Archbishop Vigneron joins cohosts Mike Chamberland and Mary Wilkerson to discuss the upcoming Jubilee Year of Hope, including the history and purpose of jubilee years, the meaning of the “Pilgrims of Hope” theme, Archbishop Vigneron’s new message to the faithful about the jubilee, and opportunities for pilgrimages within the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

(0:23) Hosts Mike Chamberland and Mary Wilkerson welcome Archbishop Vigneron to another episode of Eyes on Jesus. It has been a couple months since our last episode, so Archbishop Vigneron shares some of the highlights of his fall. 

(5:43) Mary introduces today’s topic: the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025. Archbishop Vigneron begins by summarizing the history of jubilees, with roots in the Old Testament when the Law of Moses called for every 50 years to be dedicated to the renewal of the life of the children of Israel. The Church’s first official jubilee year was held in 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII declared a special year of grace and pilgrimage to Rome. Over time, the practice was regularized to include Ordinary Jubilees every 25 years and Extraordinary Jubilees proclaimed at the discretion of the Holy Father.

(8:08) Mary recalls attending World Youth Day in Rome during the Great Jubilee of 2000, noting that she was particularly moved by St. Pope John Paul II’s expression of trust in young adults to carry the truth of the Gospel into the world. Archbishop Vigneron highlights the fact that each jubilee year carries with it a special grace for every person, and specifies that while a person’s participation in the jubilee may be very personal, it is not private. It is a communal celebration of pilgrims united in prayer.

(15:09) Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron to share about the theme of this jubilee year, “Pilgrims of Hope.” The Archbishop begins by explaining the nature of hope and touching on what the Holy Father has said about his chosen theme. The group then discusses the power of authentic hope found solely in the person of Christ through the gift of the Church and the Eucharist.

(20:57) Archbishop Vigneron details how the opening of the Jubilee Year will unfold, beginning with Pope Francis opening the first Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Dec. 24. Over the Christmas season, he will open four more Holy Doors, including one in a Roman prison. Locally, the Archbishop will celebrate a Mass with the Rite for the Solemn Opening of the Jubilee Year on Sunday, Dec. 29, the Feast of the Holy Family. 

(22:56) Unique to this jubilee year, there will be no Holy Doors outside of Rome. Instead, the Archdiocese of Detroit has designated 12 local pilgrimage sites where the faithful will be able to pray the official prayer for jubilee and unite themselves spiritually with all who will journey as pilgrims to Rome. Archbishop Vigneron lists and discusses some of those sites.

(27:49) Archbishop Vigneron introduces the concept of indulgences, the remission of the temporal punishment (the effects of sin that linger in us) caused by sin. Pilgrims can obtain an indulgence by visiting one of the designated pilgrim sites within the Archdiocese of Detroit, as long as they also strive for a complete detachment from sin, offer prayers for the Holy Father, go to Reconciliation, and receive Holy Eucharist within a reasonable amount of time. Archbishop Vigneron then talks about his recent message to the faithful, “Pilgrims of Hope,” and shares his intention to release additional messages to the faithful as the jubilee year unfolds.

(37:45) Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about celebrating Mass at his childhood parish and his favorite Advent and Christmas hymns. He then closes the episode with a prayer and blessing.

With the Nov. 5 election fast approaching, Archbishop Vigneron gives advice to Catholics trying to navigate election season in an increasingly polarized society. He and our hosts draw from the wisdom of the Church and guidance from the U.S. bishops in their discussion about forming consciences, responding to divisiveness, and trusting that “whatever direction the history of the United States takes, ultimately, the Lord is in charge.”

(0:24) Hosts Mike Chamberland and Mary Wilkerson welcome Archbishop Vigneron to another episode of Eyes on Jesus. As they discuss the summer coming to an end, Archbishop Vigneron shares about the joys of leading the annual summer seminar for Detroit seminarians and celebrating a Jubilee Mass for men and women in religious life who are celebrating milestone years in their life of service to the Church. 

(5:43) Mary introduces today’s topic of faithful citizenship, an important topic for Catholics to consider ahead of the Nov. 5 general election. Archbishop Vigneron defines a faithful citizen as someone who participates in the political order in light of the teachings of Christ and the Church. The group then discusses Pope Francis’ call for a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good. 

(12:07) Mike asks how Catholics should respond to the polarization in our society, especially surrounding a contentious election. Archbishop Vigneron mentions the “Civilize It” initiative by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, an effort promoting charity, clarity, and creativity in political discourse. He also explains why the Church supports certain ballot initiatives while refraining from endorsing any political candidates.  

(20:48) Archbishop Vigneron lists some of the issues Catholics can think about when discerning which candidates to support and explains why abortion is considered the “preeminent” issue for consideration.  

(26:30) Archbishop Vigneron is asked how parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit can approach this election season. He points out the irony of St. Peter and St. Paul telling the faithful to pray for the emperor “at a time when the emperor was no particular friend for Christians.” Following this example, he encourages Catholics to recognize that our leaders are God’s stewards, whether or not they realize it, and it’s our responsibility to pray for God’s plan to work through their lives. He also gives advice to people struggling with polarization in their communities and even families, reminding listeners that “whatever direction the history of the United States takes, ultimately, the Lord is in charge.” 

(34:48) Mike invites listeners to visit aod.org/election to access resources on faithful citizenship, including the materials discussed during the episode. Archbishop Vigneron offers the “rule of thumb” of considering every initiative and candidate in light of what most advances the family and affirms participation in politics as part of the priesthood of the faithful.  

(39:54) Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about agreeing with the Pope, saints he’s close to, and why Catholic weddings take place inside churches. He then closes the episode with a prayer and blessing. 

Archbishop Vigneron joins cohost Mike Chamberland and special guest Kim Kerwin, theology teacher at St. Fabian Catholic School in Farmington Hills, to discuss the recent National Eucharistic Congress and ongoing National Eucharistic Revival. 

(0:21) Host Mike Chamberland greets Archbishop Vigneron and introduces our special guest for this episode, Kim Kerwin. Kim introduces herself and then Archbishop Vigneron shares a bit about his summer thus far. 

(3:04) Mike introduces the topic of the episode, the National Eucharistic Congress that took place July 17-21 in Indianapolis. Both Archbishop Vigneron and Kim attended. Archbishop Vigneron spends some time reviewing the purpose of the Congress and corresponding National Eucharistic Revival. 

(7:21) Kim shares about a powerful experience during the Congress of being at Eucharistic adoration with 50,000 people in reverent silence. Archbishop Vigneron notes that one grace of the Congress has been the “profound sense…that the church is alive in the United States.” They then share their personal highlights of attending the Congress, including a special Mass for pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Detroit and the conversations over meals with pilgrims from all over the country. 

(21:23) Archbishop Vigneron and Kim share how the Congress has inspired them in their ministry. This sparks a discussion on the nature of our relationship with the Eucharist: We not only receive this gift, but we also make a reciprocal offering of ourselves. Kim talks about the impact of sharing powerful witnesses of the Eucharist with her students. 

(32:07) Kim talks about the pleasant surprise of being quite disconnected from the world outside the Congress, even though the event took place in the middle of a major city. Archbishop Vigneron admits he did not expect to see such an emphasis on—and joy surrounding—the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the Congress. 

(35:57) The group discusses what happens next, now that the Congress has concluded. There is already talk about future Congresses, but Archbishop Vigneron highlights the more immediate commission to take the fruits of the Congress home to our parishes, families, and next-door neighbors. They offer some final thoughts about the blessings of technology, which had made the Congress available to all via videos and other resources online, and communion with thousands of attendees, which Archbishop Vigneron calls a “foretaste” of being at the eternal banquet one day in heaven. 

(39:14) Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about whether he ever imagined he’d become a bishop, where he likes to go on vacation, and his family’s support of his life of faith and priestly vocation. He concludes the episode with a prayer and blessing. 

Adolescents and young adults—our young Church—have a particular call to holiness: "What's next?" In this month's episode, our hosts join Archbishop Vigneron to reflect and offer guidance to young disciples as they discern God's will for their lives. 

0:10 – Our hosts greet each other and catch up on the past month.  

1:36 – Archbishop Vigneron shares some thoughts on his recent pilgrimage to Lourdes in France and the recently-dedicated Lourdes Grotto at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.  

4:17 – Mike Chamberland asks Archbishop Vigneron about Bishop Gerard Battersby’s recent departure from Detroit and installation as Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin.  

5:23 – Mary Wilkerson asks Archbishop Vigneron about the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress and the four local Eucharistic Congresses recently held across the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

8:16 – Mary asks Archbishop Vigneron about Eucharistic processions and the tradition of carrying the Eucharist through the streets on Corpus Christi.  

10:49 – Mary introduces this month’s main topic by asking Archbishop what age range the Church means when speaking of “the young Church.” 

13:28 – Archbishop Vigneron shares some pastoral guidance for how young people can respond to the universal call to holiness.  

16:45 – Mary, Mike, and Archbishop Vigneron discuss how young people, especially adolescents, can work to overcome the pressures by secular society to turn away from God and a life of faith.  

22:19 – Mary brings up the growth of young adult and campus ministries in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

24:49 – Mary, Mike, and Archbishop Vigneron share some of their favorite young saints, including Pier Giorgio Frassati, Bernadette of Lourdes, Maria Goretti, and soon-to-be-canonized Carlo Acutis.  

30:59 – Mary, Mike, and Archbishop Vigneron share stories of young people they’ve known who have lived out the universal call to holiness in extraordinary and inspiring ways.  

35:41 – Mary asks about the impact of World Youth Day.  

39:23 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron for his advice to young people.  

45:55 – Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about dealing with those who deny our beliefs, how far back to confess sins, and our belief in Mary as an everlasting virgin. 

52:19 – Archbishop Vigneron shares his prayer intentions for the month and closes the episode with a blessing.  

As a grape’s flavor is influenced by the soil in which it is grown, the early Church also grew to reflect the beauty of the communities in which it spread. In this month’s episode, our cohosts discuss this “exchange of gifts” between diverse expressions of faith in the Archdiocese of Detroit – including expressions related to ethnicity and culture as well as different liturgical rites. 

0:25 – Archbishop Vigneron and Mike Chamberland greet each other and welcome this month’s guest host, Vickie Figueroa, Director of Cultural Ministries and Coordinator of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

0:45 – Vickie introduces herself to our hosts and listeners. 

5:16 – Mike introduces this month’s topic: the “exchange of gifts” between diverse expressions of faith in the Archdiocese of Detroit – including expressions related to ethnicity/culture as well as different liturgical rites. He asks Archbishop Vigneron to share a little about the history of different liturgical expressions, particularly Eastern and Roman rites.  

9:29 – Archbishop Vigneron speaks about the Eastern parishes in southeast Michigan and their relationship to the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

13:58 – Archbishop Vigneron clarifies that Roman Catholics are permitted to attend Eastern Catholic liturgies—even to fulfill the Sunday obligation—and to confess to Eastern Catholic priests.  

14:46 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron to speak about the extraordinary form of the Roman Catholic Mass.  

18:32 – Vickie shares about the importance of cultural diversity within the Church and its influence on liturgical expression.  

22:09 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron and Vickie to share some of the efforts underway to strengthen the Church’s missionary presence in the Central Region of the Archdiocese, which includes Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park.  

29:47 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron to speak about the Mass of the Sacred Heart, a gospel music-based Mass setting that he commissioned a few years ago.  

32:25 – Vickie highlights some additional liturgical gifts that have been shared by the African American community.  

36:11 – Archbishop Vigneron and Vickie share concrete examples of when different cultures in the Archdiocese have influenced their own faith expressions. 

42:20 – Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about his home life growing up, etiquette for receiving the Holy Eucharist, and whether he would have believed and followed Jesus if he had met him on earth two thousand years ago. 

46:29 – Archbishop Vigneron shares his prayer intentions for the month and closes the episode with a prayer and blessing.   

We all know the joy of sharing good news with others. This month’s Eyes on Jesus is about the greatest joy of sharing the best news: the Good News of Christ our savior. There are truly no bystanders in this evangelizing mission, as Jesus tells all of us to "make disciples of all nations." 

0:10 – Archbishop Vigneron and Mike Chamberland greet each other and welcome this month’s guest host, Father Mario Amore. All three catch up on the past month.  

1:22 – Mike asks Father Amore to introduce himself to listeners.  

2:59 –Archbishop Vigneron reflects on the recently-celebrated Easter Triduum and expresses his gratitude for the number of people entering the Church. 

5:28 – Mike introduces this month’s main topic: Evangelization. He asks Archbishop Vigneron and Father Amore to explain what evangelization is and why it's important to the Church.  

8:54 – Archbishop Vigneron explains the roots of evangelization found in both Scripture and the traditions of the Church.  

10:45 – Mike asks both Archbishop Vigneron and Father Amore if they’ve seen a change in evangelization during their years of ministry, including how it functions and how they’ve approached this important work.  

15:11 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron to explain the term, “New Evangelization.”  

19:43 – Mike asks about the role and responsibility the laity have in the Church’s evangelization mission.  

28:52 – Archbishop Vigneron and Father Amore share some of the moments when others evangelized them.  

32:20 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron to share some of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s evangelization “wins” in the years since Synod 16. 

37:32 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron and Father Mario to speak about the National Eucharistic Revival and its evangelization role.  

42:34 – Archbishop answers listener questions, including why Catholics go to confession, meeting past and current popes, and where he sees God in every day life.  

47:41 – Archbishop shares his prayer intentions for the month and closes the episode with a blessing.  

For Episode 50, the Eyes on Jesus team welcomes Father Stephen Pullis to the studio for a discussion on “The Good News About God’s Plan,” Archbishop Vigneron’s latest pastoral letter on the challenges of gender identity – and the importance of approaching this topic with true compassion and assurances of God’s personal love for all people. 

0:10 – Archbishop Vigneron and Mike Chamberland greet each other and welcome this month’s special guest, Father Stephen Pullis, Director of Pastoral Formation at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.  

1:02 – Father Pullis introduces himself and previews this month’s main topic.  

1:41 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron and Father Pullis about their Lenten season thus far.  

4:34 – Mike more fully introduces this month’s main topic, Archbishop Vigneron’s new pastoral letter on the “good news of God's plan” as it relates to gender identity and biological sex. He asks Father Pullis to speak a little about why he is particularly interested in this topic.  

 8:37 – Archbishop Vigneron speaks about the Gospel roots of his new pastoral letter. 

10:04 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron to share how Catholics should relate to people in their lives who experience gender confusion. 

11:11 – Father Pullis shares how the pastoral response, or the Catholic response, is rooted in our baptismal mission. 

12:07 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron why he chose to write this letter now.  

13:53 – Father Pullis expands on the need for this letter at this time. 

15:07 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron and Father Pullis to explain the “dualist” vision of the human person, which incorrectly divides body and soul and reinforces the idea that our sex and gender are not an integral, unchangeable parts of who we are. 

24:14 – Archbishop Vigneron identifies the intended audience of this pastoral letter and then introduces the two policies for parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit that were released in connection with the letter. 

31:15 – Archbishop Vigneron and Father Pullis describe how parish and school staff should go about implementing the teachings of the letter and requirements of the policies, always with true compassion and assurances of God’s personal love for all people. 

33:40 – Father Pullis and Archbishop Vigneron share some resources to help priests, deacons, and parish and school staff put the letter and policies into practice.  

40:03 – Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about his faith, his favorite food, and his advice for teenagers trying to live a Catholic life amid the struggles of modern society.  

44:54 – Archbishop Vigneron shares his prayer intentions for the month and closes the episode with a prayer and blessing.  

Have you ever gone on a pilgrimage? What is a pilgrimage? Archbishop Vigneron joins co-hosts Mike Chamberland and Mary Wilkerson to discuss what it means to go on a pilgrimage, their favorite pilgrimage sites, and how to go on a pilgrimage without ever leaving the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

0:17 – Archbishop Vigneron, Mary, and Mike greet each other and catch up on the past month, including Archbishop Vigneron’s keynote presentation on the Eucharist at a conference hosted by Ave Maria University. 

5:01 – Mary asks Archbishop Vigneron to remind listeners about the National Eucharistic Revival and National Eucharistic Congress, as well as some local initiatives in support of these efforts.  

7:38 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron how he’ll be observing Lent this year.  

10:06 – Archbishop Vigneron reflects on the recent celebration of the World Day of the Sick and the passing of longtime Detroit priest, Monsignor Daniel Trapp.  

12:39 – Mary introduces this month’s topic, pilgrimages, and asks Archbishop Vigneron to explain what a pilgrimage is, how it differs from a vacation, and the history of pilgrimages in Catholicism.  

18:55 – Mike asks Archbishop Vigneron about some pilgrimage locations that are distinctly Catholic and about some of his personal favorite pilgrimage locations.  

23:19 – Mike and Mary share some of their personal pilgrimage stories.  

26:39 – Archbishop Vigneron shares some pilgrimage sites in southeast Michigan.  

31:07 – Archbishop Vigneron introduces the Archdiocese of Detroit’s newest pilgrimage experience at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacraments: “Journey with the Saints.” 

32:58 – Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about loving people while not approving of their choices, his favorite activity, and his favorite subject in school growing up. 

40:25 – Archbishop Vigneron shares his prayer intentions for the month and closes the episode with a prayer and blessing.   

Archbishop Vigneron and co-host Mary Wilkerson welcome a special guest, Superintendent Laura Knaus, to the podcast studio to discuss the renewal of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

0:10 – Archbishop Vigneron and Mary Wilkerson greet each other and welcome this month’s guest host, Laura Knaus, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

0:37 – Laura introduces herself to listeners. 

1:56 – Archbishop Vigneron, Mary, and Laura look back on the past month, reflecting on their celebrations of Christmas.  

5:16 – Mary introduces this month’s topic, Catholic schools, and asks Archbishop Vigneron to briefly summarize the state of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

7:41 – Laura speaks about the increased enrollment in our Catholic schools since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

10:34 – Archbishop Vigneron speaks about the mission of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

12:33 – Laura elaborates on the integration of mind, body, and soul that is essential to a Catholic education.  

14:55 – Mary asks Archbishop Vigneron to explain what he means when he says that Catholic schools are an apostolate that is the responsibility of all parishes in the Archdiocese.  

18:52 – Mary asks Laura about Unleash the Gospel—how she came across the pastoral letter and how it inspired her to move to Detroit.  

21:55 – Archbishop Vigneron and Laura discuss the four pillars of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit: proudly Catholic, academically excellent, accessible to all, sustainable for the future. 

29:12 – Archbishop Vigneron and Laura share some of the challenges faced by our Catholic schools. 

33:44 – Archbishop Vigneron and Laura share some of the successes of our Catholic schools. 

36:48 – Laura discusses some of the recent changes in the Department of Catholic Schools, including the newly-created position of Assistant Superintendent for Catholic Culture.  

41:20 – Mary asks Archbishop Vigneron and Laura about the upcoming celebration of Catholic Schools Week, including how it will be observed in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

46:45 – Mary asks Laura about her vision for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit in five years and asks Archbishop Vigneron about his vision for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit fifty years from now.  

49:02 – Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about his favorite type of music and his Confirmation saint.  

51:16 – Archbishop Vigneron closes the episode with his prayer intentions for the month and a blessing.  

The repeal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 resulted in increased protections against abortion in some states and, tragically, deregulation in others like Michigan. Amid so much change, the EOJ team is reflecting on what has not changed: our commitment to building a culture of life, in part by renewing efforts to accompany women and families facing difficult pregnancies.

0:28 – Archbishop Vigneron, Mike, and Mary greet each other and catch up on the past month.  

0:48 – Archbishop Vigneron talks about celebrating Mass at Sacred Heart Major Seminary on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and delivering a lecture to seminarians on hope as exemplified in the Blessed Virgin Mary and how hope needs to be at the heart of a priest’s ministry. 

3:29 – Mary asks the Archbishop to share some thoughts about how Catholic families can observe Advent. Mike and Mary also share a little about observing Advent with their families. 

7:46 – Archbishop Vigneron talks about the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, through which donors recently gave $183,000 in grants to 34 projects in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  

10:20 – Mary introduces this month’s topic, building a culture of life, by asking the Archbishop why the Church is opposed to abortion and what we mean when we say we’re committed to building a culture of life.  

13:53 – Mike asks the Archbishop to provide a brief overview the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision and the passage of Proposal 3 in Michigan.  

16:48 – Archbishop Vigneron shares suggestions for those who may be feeling discouraged in the wake of the passage of Proposal 3 and the expansion of abortion access in a number of other states.  

19:11 – Archbishop Vigneron speaks about the forgiveness and healing available through Christ for people whose lives have been impacted by abortion.  

21:42 – Mary asks the Archbishop how we can “continue to be that joyful missionary carrier of the Gospel of Life.” 

26:33 – Archbishop Vigneron offers some suggestions for those who wish to get involved in building a culture of life.  

27:08 – Mary asks the Archbishop how the faithful can draw inspiration from the Holy Family as we continue to work at being ambassadors for a culture of life. 

29:26 – Mary and the Archbishop reflect on the lessons we can take from the fact that God chose to come to us as a newborn infant.  

33:16 – Archbishop Vigneron answers listener questions about the challenges he faces in ministry, his hobbies, and how bishops become cardinals. 

39:04 – Archbishop Vigneron shares his prayer intentions for the month and closes the episode with a prayer and blessing.