Cd. Szoka led Detroit Church through crucial time
By Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published June 4, 2004
It was 1981, a time of adjustment for the Church of Detroit.
There was a new pope.
The Archdiocese of Detroit was showing signs of financial struggles.
And, after 22 years of leading the Archdiocese of Detroit, Cardinal John Dearden – the man who so well helped the archdiocese, and the nation, adapt to the new era of Vatican II – had announced his retirement the previous July.
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| Archbishop Edmund C. Szoka dedicates the new Pastoral Telecommunications Center for the Archdiocese in a live broadcast from the center's TV studio in 1985. | So when in March 1981, Pope John Paul II announced that 53-year-old Bishop Edmund C. Szoka of the Diocese of Gaylord would take the helm of the Archdiocese of Detroit, the appointment was a vital one, both spiritually and financially.
"He was clearly the pope's choice," said Msgr. John Zenz, moderator of the curia. "Inspired by the charismatic leadership and vision of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Szoka tried to implement here in Detroit the energy and message of the pope – affirming the dignity of human life from the first moment of conception, strengthening Eucharistic devotion, renewing priestly formation, focusing resources on evangelization and working for social justice and an end to racism."
Cardinal Szoka's era as archbishop lasted until 1990. Like the pope, the cardinal became known as both personable and spiritual to those he ministered to and with in the archdiocese. As shepherd of the Church of Detroit. His mission – as is his motto, "To Live in Faith" – was to strengthen the faith of Catholics in the archdiocese.
"It is the perennial challenge the Church always faces," Cardinal Szoka said in an interview last month, "strengthening the faith of the people and helping them to live that faith fully and actively."
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Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka greets Megan Brown, a member of Martyrs of Uganda Parish, one of the parishes he founded. | But along with his ministry came a daunting task – to prune the Church, so that it might grow. Amid tough public scrutiny from local media, Cardinal Szoka closed 33 parishes in his nine years.
"Of course, it was challenging to make difficult decisions," the cardinal said. "But once the situation has been studied carefully, prayed over fervently and then the course of action is clear, a bishop must have the courage and trust in God to go ahead with difficult decisions, knowing that the Lord will sustain him even in the face of strong and prolonged criticism and opposition."
In many cases, his courage only eventually was appreciated. But even as newspapers criticized his method of ensuring the Church's financial stability, his brothers in the Church saw that he took each decision before the Lord.
"He had great insight into problems that the Church faced," said Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Walter Hurley, who was moderator of the curia during Cardinal Szoka's tenure. "He was very courageous in addressing these problems as he saw them. He never backed away from a difficult situation, and always tried to face it with care and concern for the people."
When he left for the Vatican in 1990, he was heralded by much of the Detroit-area Catholic community for his warmth and compassion, despite the necessary closings.
Not lost, either, were the areas of budding faith in the archdiocese. Under Cardinal Szoka's leadership, seven new parishes were established.
They were a testament to the multiculturalism of the Detroit Church, too. They included St. Paul (Albanian) Parish in Warren, Martyrs of Uganda in Detroit, and St. Andrew Kim (Korean) in Detroit, which since has moved to Northville.
"To see the growth of the Church in a particular area is always encouraging," Cardinal Szoka said. "I dedicated many new churches during my time as archbishop and each one was a very special occasion for the people of the parish and for me."
New parishes weren't the only way Cardinal Szoka helped bring the Word of God to more people, either. The cardinal also encouraged pastors to use their local television stations as outlets for ministry. He then spearheaded the creation of the Catholic Television Network, CTND, which helped the archdiocese minister through cable television to thousands.
"When Cardinal Szoka came to Detroit, he came already realizing the power and value of television in relaying the Gospel and the message," said Msgr. Robert Humitz, pastor of St. Daniel Parish in Clarkston, when Cardinal Szoka put in charge of CTND.
In the early 1980s, local cable stations were easier, and less expensive, to establish than they are today. And it didn't take long for the Catholic station to be included in basic cable packages. By 1991, about 750,000 viewers received CTND as part of their local cable television package. Now, CTND has about 900,000 subscribers.
"Cardinal Szoka was very supportive of that because he could see that it was a powerful means of reaching people," Msgr. Humitz said. "He came at the right time and he had that vision – and thank God he did."
While many of the decisions Cardinal Szoka had to make were difficult ones, today's administration looks back on the Cardinal Szoka era as a blessing that, to many, was not immediately apparent.
"The fruit of Cardinal Szoka's labors is evident in the Archdiocese of Detroit today," Msgr. Zenz said, "because we have a healthy presbyterate, a good process for education and formation of priests, deacons and pastoral ministers, and structures for diocesan financial stability."
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