On May 5, three priests were to have been ordained as bishops for the Archdiocese of Detroit. This special issue of The Michigan Catholic is meant to celebrate their ordination and to introduce to the faithful our new shepherds, Bishops Donald Hanchon, Michael Byrnes and Arturo Cepeda. The men will serve as the 26th, 27th and 28th auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Bishop Donald Francis Hanchon

Donald Francis Hanchon was born in Jackson, to the late John Michael and Alfreda (Glinicki) Hanchon. Bishop Hanchon, 63, was one of seven children, one of whom died in 2006. He attended parochial schools until the time of his entry into the Cardinal Mooney Latin High School and his advancement into Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. He is a graduate of St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth, and holds advanced degrees from the University of Detroit (Theology), the University of Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind. (Liturgy), and St. John’s Provincial Seminary (Ministry).

Bishop Hanchon was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1974.  He has served as both an associate pastor and pastor, and will continue to serve as pastor of Most Holy Redeemer Parish. He served the seminary as a spiritual director; and served the archdiocese as vocations director, a member of the Presbyteral Council, a member of the College of Consultors, and since the mid-80s, subsequent to specialized studies, as a special liaison to the Hispanic Catholic community. He currently serves as the coordinator of the archdiocesan Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry. He was named a monsignor in 2005.

In the fall of 2009, he was appointed to assist in the pastoral care of the Central Region of the archdiocese and will continue to serve as its regional moderator.

Bishop Michael Jude Byrnes

Michael Jude Byrnes was born in Detroit, to Patrick and the late Marie (McAndrew) Byrnes. Bishop Byrnes, 52, was one of two children; he now has three stepsisters. His stepmother is Roberta (Wise) Byrnes. He attended public and parochial schools until his entry into the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Subsequent to a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology, he worked as a lab assistant, as a campus minister, and served as a leader in an Ann Arbor-based charismatic renewal ministry. He is a graduate of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and holds two advanced degrees from there (Divinity and Scripture) and one from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (Sacred Theology.) 

Bishop Byrnes was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1996. He served as both an associate pastor and pastor; served the seminary as a faculty member and as vice rector; and has served the archdiocese as a member of the Presbyteral Council. 

He will serve as the regional moderator for the Northeast Region of the archdiocese. 

Bishop José Arturo Cepeda Escobedo

José Arturo Cepeda Escobedo was born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, to José Cepeda and Maria del Socorro Escobedo. Bishop Cepeda, 41, was one of four children. He attended parochial schools and began preliminary seminary studies in Mexico, then moved to the United States and continued studies at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, and the College Seminary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He earned advanced degrees in San Antonio from Assumption Seminary (Divinity) and from St. Mary’s University (Biblical Theology); and in Rome at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelicum (Sacred Theology). 

Bishop Cepeda was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 1996. He has served as an associate pastor at the archdiocese’s cathedral parish; served as a faculty member, vice rector and as rector/president of Assumption Seminary; and served as vocations director and as a faculty member for two formational programs in the archdiocese. 

He will serve as the regional moderator for the Northwest Region of the archdiocese and assume the role as coordinator for the Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry.