What were the priorities of Changing Lives Together?

1. Strengthening our parishes
2. Strengthening Catholic education and faith formation
3. Strengthening our priests, priestly formation and future leadership
4. Strengthening the Church in the city of Detroit

Strengthening our parishes was identified as the top priority. Accordingly, 70 percent of the funds raised in this initiative were returned to the parishes. Each parish was asked to reflect upon its pastoral priorities and unique needs such as establishing or growing a school or ministry endowment, debt retirement, renovating school or parish structures, constructing new buildings, or enhancing academic curriculums, religious education programs for youth and adults, and charitable outreach.

The plan called for the Archdiocese to retain 30 percent of the gifts received to fund priorities 2 through 4, and to fund the initiative’s expenses.