. Mary Parish, Monroe; St. Michael Parish, Monroe), effective July 1, 2021. Father Burgard currently serves as Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, Monroe and St. Mary Parish, Monroe.

Reverend Marc Gawronski, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Downriver Vicariate Family 3 (Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven; Sacred Heart Parish, Grosse Ile; St. Cyprian Parish, Riverview; St. Joseph Parish, Trenton; St. Roch Parish, Flat Rock; St. Timothy Parish, Trenton), effective July 1, 2021. Father Gawronski currently serves as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Grosse Ile and St. Cyprian Parish, Riverview; and as Temporary Administrator of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton.

Monsignor Michael Hrydziuszko, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Pontiac Vicariate Family 1 (St. Andrew Parish, Rochester; St. Irenaeus Parish, Rochester Hills; St. Mary of the Hills Parish, Rochester Hills), effective July 1, 2021. Msgr. Hrydziuszko currently serves as Pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Rochester.

Reverend Shafique Masih, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed West Wayne Vicariate Family 4 (SS. Simon and Jude Parish, Westland; St. Mary Parish, Wayne; St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy Parish, Westland; St. Richard Parish, Westland; St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Garden City), effective July 1, 2021. Fr. Masih currently serves as Pastor of St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy Parish, Westland.

Reverend Robert McCabe, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed West Wayne Vicariate Family 1 (Church of the Divine Child Parish, Dearborn; Sacred Heart Parish, Dearborn; St. Anselm Parish, Dearborn Heights; St. Linus Parish, Dearborn Heights; St. Sabina Parish, Dearborn Heights), effective July 1, 2021. Father McCabe currently serves as Pastor of Church of the Divine Child Parish, Dearborn. 

Reverend Gary Michalik, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Northwest Wayne Vicariate Family 2 (Our Lady of Victory Parish, Northville; St. Colette Parish, Livonia; St. Edith Parish, Livonia; St. Kenneth Parish, Plymouth), effective July 1, 2021. Father Michalik currently serves as Pastor of St. Colette Parish, Livonia.

Reverend Suresh Rajaian, SAC, with the concurrence of his Provincial Rector, Reverend Fr. Dr. Antony Dhas Prakasam, SAC, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Downriver Vicariate Family 2 (Christ the Good Shepherd Parish, Lincoln Park; Our Lady of the Scapular Parish, Wyandotte; St. Pius X Parish, Southgate; St. Vincent Pallotti Parish, Wyandotte), effective July 1, 2021. Father Rajaian currently serves as Pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Southgate.

Reverend Jeffrey Scheeler, OFM, with the concurrence of his Superior, Very Reverend Mark Soehner, OFM, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed South Oakland Vicariate Family 5 (Church of the Transfiguration Parish, Southfield; Divine Providence (Lithuanian) Parish, Southfield; Our Lady of La Salette Parish, Berkley; Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, Oak Park), effective July 1, 2021. Father Scheeler currently serves as Pastor of Church of the Transfiguration Parish, Southfield.

Monsignor Gerald McEnhill, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed Lakes Vicariate Family 3 (Our Lady of Refuge Parish, Orchard Lake; Prince of Peace Parish, West Bloomfield; St. Benedict Parish, Waterford), effective July 1, 2021. Monsignor McEnhill currently serves as Pastor of Our Lady of Refuge Parish, Orchard Lake.

Reverend Mark Brauer, appointed Moderator of the In Solidum team of priests who, with the other priests of the team, will lead the newly formed South Oakland Vicariate Family 3 (Sacred Heart Parish, Auburn Hills; St. Damien of Molokai Parish, Pontiac; St. Hugo of the Hills Parish, Bloomfield Hills; St. Thomas More Parish, Troy), effective July 1, 2021. Father Brauer is currently serving as Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, Farmington.

Learn more about the role of the Laity in Families of Parishes by registering for our new self-paced online course, Living the Mission as a Lay Disciple: a Personal Journey of Encounter, Grow, Witness.